Law question for Minnesota..

I know the law in Wisconsin, is that police or state patrol must have permission to park in a parking lot.. ( my wife worked for the state patrol academy..)..

does anyone know the law in Minnesota? we have a question, because recently a sherrif decided to use our church parking lot as a speed trap..and no one from the church gave him permission..

Do you not want him to do his job, or do you just wish he’d do it elsewhere? As for the law, I have no idea but I’d guess they can “hide” just about anywhere they please so long as they aren’t creating a greater hazard to traffic.

we don’t want to be known as _______________ _______________Speed trap…. for a church..

Old Rat,

If a kid gets run over in front of your church by a speeder, you want to be known as that?

my father is a minister and the city police used to use our driveway as a speed trap. he would generally ask them to leave if he was on his way out. say something like “its hard enough to get people to come to church as it is” and around here they have to leave if you ask. he is the police chaplain as well. there are 10 other places within 100 yds to sit and shoot radar.

Pretty sneaky on his part kinda shady. But if they is enough complaints from res. around the church they are acting on Community policing. However if the chruch is privatly owned the officer could be asked to leave. If the chruch is owned by the city then it is public property.

Since when do Cities own churches?? After 35 years as a LEO, found that people want you to do their job as long as it don’t involve them.

so with ALL DUE RESPECT TO THE LEO around.. and I am greatful to your service to the community.. truly am..,

what is the law..
the reason I ask, that there is a public park not more the 50 yards from our parking lot.. and that may be a bit too far.. so there is a public lot away from us..

I would like to know the law.. is it the same as Wisconsin’s or not.. like I stated, my wife WORKED FOR THE WISCONSIN STATE PATROL at one point in time..
We respect all law enforcement in our house..

Don’t know about Minnesota “Law”. If the church dosen’t want them sitting there, they should ask them to please not use their driveway/parking lot. I would think the officer would respect the wishes of the property owner/business. Sitting in a private citizens driveway is a little different. There I would think they would need to ask. Many tmes when people are fed up with speeders in the neighborhood, they will tell the officer to use their driveway or property to sit and catch speeders. Again, I would be surprised if there is a law but then again, each state is different.

Have you seen the movie American Graffitti? Give that a try he’ll think twice about parking there again.

I don’t see what the problem is. If people are speeding near a park like stated above then why are you making an issue of it. Maybe they are trying to slow traffic down before getting to the park. You sound like someone who likes to speed threw that area and now can’t. Get over it and let them do there jobs. They may just be stopping something bad from happening to a kid around the park area before it happens.

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Since when do Cities own churches?? After 35 years as a LEO, found that people want you to do their job as long as it don’t involve them.

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Hence the “IF” and your right on!!

Just because they wear a badge, doesn’t make them right……
They are human, they have a conscience, and they are subject to making mistakes and falling prey to doing wrong.

Therefore, when they are wrong and being a nuisance, they need to be corrected.
They are there to SERVE and PROTECT, not for us to bow down to like the sheriff of Nottingham.

Give em the boot if ya don’t want them to be a nuisanse!

Just walk up to the car and tell them your name is BK and you want them gone now.

I will bet my bottom dollar, if some child would get wacked crossing the street after Sunday School or a church event, people would want to know why the cops aren’t doing their job and writing speeding tickets. Dam if you do, dam if you don’t. Ask the officer to please not use church property to run radar and I am almost sure the officer will comply.

All hypotheticals aside I guess I’m curious about the law too. Not because I dislike authority. Quite the opposite. I’d like to know mostly because I’m the curious type. The question itself isn’t wrong for the asking. Does anyone have the answer? Or did I miss it in the thread earlier?

Good point James. I think it is something that would fall into department/agency policy. Really don’t think it is something that would be a state law. If I am wrong, someone please let me know.

I think, but do not know for sure, that it actually is law. I’m thinking that a ticket might not be enforceable if the officer was sitting on private property while using the radar. I’m no lawyer sort, but I heard that someplace in the distant past.

Please stop the speeders from running over children and old ladies (and all others) going to church.

I doubt the church pays taxes so he can park there

It is illegal to law enforcement to hide in Minnesota now, they can set up speed traps but the cant hide doing it. Kind of a grey area they still use corners and hills which is legal , I asked my cousin (future cop) about the church sitting , he has the right if he feels theere a problem with speeding, as long as its within his signed area

Of course he can sit there. He does have the right, prior to seeking permission. However,if asked to leave and not sit there, he has lost that privelage. Understand that it is private peoperty, as well as separation of church/state.