TN Police Taped Extortion, Blackmail, Racketeering, Armed Robbery, Bribery, Terroristic Threats 1

"It's a way to make money ... for your task force?" NewsChannel 5 Investigates asked Helper.

The DA paused.

"Honestly?" we asked, prompting a smile from Helper.

"Well, you know, when you say 'make money,' I guess it is a way for us to continue to fund our operations so that we can put an end to drug trafficking and the drug trade within this district," she responded.

In fact, Interstate 40 has become a major profit center for Tennessee law enforcement -- with officers stopping and often searching out-of-state vehicles. It's because of a state law that lets them seize money simply based on the suspicion that it's linked to drug trafficking.

If an owner does not take legal action to get the money back, the agency gets to keep it all.

"This is really highway shakedowns coming to the U.S.," said Scott Bullock, senior attorney with the Washington-based Institute for Justice.

Last year, the conservative-leaning group issued a report -- "Policing for Profit" -- that gave Tennessee a D-minus for civil forfeiture laws that make that it all possible.
Read the "Policing for Profit" report here

"Under civil forfeiture," Bullock said, "you give law enforcement a direct and perverse incentive to go out and try to take as much property from citizens as possible."

Dickson Police Chief Ricky Chandler said, "What we are doing, we're taking advantage of how the laws are, to use the money to be able to put back to fight the drugs."

Chandler heads the board for the 23rd Judicial District Drug Task Force, which has made millions off seizures in its counties -- Humphreys, Dickson and Cheatham. The town of Fairview also provides officers to the Task Force in exchange for a cut of the cash.

Then, three years ago, Chandler and the Dickson County sheriff helped create a second team -- known as Dickson Interdiction Criminal Enforcement, or DICE -- to work the exact same stretches of interstate.

Humphreys County and the town of Kingston Springs provide officers -- and Cheatham County allows DICE to work in its jurisdiction -- in exchange for a share of the money.
Read the agreement for the creation of DICE

"Everything's paid through seizures and fines," Chandler said.

NewsChannel 5 Investigates asked, "So if these officers out on the interstate don't come up with cash, then they might lose their jobs?"

"Well, it's a possibility, yes," Chandler answered.

E-mail: pwilliams@newschannel5.com

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Police
• Caught
• Taped
• Openly
• Committing
• Extortion
• Blackmail
• Racketeering
• Armed
• RObbery
• Soliciting
• Bribes
• Making
• Veiled
• Terroristic
• Threats
• Corruption
• Oppression
• Suppression
• Repression
• Government
• Cancer
• Murder
• Cops
• Crime
• Court
• Criminal
• Proceedings

[thecursedland]

this is what we accept as standard procedure. Bah. I think it's hilarious that the precincts are fighting amoungst one another.

[detersbb]

@thecursedland

Today there is:

No honor among thieves

That is exactly what it is armed robbery, extortion, blackmail, racketeering, & soliciting a bribe under veiled terrorist threats.

The government has become the criminal actor in society, period.

[crackahcrackah]

@R4t10n4L Wouldn't that be great???

[Fred420ist]

That D.A. lady admits there are no laws in place to assume probable cause against transportation of money, to even pull someone over, in this reporters previous story, in essence, admitting breaking the law. If there is no law against transportation of money, then on what grounds is their probable cause based on? TAKING SOMETHING THAT IS NOT YOURS is completely defined under the law. So who are the criminals here? The admitted criminals or the people not even being accused of a crime? 4th Amend?

[R4t10n4L]

I'll laugh my ass of if these stupid cop-suckers end up shooting each other over stealing from thieves.

[The1KATYPERRY1]

What are we going to do about this cops in the u.s. are looked up to like gods and given too much power which is why you see videos like this because they are taking advantage!

[goohgulliscia]

I saw two of these Hillbilly Fatass Thieves out there just this week (December 10, 2011) waiting to shake down motorists. The lure of STEALING money from motorists is so great that even WTVF's excellent EXPOSE couldn't stop these porkers from their CRIMES. Just shows that the TN legislature is also corrupt because they could stop this EXTORTION if they wanted to.

[Highwireformoney]

Profffffessional Racketeering......

[JimBrinkley1]

Wow. Good job Phil Williams of WTVF! And to think I once believed the cops were the good guys. Now they're worse than scum. The good cops who would never go along with this shit are long gone--retired, fired, etc. And its this fukkin war on drugs thats destroying this country.

[kidkerouac]

As someone who has gone to Bonnaroo for 9 years now, let me tell you TN cops are crooked as they come. I'm completely sober and have been stopped and have had my car ripped apart three times, in which the contents were thrown into the highway and it was left up to me to pick them up. They even admitted that they could care less about drugs and they just wanted to retire.

[PortlandTactical]

Bravo for real journalism

[bxm042]

Wow. Just wow.