According to San Francisco Supervisor Amos Brown and Mayor Willie Brown, “a conviction is not necessary to know when an alleged perpetrator is up to no good”. If police see someone driving around town, and the police “think that person might be a nigger or a spic,” the police should have the right to confiscate the perpetrator’s vehicle. “A perpetrator’s race is obvious,” said Mayor Brown. “A black man is a black man and there’s no need to waste the court’s time with a trial to prove it.”

“They’re the people who have been raising hell in our community,” said Supervisor Brown.

When asked what factors a police officer might consider in determining whose vehicles to seize, Brown responded that “this would be up to the cop on the beat, who is better able to determine race and possible crimes of the perpetrator.”

The Reader interviewed three officers and asked what might factor into their decisions. “If a driver is moving too quickly, he’s probably looking for drugs or prostitutes,” said officer John Martin, “and his nervousness shows in his speed.”

“If they’re moving too slowly,” said officer John Antoine, “it is probably because they’re scanning the area for dealers and whores, and we can confiscate their vehicles because of that.”

“Also,” said officer John Delrio, “if they’re going at exactly the right speed, they’re clearly trying to avoid police attention while they look for dealers and hookers. That’s enough to confiscate a minority’s vehicle.”

Supervisor Brown added, “When the cops see them driving around town looking for sex and drugs, they should be stopped, even if it takes drastic measures.”

Supervisor Gavin Newsom disagreed, saying “seizure laws disproportionately affect poor minorities who are unable to hire attorneys to fight for the return of their cars.”

Brown responded that he was “on the side of the poor and needy. I just don’t think they need vehicles. It just gets them in trouble. People like that don’t know how to handle the freedom to drive.” Besides, he continued, “we’ll be going after the rich minorities later.” He added that they were considering a proposal to confiscate the vehicles of any attorneys hired to “fight for the return of” confiscated vehicles. They were also considering confiscating Newsom’s vehicle. “Anyone who pronounces against confiscation is reasonably suspected of complicity; no one is to urge the police to desist from confiscation; nay it is an indicium of drugs and prostitution to defend drug dealers and prostitutes, or to affirm that police statements which are told as certain are mere deceptions or illusions.”