The public has a right to peaceably record public officials, municipal employees, and police officers, when in public areas. However, having a citizen journalist at your door can make many public entity employees unsure of what to do and how to handle it.
In 2020, the Virginia General Assembly passed § 19.2-271.5. Protected information; newspersons engaged in journalism, which provides definitions for journalism, news organization, and newsperson.
To further assist members in navigating this issue, Public Safety Specialist Gary Dillon has developed documents for managing public filming and First Amendment auditors, as well as news organizations and newspersons attending public meetings.
The documents provide sample guidance on working with news organizations and newspersons, as well as guidance to help police officers and staff navigate these stressful situations.
In some cases, those identifying as citizen journalists may antagonize police officers or staff in the hopes of receiving a “viral” confrontational reaction. In addition to negative public relations, this type of reaction can also result in lawsuits or Constitutional complaints. Providing education, training, and guidance to staff on how to handle these interactions is key to ensuring professional and respectful interactions with citizens.
The training flyer and sample policy are both available to VRSA members on our Public Safety Services page.
Dillon provides risk consulting for the public safety sector, including law enforcement, fire, and emergency medical services. Our training programs assist in reducing accidents and injuries for law enforcement and fire/EMS staff. His services include one-on-one consultation and technical assistance, on-site risk assessment reviews, liability and Below 100 training, policy review, sample policies and procedures, and more.
In addition to his role in public safety consulting, Dillon is a Federal Aviation Administration Certified Remote Pilot, providing training on regulations and best practices on drones to our members, along with Safety Specialist Eddie Shelton and Director of Education and Training Thomas Bullock.
You can find Dillon on the In The Line of Fire with Gary Dillon Podcast, featuring interviews with individuals in the public safety field or public safety topics. Recent episodes include interviews with Chief Michael Kochis of the Charlottesville Police Department and Chief Larry Snyder of the Williamsburg Fire Department. Episodes are available on Apple Podcasts, and many other podcasting platforms.
When he’s not consulting, Dillon spends his free time as a chief of the Crozet Volunteer Fire Department. Through this experience, he expanded his work to include consulting for both fire departments and emergency medical services agencies.
To work with Gary on any of these or other public safety issues, contact him at: 800-963-6800.