The St. Petersberg Times takes the Tampa police force to task for driving around in cars seized from drug dealers and other offenders:

It is disappointing that neither Tampa's mayor nor police chief recognize how unbecoming it is for police brass to drive confiscated cars. The purpose of property seizure laws is to strip criminals of their illegal gains; they're not intended to be a honey pot so the chief and his staff can tool around in luxury cars.

When police agencies benefit directly from the properties they seize, it doesn't pass the smell test. There's a conflict of interest. When the fruits of the seizure can be used to buy new high tech equipment and other perks for the police, the temptation is just too great to seize the cash by breaking the rules.

Columnist Robyn Blummer also criticizes the practice :

Civil asset forfeiture is the most infamous game in law enforcement. While in its pure form, seizing the luxury cars, boats, homes and cash of drug dealers can be a useful tool in taking profit out of crime, in the real world far too many police and sheriffs offices use it to finance and enrich their operations, leading to startling abuses.

Blummer also touts our favorite investigative series on law enforcement abuses in forfeiture cases--one by Karen Dillon that appeared in the Kansas City Star in 2000, and yes, it's still on line.