UC Berkeley Vice Chancellor Scott Biddy noted in a statement on Monday that the cop appeared to be following standard procedure.

"While I cannot comment on the specifics of this particular case, our practice is to issue warnings before giving a citation," he said. "In a case such as this, it is typical to collect any suspected illegal funds and enter them into evidence."

Biddy was referring to civil forfeiture laws in California that allow authorities to seize cash and property from those suspected of illegal activity.