New Louisiana Law Creates 25-Foot Buffer Zone Around Working Police Officers

A nearly identical bill was vetoed last year by then-Gov. John Bel Edwards.

Officers investigate the scene of a shooting in Baton Rouge, La., on Feb. 13, 2016. Bill Feig/AP Photo

A new Louisiana law gives on-duty police officers a 25-foot buffer zone that bystanders cannot cross.

The law, signed by Gov. Jeff Landry on May 28, makes it a misdemeanor to be within 25 feet of a police officer who is “lawfully engaged in the execution of his official duties” if said officer has “ordered the person to stop approaching or retreat.”