Denison police seized $3,519 under the Texas asset forfeiture law in the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, according to the department's annual report to the attorney general, which the City Council is asked to approve for submission on Monday, Nov. 16.
The state report and a matching federal certification are on the council's consent agenda, a list of routine items normally passed in one vote. Police Chief Mike Gudgel's staff memo says both documents track money from seizures by the department's narcotics unit and are reviewed by the council every year.
State account
Under Chapter 59 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, cash seized in a criminal case is held until a court rules on it. The department started the year with $12,371 in seized money waiting on the courts and ended with $10,529 after courts awarded $5,361 to the department.
The account that holds forfeited money began the year at $51,385. Along with the $5,361 in court awards, it collected $1,761 in interest and $575 from the sale of forfeited property. The department spent $15,134 from it: $9,114 on furniture, $4,680 on software and $1,340 paid to a cooperating agency under a local agreement. The year-end balance was $43,948.
The report lists no vehicles, real estate, computers or firearms seized or forfeited during the year.
Federal account
The department also shares in forfeitures from federal cases. Its certification to the Justice and Treasury departments shows:
