Attorney General Todd Rokita has successfully defended an Indiana law that establishes a 25-foot buffer zone around police officers during their official duties. The law, which prohibits bystanders from approaching closer than this distance at crime scenes or other police activities, allows for misdemeanor charges against individuals who violate an officer's order to maintain the buffer.
"Our brave men and women in law enforcement risk their lives daily to uphold our laws and safeguard Hoosiers’ peace and safety," stated Attorney General Rokita. "The very least we can do is enforce reasonable measures to protect these officers’ own lives."
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) had filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the buffer-zone law, arguing it infringed on First Amendment rights. However, a federal judge noted that the law does not prevent reporters or citizen-journalists from recording police activity and only has an incidental effect on public rights to document such events.
Another lawsuit concerning this matter remains pending in another federal district court. "Both the law and everyday Hoosiers are on our side in standing strongly behind our courageous police officers," said Attorney General Rokita. "We are confident we will prevail as well in the other case brought by fake-news types trying to overturn this good law."