Police and private church property

[jentzschman]

Simple question: Can the police use private LDS church property for speed traps or any other type of on-duty official use?

Are there any official State codes or other sources that I could look up?

Thank you.

 

[TJDukit]

Don't know. I've seen them using church parking lots plenty to clock people though.

 

[jentzschman]

Don't know. I've seen them using church parking lots plenty to clock people though.

Yep, this is why it got me thinking. I would assume that it's not legal, but I am trying to find out for sure.

 

[jeeper]

My law inforcement class in school said no, but I can't prove it to you.

Also they park right in front of stop signs, often blocking traffic from the rear.

In my neighborhood they park in a private driveway at the bottom of the hill.

 

[MikeGyver]

I don't believe they can without permission because churches are maintained as private property by being closed off one day a year.

 

[jeeper]

I sent this to my police man buddy.

I have a police question... Just for fun.
I remember in a law enforcement class in school that it was said an officer cannot use private property to do police stuff.. For example, running radar from a church parking lot.
Or
Give you a ticket for rolling a stop sign inside a Walmart parking lot, etc.

 

[jentzschman]

Thank you for the responses. I thought this was the case. I wish I could find some state code or some other official source to use as a reference. It bugs me so bad that they do this! Plus, they will hide in the back as far as possible with their lights off... it is all but impossible to see them.

 

[nnnnnate]

There is nothing in the state code that says they can't do traffic control from private property. If a property owner doesn't want them to use their property they can state that.

How fast were you going when you got stopped?

 

[jentzschman]

Have not been pulled over because of it, but I wanted to know so I could ask them to leave the property.

If there is no state code or any other official source, then what would be the best why to ask them leave the property?

 

[nnnnnate]

An LDS church parking lot? Have a bishop or stake president ask them to not work there.

I guess I wonder why it bothers you that they are there if you haven't gotten a citation from them. I understand being upset about getting a ticket, everyone will agree it sucks. Having a law enforcement presence in a neighborhood is something I would consider beneficial though. A common complaint is that law enforcement isn't visible enough.

The other thing is if they are actually doing speed enforcement in the parking lot. All reports are submitted electronically so after they leave a call for service they often go find a quiet place to wrap up paperwork which can take a decent amount of time. Parking in a visible location can accomplish a couple things. Closer to potential "hot" calls, people slow down because they think the cop is doing speed enforcement, and it gives them a minute to catch up on their paper.

 

[Trate D]

I also wonder why it bothers you? If it's in a church parking lot it's a residential area I assume? If people are speeding past it or breaking the law why let them get away with it?

People speed past my house all the time I would love for them to get busted....

 

[jeeper]

My friend said

Okay so if something occurs in a private lot like a parking lot at Walmart we can only cite for 3 things like reckless driving where someone's life was placed in jeopardy. We can however observe violations from private lots on public spaces.

 

[Unimog]

I don't know what the law is, but many years ago, I was working at a motorcycle dealership in Tooele when a cop setup a speed trap from our parking lot. The owner's son went and asked him to leave because it was bad for business. The policeman complied.

 

[ZUKEYPR]

I was going to ask the same thing of why it bothers you that much. If it does why are taking law enforcement classes. They can run laser all day long from my driveway, if it indirectly causes a deterent for people to be more cautios in a housing area I'm all for it. Plus I don't knowingly break the law therefore I have no fear

 

[Chicken Corners]

They use the Church parking lots here in Las Vegas.

 

[TRD270]

How do you know they are sitting in the church parking lot running radar? 30% of Police work is dealing with people 70% of Police work is spent behind a lap top writing about those dealings. Often sit in dark parking lots typing up reports because well lets look at the climate we live in now I don't want to get ambushed, backed into a corner gives me a near 360 view of what is coming at me while I'm typing.

The man is not always out to get you

 

[TJDukit]

How do you know they are sitting in the church parking lot running radar? 30% of Police work is dealing with people 70% of Police work is spent behind a lap top writing about those dealings. Often sit in dark parking lots typing up reports because well lets look at the climate we live in now I don't want to get ambushed, backed into a corner gives me a near 360 view of what is coming at me while I'm typing.

The man is not always out to get you

The cops in my neighborhood use different sides of the church for different types of work. When on the North side of the building they are clocking people, this side isn't in the shade but keeps them out of sight. When on the South side of the building they sit under the awesome shade trees and are clearly doing paperwork or whatever else they have to do.

I personally wish they would sit under those shade trees more often, just being there slows people down. There are lots of kids in our neighborhood and if by having them sitting under a nice shade tree doing paperwork slows down a couple of the idiots that I've seen driving around my house I'm all for it. In the end it probably would come down to the property owner, in this case the church not wanting them there. I can't see the LDS church asking the police to leave their property.

 

[glockman]

I don't know about Trevor, but will inject my opinion. I dont like it when police break the law period. I appreciate the police and the job they have but if they don't uphold the law, why should anyone else. I also hate them being sneaky. I can drive 1 mile in any direction from my house and observe a person texting while driving. I guarantee that person is a greater danger to public safety than the guy doing 35 in a 25.

 

[Spork]

I guess I look at it like this: Can I pull into a church parking lot and check my email, text someone, have a nap, watch a parade, etc? If I can do this the cop can also. Both of us can be asked to leave, until we are asked to leave by someone with some rights to the property it's totally legal.

If we're going to turn this into a things police do that make you wonder discussion, someone needs to bring up the UHP officer parked at Camp Williams every day with lights on. Is there a reason it's UHP and not some MP or private security person?

 

[TRD270]

That's not UHP that's the federales sitting at the NSA gate