Denison City Council will consider the police department’s annual forfeiture report on Monday, Nov. 16, as part of its routine consent agenda. The report, filed with the Texas Attorney General, details cash seized under the state’s asset forfeiture law and how the department allocated those funds.
Cash seized and court awards
During the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, the Denison Police narcotics unit seized $3,519 in cash. The state’s asset forfeiture system holds seized cash until a court rules on its disposition. At the start of the year the department had $12,371 in cash awaiting court decisions; by year‑end that amount fell to $10,529 after courts awarded $5,361 to the department.
Forfeiture account activity
The separate forfeiture account began the year with $51,385. In addition to the $5,361 awarded by the courts, the account earned $1,761 in interest and collected $575 from the sale of forfeited property. The department then spent $15,134 from the account. The expenditures broke down as follows:
- $9,114 for office furniture
- $4,680 for software licenses and related services
- $1,340 paid to a cooperating agency under a local agreement
After these transactions, the forfeiture account closed the fiscal year with a balance of $43,948.
No major assets seized
The report notes that no vehicles, real estate, computers or firearms were seized or forfeited during the reporting period.
Federal forfeiture participation
In addition to state‑level seizures, the Denison Police Department participates in federal forfeiture cases. The department’s certification to the Justice and Treasury departments confirms its share of federal forfeitures, though specific dollar amounts were not detailed in the city’s public report.
Council review and next steps
City Council staff memo indicates that both the state report and the matching federal certification are routine items on the consent agenda, meaning they are typically approved with a single vote. Council members will have the opportunity to ask questions before the items are formally adopted.
Police Chief Mike Gudgel’s office emphasized that the forfeiture process is transparent and that the funds are used to support essential police operations, such as updating equipment and maintaining software systems that aid investigations.
Residents who wish to review the full forfeiture report can request it from the city clerk’s office or view it online through the city’s official website.
Original reporting: DenisonWeekly.news — read the source article.
