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Worcester County staff briefed on handling First Amendment auditors
Summary
Local Government Insurance Trust executive director Matt Peter told Worcester County employees how to recognize and limit risk when so-called First Amendment auditors film on government property, recommending signage, limited engagement and staff training to reduce litigation and reputational harm.
Matt Peter, executive director of the Local Government Insurance Trust, gave a nearly 75-minute training to Worcester County staff on how to recognize and respond to so‑called First Amendment auditors who videotape government employees and property.
Peter said the auditors — people who film interactions in and around government buildings and publish the videos online — present a mixture of free‑speech questions and practical risk for local governments. “I still just don't get it,” Peter said. “I don't understand really what motivates people to do any of this beyond money.”
The training focused on what activities the First Amendment protects, where government may lawfully limit access, and how staff and law enforcement should avoid converting an audit into a constitutional‑rights claim that can lead to costly litigation. Peter advised clearer signage for nonpublic areas, simple staff rules for disengaging from provocative questions, and limited supervisor intervention when front‑line employees are handling an auditor calmly.
Why it matters: Peter cautioned that interactions with auditors can…
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