5/11/2005
Utah Cops Set Up Radar Speed Trap at ChurchProvo, Utah mayor instructs police not to use church parking lots for speed trap.
Provo, Utah Mayor Lewis Billings has instructed city police not to set up speed traps on private property without the consent of the owner. His directive came after complaints about a police sting operation being run out of a church.
Last April, five officers used a Mormon church located at 4775 N. 300 West as the center of a radar speed trap. Police would flag down speeding drivers and direct them into the church parking lot to be ticketed.
James Wilson, an official with the Church of Latter Day Saints responsible for the lot, was outraged. "Church property should be used for church activities," he said. "I'm trying to investigate what was going on."
Article Excerpt:
"In this instance, they used the parking lot to get people off the street, but it is not our policy to direct people into private areas," [Raylene Ireland, spokesman for Provo] said. "My understanding is this was a one-time type of situation, and it won't happen again."Source: Provo officers 'flagged' for using church parking lot for speed trap (Provo Daily Herald (UT), 5/11/2005)
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