Police Seizures of Property to Increase

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Attorney General Jeff Sessions says the Justice Department is developing policies that would increase police seizures of cash and property.

Sessions told a gathering of district attorneys Monday he expects a policy change this week related to the practice of so-called assets forfeiture. Civil liberties groups and members of Congress have criticized the tactic because it enables law enforcement to take possession of property such as cars and money without convictions or even indictments.

Former Attorney General Eric Holder in 2015 limited the ability of local law enforcement agencies to use federal law to seize suspects' assets.

But Sessions says that practice is appropriate, as is sharing proceeds with local police.

Sessions says "no criminal should be allowed to keep the proceeds of their crime."