Government takes half of Proceeds of Crime cash in Gloucestershire (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Government takes half of Proceeds of Crime cash in Gloucestershire

9:36am Friday 3rd July 2009

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PEOPLE in Gloucestershire are being robbed twice - once by criminals and then by the Home Office, according to a member of the police authority.

The quarterly report of Chief Constable Timothy Brain revealed the economic crime unit had seized £164,000 between January and March this year, through the Proceeds of Crime Act.

"People in Gloucestershire are in effect getting robbed twice. Firstly by the criminals and then by the government."

Andrew Read, Gloucestershire Police Authority

Most of the money was seized from drug dealers.

The total amount forfeited in 2008/9 was £221,399 compared with £206,000 in 2007/8.

The Home Office takes 50 percent of all the cash seized.

At a recent meeting of the police authority, independent member Andrew Read asked Dr Brain to lobby the government to allow the police to keep 100 percent of the money.

"People in Gloucestershire are in effect getting robbed twice. Firstly by the criminals and then by the government," he said.

"We pay through our council tax to fund staff for the economic crime unit but then the government takes 50 percent to spend elsewhere."

He added: "If we could hold on to 100 percent of that money we would see real justice being done."

Dr Brain said it was "galling" to see the constabulary's work being dispersed nationally.

He said: "I am quite happy to make a song and dance about it. The Home Office would say it is all best going into the national pot. The reality is we work hard for it."

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