Colorado Joins Other States Reviewing Police Forfeitures

DENVER (AP) — Colorado may join other states in preventing law enforcement agencies from taking someone's property through the asset forfeiture process.

A bill up for its first vote Wednesday would allow asset forfeiture to take place only after a criminal conviction.

Many states have imposed stricter standards before police are allowed to seize assets without a conviction. Critics complain that law enforcement sometimes uses the maneuver to take property and money from people who aren't charged with crimes, forcing them to a lengthy legal process to get their assets back.

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder announced sweeping changes last month to the federal civil asset forfeiture program.

A fiscal analysis prepared for Colorado lawmakers says that state forfeitures are "infrequent."

(© Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)