As I drove past the Foothill Ward chapel in San Jose, CA about 2 pm four police cars pulled out of the driveway into the street and then made a U-turn. This is on San Felipe near Yerba Buena.
It was odd because it is rare to see police cars in our neighborhood. I wish they would drive around here more often. I almost never see one during the daytime.
The church property may allow access to a creek that runs along the bottom of the hill, but it seems to me there is an easier way to get access. Might be a homeless encampment--some neighbors about a block away reported some homeless camping along the creek bed east of there.
It dawns on me that camping near the ward might not be a bad idea. I don't think there are many members left to attend at that location. Then it occurred to me that many church properties could be good places for these encampments.
Just wondering if any of you have any knowledge about this.
I have no specific knowledge of the situation you describe. But when I was growing up we lived next door to the church building. It was very common for police cars--either one by itself or a pair of them--to park in the church parking lot and "hang out." I don't know if they were doing paperwork, watching for speeders, or on break in the shade. I would see them there at least once a week, it seemed like.
It wasn't unusual for them to zoom away quickly, presumably in response to a call or some car going past.
Cops use parking lots a lot, especially empty ones , to talk or rest, etc. Maybe they are just starting or ending a shift and are just going over stuff, or picking up where the other guys left off.They seem to use the Chick fil A parking lot on Sundays a lot too.
I wondered if they were just hanging out. There is a strip mall about a block away with McDs, Starbucks and similar places. Maybe they were just having lunch at the back of the building.
If you're really curious, call the police station or 911 and tell what you saw and say you need to go to the ward to do some work and was concerned if it was safe to do so.
The SJPD cars hang out in my ward building all the time (same stake as San Felipe, different building). They definitely seem to use it for relaxation purposes based on what I see.
Recently, I was practicing driving in my church and the cops were watching me practice my driving because it seemed like they have nothing to do there.
Not surprised cops hang out in the San Felipe building!
I know this is off topic, as I haven’t posted before on this site, but I can not wait to get out of this church, but right now, I have to deal with the young mens program my parents force me to do. I hate it!
My sympathies RedM&M. My sons hated church,and fortunately we all got out before they became priests and just before we moved here, so the only locals we know are ex-Mos. We did know some active members, but they all moved back to Utah when real estate was hot.
Looking back I do regret the pressure we put on those two boys to conform.