EDWARDSVILLE - A resolution authorizing authoring the Mayor of Edwardsville to enter into a memorandum of understanding with the Metropolitan Enforcement Group of Southwest Illinois (MEGSI) regarding federal asset forfeiture equitable sharing was approved during Tuesday’s City Council meeting.
Some of MEGSI funds were provided from federal equitable sharing of seized assets, however, the federal government no longer allows a drug task force to share in assets seized under federal statutes.
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In previous years the City of Edwardsville was compensated $20,000 annually by MEGSI for the department's participation. With federal funding decreasing, however, federal seizure laws do allow agencies participating in multi-jurisdictional task forces to apply for federal seized assets. By entering into the agreement with MEGSI, the department will be able to receive 10 percent of federally seized assets awarded as a result of MEGSI investigations.
“Federal law has changed and does not allow for a task force to seize assets under the federal law but it does allow for those to pass through to the agencies that participate in the task force,” Police Chief Jay Keeven said. “Which would allow for each of the ten departments that participate to apply for federal assets. I believe there were $400,000 seized last year so if we were doing this last year it would have been divided ten ways and we have got $40,000, but that’s never guaranteed.”
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