I have seen multiple like signs, seemingly put up by private interests, that include the phrase ‘Police take notice’. That one has been a head scratcher to me. Does it mean to tell the person reading that police do take notice of loitering here? Or is it a request for the police be on a lookout for loiterers?
I guess it is really a wish of the person who had the sign put up, but what does it actually mean?
I believe the latter. It’s a request for police to enforce the wishes of the sign-poster.
It gives the police permission to enter the property. Varying by state, the same thing is sometimes required on ‘no hunting’ and ‘no trespassing’ signs’. I’m not sure what the police can do to enforce a no loitering sign besides asking people to move along which they are highly likely to do.
At least here in FL all “no trespassing” signs have to have particular verbiage identifying the local law enforcement agency by name and informing everyone that said agency is specifically empowered to enforce the trespassing statues on this property. And statute sets out in detail how and where the signs must be installed.
If you the landowner don’t have the right signage in the right place the cops will tell you you’re screwed; they can’t arrest the trespasser because he (it’s always he) wasn’t properly warned he was breaking the law wandering around in your private parking lot or swimming in your private swimming pool.
Crazy but true. BTDT as the landowner.
I’m going to bet that the signs you’re seeing are whatever the local statute requires. Which magic verbiage need not make any sense to us ordinary schlubs.
That’s close to how it is here. I have never seen “police take notice” but there is usually verbiage about the local ordinance that covers that property.
Here in flyover country farmers display “Posted No Hunting” signs. I always wondered if the law meant that signs must be posted: No Hunting, and somebody got the punctuation wrong.
If I’m reading this correctly, the “posted”, usually, indicates that this is an official notice and not just a sign you can ignore with no peril. There’s also, at least, the suggestion that there are enough places that require it and, as with California and Texas, the largest market dictates what is produced.
(If “posted” is required a sign without it is useless, but where “posted” is not required it’s presence is irrelevant.)
It means, “Anyone loitering here is probably doing or plotting something illegal. Officer, please harass them until they go elsewhere.”
One thing I remember from long ago in a National Geographic magazine was a “No Loitering - Polite Notice” – the explanation being you can’t post a police notice but you can post words almost the same. “Police Take Notice” may have the same “almost”.
There used to be a program in NYC that buildings could enroll in , called the “Trespass Affidavit Program”. Police could patrol inside those buildings (since they had the landlord’s permission) and arrest anyone who couldn’t prove they were a resident or legitimate visitor. Those buildings had signs saying “Patrolled by NYPD’s “Operation Clean Halls” . Trespassers Subject to Arrest”
I’m pretty sure the program has either ended or has been drastically changed , but the police couldn’t patrol the interiors of buildings that had not enrolled and that was the reason for the signs.