Minor, strange sighting.

[repsac]

This is just a minor one, something that sent me for a bit of a loop. While pulling into a store I often shop at, I noticed a few police cars milling about with the officers standing out beside their cars. Knowing one of the officers, I figured they were on break so I pulled over that way. Walking over, I asked what was amis, to which my friend grinned and responded "We have to wait for permission to come on the property." I must have gaped because he pointed over to a rather large sign (looked like a no parking sign) that actually said "(X Store) Parking Is Private Property. Aiken Police Have No Jurisdiction." (Note: I'm not sure the wording, but that's basically it.) Apparently, there's actually a law there that the police can't go on private property of that store without permission from the manager. Which was amusing, since they were there to pick up a shoplifter. However the poor MOD that was left in charge didn't have the power to let the cops on the property, and they couldn't find the manager who could.

[redmountaingoldfish]

It seems to me that police should be able enter the property once they knew there was a crime taking place. I mean, what if a robber had incapacitated/shot the only manager with the power to let police in? Would the robber have is own little police proof sanctuary?

I would guess that sign was put up a long time ago because police were taking advantage of that parking lot to do other things than shop at the store.

[Broomjockey]

There's a difference between "No jurisdiction" and "Not allowed on the property."

If the police were just standing around with a no jurisdiction sign, then they were slackers of the highest order. Of course, being able to suspend the authority of the police like that, then the store would have the authority to simply have the shoplifter brought out to the police since they have to have enforcement authority, otherwise, as pointed out, it's a haven of lawlessness.

Sorry, just doesn't add up.

[repsac]

It never made much sense to me either. This is in Aiken SC for any curious. I'm heading back up there in a few days, I'll see if I can get a picture of the sign.

As to redmountaingoldfish's comment, I think I recall being told when I lived there, that the police at one time, had been posting an officer there in a kind of speed trap. I recall that the speed there went quickly from 55 to 35 as you're coming into town. (Anyone in the area you may know the place I'm talking about. This is on Whiskey Road, heading out of Aiken. Wal-Mart I think. Maybe K-mart)

[Docmayhem]

If it's south of the mall, maybe you're thinking of Target?

[cravenmorhead]

As to redmountaingoldfish's comment, I think I recall being told when I lived there, that the police at one time, had been posting an officer there in a kind of speed trap. I recall that the speed there went quickly from 55 to 35 as you're coming into town. (Anyone in the area you may know the place I'm talking about. This is on Whiskey Road, heading out of Aiken. Wal-Mart I think. Maybe K-mart)

I do recall hearing about that. I think what allowed the company to get away with it was that it was private property. A parking lot is assumed permission to enter, unless explicitly denied by the owners. The police where tagging people who patronized the store, and the stores business was dropping. Since the police weren't patronizing the store, they could be considered to be trespassing. Which is illegal.

I think that is only waived when there is a warrant involved that allows them to go onto private property. If they don't have that warrant, it could lead to sticky legal proceedings that could result in the case being tossed due to police stupidity. That being said the MOD could have walked the shoplifter out.

In Canada, or at least in Calgary, precious few companies own the parking lots. The City owns a good number of the parking lots. They are public property. The point would have been moot. The disadvantage is that the store doesn't have control of what is going on in the parking lot. Other companies can put up "windshield repair" tents, or solicitors can bug customers. Completely off topic I know, but an interesting piece of information.

[Andara Bledin]

Apparently, there's actually a law there that the police can't go on private property of that store without permission from the manager. Which was amusing, since they were there to pick up a shoplifter. However the poor MOD that was left in charge didn't have the power to let the cops on the property, and they couldn't find the manager who could.

If the police were just standing around with a no jurisdiction sign, then they were slackers of the highest order.

I don't know about there, but the way it works in California is that store parking lots are private property and police cannot conduct business in them or from them without store permission. So, unless the owner of the lot requested an officer to come by and ticket all of the expired tags, they couldn't.

However, a crime being reported on the property would be a completely different matter, and it wouldn't make a difference if the lot owner enforced the fact that cops couldn't just come in any time they wanted.

I'm with Broomjockey. Only I think they were just sitting around like that to "teach the owner a lesson" about not letting them run their speed trap out of his parking lot.

^-.-^