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Ok, I'm new to North Carolina and I understand that it's legal here for law enforcement to conceal themselves, ie, behind obstacles and such whereas in other states like CA that is illegal. But is it legal for them to operate the speed traps on private property?
I think (?) the OP may have meant that if you see a law enforcement officer parked in a driveway running radar, can they just automatically do that?
They generally go anywhere the public goes (i.e. a store parking lot) without asking, but if they owner asked them to leave, they probably would pick a different spot (though most property owners welcome this or at least wouldn't say anything about it).
I haven't really seen them sitting in a private driveway of someone's house where they'd be blocking the resident from entering or exiting their driveway.
Also, some of what looks like private property beyond the road pavement may be public right of way (where utility poles, water lines, etc. are), not private property.
Finally, as to the concealment of law enforcement "hiding in the bushes", etc., if I were the motorist being pulled over for whatever reason, I wouldn't hesitate to dial 9-1-1 and ask the operator if it's a legitimate stop from a real law enforcement officer. Chances are that it is, but people have to protect themselves from imposters who would do them harm, particularly where law enforcement vehicles doing traffic enforcement are unmarked, it's dark, it's in an isolated area, etc.
Thanks for the info. My question was sparked by always seeing law enforcement running speed traps near me by hiding in a Church parking lot which is private property. I'm still getting acclimated as I moved here from Los Angeles and in CA not only can they not hide or conceal themselves but running a speed trap on private property is illegal as well.
Thanks for the info. My question was sparked by always seeing law enforcement running speed traps near me by hiding in a Church parking lot which is private property. I'm still getting acclimated as I moved here from Los Angeles and in CA not only can they not hide or conceal themselves but running a speed trap on private property is illegal as well.
Thats not true. Police can sit on private property in all 50 states and issue tickets to speeders and the fact that the officer is not visible is irrelevant in all 50 states as well.
Thats not true. Police can sit on private property in all 50 states and issue tickets to speeders and the fact that the officer is not visible is irrelevant in all 50 states as well.
One guy in Summersville, WV managed to ban them from his property outside city limits, though this was well over 10 years ago.
Mr. McCue said the aggressive speeding enforcement began in the mid-1990s. When the police started using the parking lot of his shopping center to catch speeders, Mr. McCue had had enough.
"I'll be damned if they're going to set up radar on my customers and take the money they were going to spend in my shopping center," he said.
He forbade the police from entering any of his property not within city limits (the city line runs through the Wal-Mart parking lot). And he started printing bumper stickers reading, "Summersville: The World's Largest Speed Trap" and, later, "Summersville: STILL the World's Largest Speed Trap."
Oh yeah, they have to leave if the property owner asks, but that does not invalidate any tickets they issue while on private property.
True.
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