Report: Responding to Threats and Harassment Against Local Government - How are officials mitigating risk, and what can we do to suppor them?

Over the past two years, BDI has conducted interviews with more than 150 local elected officials to gain a deeper understanding of the impact of threats and harassment on local government. These conversations have painted a concerning picture of hostility at the local level, but they have also revealed the wide array of tools officials are leveraging to respond to threats and harassment. Analyzing the variety of risk mitigation strategies surfaced throughout the interview research, this report breaks down five key response types that were consistently highlighted by officials at the frontlines of local government: (1) Individual strategies, (2) Peer support, (3) Connections with town administrators and service providers, (4) Official procedures and community outreach approaches, and (5) Legal and security options.