Federal judge denies injunction, leaving TN blocking up close recording of police activity in place

Officers with the Memphis Safe Task Force have cited the “buffer law” to prevent locals from viewing some of their interactions. (Photo: John Partipilo/Tennessee Lookout)

A federal judge will allow Tennessee’s police “buffer law” to remain in place while a lawsuit filed by a coalition of media organizationsgoes forward. 

State lawmakers passed legislation in 2025 allowing police to order members of the public, including media, to remain 25 feet away from crime scenes, traffic stops and any “ongoing and immediate threat to public safety.” Anyone who violates the order can be charged with a misdemeanor. 

The Tuesday decision from U.S. District Judge William Campbell Jr., who was appointed by President Donald Trump,  keeps the law in place while the lawsuit, which includes the Lookout as plaintiff, moves toward to a trial. 

Shortly after legislation went into effect in July, the Lookout, the Nashville Banner, Gannett, Scripps Media and TEGNA formed a coalition represented by Paul McAdoo and Grayson Clary of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press and sued the state over the legislation.

The Tennessee law is similar to those passed in Indiana and Louisiana, which, after lawsuits from the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, were struck down for allowing police too broad a discretion in creating buffer zones.

Memphis task force using TN ‘buffer law,’ preventing up-close recording of police activity

The bill’s sponsor, state Sen. Mark Pody, a Lebanon Republican, said at the time the legislation was not intended to block the media but protect the work of law enforcement.

The buffer law has become a tool for law enforcement, including the Memphis Safe Task Force a group of state and federal agencies. Officers have used it regularly with members of the public, trying to monitor their actions.