Police agencies in South Carolina are collecting millions off civil forfeitures WYFF News 4 Investigates how police agencies in South Carolina are collecting millions off civil forfeitures. Share Shares Copy Link Copy

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WEBVTT WYFF NEWS 4 INVESTIGATES TONIGHT, HOW POLICE AGENCIES IN SOUTH CAROLINA ARE COLLECTING MILLIONS OFF CIVIL FORFEITURES. THAT'S WHEN OFFICERS SEIZE MONEY OR PROPERTY, OFTEN WITHOUT CHARGING SOMEONE WITH A CRIME. AS WYFF NEWS 4'S TIM WALLER FOUND OUT, LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES ARE RAKING IN MILLIONS EACH YEAR. TIM: ON FRIDAY, WE TOLD YOU ABOUT A LAWSUIT THAT'S BEEN FILED AGAINST SPARTANBURG COUNTY SHERIFF CHUCK WRIGHT, BY A MAN WHO CLAIMS DEPUTIES SEIZED A LARGE AMOUNT OF MONEY FROM HIS VEHICLE, EVEN THOUGH THEY NEVER CHARGED HIM WITH A CRIMINAL OFFENSE. ONE NATIONAL GROUP GIVES SOUTH CAROLINA A D-MINUS WHEN IT COMES TO CIVIL FORFEITURES. WHEN GREENVILLE COUNTY DEPUTIES WENT UNDERCOVER TO BRING DOWN THE NIGHTCLUB PLATINUM PLUS, SHERIFF LOFTIS: OUR UNDERCOVER INVESTIGATORS WITNESSED DANCERS PERFORMING LEWD AND LASCIVIOUS ACTS. TIM: SHERIFF STEVE LOFTIS SAID THE STING WAS FINANCED WITH $26,000 IN SEIZED DRUG MONEY, A SMALL PORTION OF THE NEARLY $337,000 THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE COLLECTED IN CIVIL FORFEITURES LAST YEAR. THE PRO-LIMITED GOVERNMENT GROUP "INSTITUTE FOR JUSTICE" CLAIMS LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES IN SOUTH CAROLINA AUTHORITIES ARE -- ARE AMONG THE NATIONS WORST OFFENDERS. >> IT'S THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA LEGISLATURE TO FULLY FUND LAW ENFORCEMENT. LAW ENFORCEMENT SHOULD NOT TAKE IT ON ITSELF TO BE BOTH THE PURSE AND THE SWORD TO RAISE ITS OWN MONEY. TIM: THE GROUP SAYS OVER THE LAST 5 YEARS, POLICE AGENCIES IN THE STATE HAVE COLLECTED $22.7 MILLION IN ASSETS THROUGH CIVIL FORFEITURE, OFTEN WITHOUT CHARGING OR CONVICTING SOMEONE OF A CRIME. >> YOU CAN BE ACQUITTED OF A CHARGE IN CRIMINAL COURT, BUT STILL LOSE YOUR PROPERTY THROUGH CIVIL FORFEITURE. TIM: IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE HOW MUCH MONEY LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES NEAR YOU TOOK IN LAST YEAR THROUGH CIVIL FOREFEITURES, YOU WILL FIND A LINK ON WYFF4.COM AND THE WYFF4 MOBILE

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