Tennessee Laws on Recording Police: Your Rights and Limits

Tennessee residents have a First Amendment right to record on-duty police officers in public and a state-law right to audio record any conversation they participate in under Tenn. Code Ann. section 39-13-601, the one-party consent wiretapping statute, without notifying the officer.

Recording police officers in Tennessee is legal and protected by both the First Amendment and state law. Whether you are filming a traffic stop from the sidewalk, recording your own interaction with an officer, or livestreaming a public arrest, Tennessee law supports your right to document law enforcement activity in public settings.

This guide covers the legal framework for recording police in Tennessee, practical guidelines for doing so safely, body camera laws, and what to do if an officer tells you to stop recording.

The Legal Right to Record Police in Tennessee

First Amendment Protection

The right to record government officials, including police officers, performing their public duties is rooted in the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. Courts across the country have recognized that recording police activity is a form of protected expression and newsgathering that serves the public interest.

The U.S. Supreme Court has not issued a ruling that explicitly establishes a constitutional right to record police, but the overwhelming weight of federal appellate court decisions supports this right. The U.S. Department of Justice has also taken the position in multiple cases that recording police is protected under the First Amendment.

The Sixth Circuit and Tennessee

Tennessee falls within the jurisdiction of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. The Sixth Circuit has not issued a published decision recognizing a First Amendment right to record police. The closest precedent is Crawford v. Geiger, 656 F. App'x 190 (6th Cir. 2016), which is unpublished and therefore not binding precedent in this circuit. Until the Sixth Circuit issues a published ruling, the First Amendment right to record police remains unsettled in Tennessee federal courts. Tennessee's own state one-party consent law under T.C.A. § 39-13-601 independently supports the right to record one's own interactions with officers.

Tennessee's One-Party Consent Law

Under Tenn. Code Ann. section 39-13-601, Tennessee is a one-party consent state for recording communications. When you are interacting with a police officer, you are a party to that conversation. Your own consent satisfies the one-party requirement, making it legal to record the interaction without notifying the officer.

For recording police activity you are not directly involved in, such as filming an arrest from across the street, the wiretapping statute is less relevant because public police activity does not carry a reasonable expectation of privacy. Video recording without audio capture does not implicate the wiretapping statute at all.

What You Can Record

Your Own Police Interactions

You can record any direct interaction you have with law enforcement, including:

• Traffic stops where you are the driver or a passenger
• Encounters on the street or in public spaces
• Questioning by officers at your home (at the doorstep or threshold)
• Interactions at DUI checkpoints
• Conversations during a search of your vehicle (if you are present)
• Any situation where an officer is speaking with you

Police Activity in Public

You can record police activity you observe in public, even when you are not directly involved:

• Arrests taking place on public streets or sidewalks
• Officers responding to incidents in public view
• Police interactions at public events, protests, or demonstrations
• Officers conducting searches or seizures in public
• Police pursuits visible from public property

Protests and Public Demonstrations

Tennessee residents and visitors have the right to record protests, demonstrations, and police responses to these events. This right extends to journalists, activists, bystanders, and anyone else lawfully present. The Tennessee General Assembly has not enacted any laws restricting the recording of public protests.

Practical Guidelines for Recording Police

Do

• Keep your hands visible at all times, especially during traffic stops
• Remain calm and respectful throughout the interaction
• Stay at a safe distance that does not interfere with police operations
• Announce that you are recording if you choose to, though it is not legally required
• Use your phone or camera openly rather than concealing it
• Back up your recording to cloud storage as soon as possible
• Know your rights and be prepared to calmly assert them

Do Not

• Physically interfere with officers performing their duties
• Cross police tape or enter areas that have been restricted for safety
• Ignore lawful orders to move back to a safe distance
• Reach for your phone suddenly during a traffic stop without telling the officer what you are doing
• Touch officers, their equipment, or their vehicles while recording
• Obstruct emergency medical treatment to get a better angle
• Trespass on private property to record police activity

The Interference Standard

The key legal line is between recording and interfering. Recording is protected. Interfering with police operations is not. Tennessee law prohibits obstruction of justice and resisting arrest. Under Tenn. Code Ann. section 39-16-602, it is illegal to intentionally prevent or obstruct anyone from performing an act that is required by law or that is authorized by a court order.

