Police Monitoring traffic from private property.

#1 03-06-2003, 08:47 AM

What is the name of your state? Minnesota

I was pulled over recently for speeding. The officer who got me on radar was parked in a private drive while monitoring traffic. I was just wondering if it is legal for an officer to monitor traffic from private property. It does not seem legal to me.

racer72 · #2 03-06-2003, 11:35 AM

As long as the officer is not interfering with the use of the property, they can moniter traffic from just about anywhere. My question to you, if it was illegal, why would the officer waste his time and yours pulling you over and giving you a ticket?

#3 03-06-2003, 11:48 AM

The thing is that he was pulled across the entrance to a stores loading dock so he was interfering with the access to those loading docks. And as far why he would have pulled me over if it was not legal I would answer, there are a lot of dumb people in the world and why cant they be cops.

racer72 · #4 03-06-2003, 01:59 PM

If the owner of the property wanted to officer to move, all they would have to do is ask. As long as the property owner doesn't care, there is nothing wrong with what the officer did.

#5 03-06-2003, 05:34 PM

Right and wrong.

Right: A privately-owned area such as a parking lot, that is open to the public and used for engaging the public, can be used by the cop. He can park there for that purpose.

Wrong: Private property, such as a residential driveway, cannot be used by the cop without the owner's prior permission. He cannot enter the property for that purpose.