KBI releases 2023 Kansas Civil Asset Forfeiture Report

The Kansas Bureau of Investigation has provided the 2023 Kansas Civil Asset Forfeiture Report to the Kansas Legislature. Civil asset forfeiture is a procedure that authorizes law enforcement agencies to seize and forfeit property and cash that was obtained with proceeds from, or used to facilitate, criminal activity. Once a forfeiture proceeding concludes, the forfeited property or funds may be used by law enforcement agencies.

Civil Asset Forfeiture Reports have been submitted to the Kansas Legislature annually since 2020, as is required by law. In 2018, the Legislature amended the Kansas Standard Asset Seizure and Forfeiture Act to include additional reporting requirements. The law requires that all Kansas law enforcement agencies submit asset forfeiture incident reports and an annual report to the KBI. The KBI collects and reconciles the submitted information and reports it to the Kansas Legislature, and the public, in an effort to improve transparency about the forfeiture process.

The 2023 annual report includes approximately $3.91 million in seized property, and approximately $2.38 million in forfeited property. A breakdown of seizure and forfeiture activity by agency is provided, as well as information on forfeiture fund expenditures. Detailed information pertaining to reported seizures such as the location, the associated criminal offense, and the age, gender, race and ethnicity of the owner or possessor is included. The annual report does not comprise all data submitted by Kansas law enforcement agencies.

A bipartisan bill that would increase reporting requirements recently passed the Legislature, and is currently under review by Governor Kelly. The version of the report released to the public is available at kasfr.kbi.ks.gov .