Simply holding up a phone and recording from a reasonable distance does not constitute obstruction. An officer's discomfort with being recorded is not a legal basis for ordering you to stop.

What If Police Tell You to Stop Recording?

Know Your Rights

If a police officer tells you to stop recording, it is important to understand your rights:

• You are not legally required to stop recording your own interaction with police in Tennessee
• You can politely decline by saying something like "I am exercising my right to record this interaction"
• Do not physically resist if an officer attempts to take your device
• Remember badge numbers and names if possible
• File a complaint afterward through the appropriate channels

Can Police Seize Your Phone?

The U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Riley v. California (2014) established that police generally need a warrant to search the contents of a cell phone seized during an arrest. This protection extends to recordings stored on your device. An officer cannot demand that you delete a recording or unlock your phone to review its contents without a warrant.

If police seize your phone without a warrant and without your consent, the seizure may violate the Fourth Amendment. Any evidence obtained from an illegal seizure could be suppressed in court.

Remedies for Violations

If your right to record is violated by police in Tennessee, you may have several avenues for relief:

• Internal affairs complaint with the officer's department
• Civilian review board if the municipality has one
• Federal civil rights lawsuit under 42 U.S.C. section 1983 for violation of your constitutional rights
• State tort claims for unlawful seizure of your property
• Complaint to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation if the conduct constitutes a crime

Tennessee Body Camera Laws

The Tennessee Body-Worn Camera Framework

Body camera footage access in Tennessee is governed by T.C.A. § 10-7-504(u), which creates a specific public records exemption for law enforcement body camera recordings while still allowing access under defined circumstances. Tennessee has further addressed body camera use through Attorney General guidance. Key provisions include:

• Law enforcement agencies that choose to use body cameras must establish written policies governing their deployment, operation, and storage
• Officers must activate cameras during all law enforcement encounters, traffic stops, and other specified interactions
• Footage must be retained for a minimum period specified by agency policy
• Agencies must establish procedures for accessing and reviewing footage under T.C.A. § 10-7-504(u)

Public Access to Body Camera Footage

Body camera footage in Tennessee is generally considered a public record under the Tennessee Public Records Act (Tenn. Code Ann. section 10-7-503). However, several exemptions may limit access:

• Active criminal investigation records
• Footage that would compromise an ongoing operation
• Recordings in locations where individuals have a reasonable expectation of privacy
• Footage involving minors or victims of sensitive crimes

To request body camera footage, you can submit a public records request to the law enforcement agency. The Office of Open Records Counsel within the Tennessee Comptroller's Office provides guidance on public records access.

Dashboard Camera Footage

Law enforcement dashboard camera footage is subject to similar rules as body camera footage. It is generally a public record, subject to the same exemptions for ongoing investigations and privacy concerns.

Recording Police in Specific Situations

During a Traffic Stop

You can record a traffic stop in Tennessee, whether you are the driver, a passenger, or an observer:

• As the driver: You can use your phone to record, but avoid reaching for it without telling the officer. Place it on the dashboard before the officer approaches if possible.
• As a passenger: You have the same right to record as the driver.
• As a bystander: You can film from the sidewalk or your own vehicle at a safe distance.

During an Arrest

You can record an arrest in progress, whether it is your own arrest or someone else's. If you are being arrested, continuing to hold your phone may not be practical. Consider activating a livestream before the arrest so the recording is preserved even if your phone is seized.

At Your Home

When police come to your door, you can record the interaction. If police enter your home with a warrant, you can continue recording as long as you do not physically obstruct the search. If officers enter without a warrant and without consent, recording the interaction provides important evidence for any later legal challenge.

At Protests and Public Events

Recording police at protests is protected activity. Law enforcement agencies in Tennessee cannot single out people recording for arrest or detention solely because of their recording activity. If police issue a dispersal order, you must comply with the order, but you can continue recording while doing so.

Penalties for Interfering With Police

While recording is legal, interfering with police operations is not. Relevant Tennessee statutes include:

Recording alone does not constitute any of these offenses. An officer who arrests someone solely for recording may face civil liability.

Tennessee Recording Laws by Topic

Phone Call Recording | Audio Recording | Video Recording | Workplace Recording | Recording Police | Security Cameras | Recording in Public | Landlord-Tenant | Dashcam Laws | Schools | Medical Recording | Voyeurism & Hidden Cameras

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