Q Our police department has a drug seizure fund, which contains funds seized and forfeited pursuant to Section 41-29-181. May we spend those funds on equipment such as bulletproof vests, police cars, trucks or cruisers, tasers, guns, body cams, etc.?

A Yes. A police department may use its properly forfeited funds to purchase equipment if it makes a factual determination that those items would be used for a law enforcement purpose, pursuant to Section 41-29-181(2). The funds must be used to augment, and not supplant the existing budget. (Attorney General’s Opinion to Frieson, October 18, 2019)