Inspector General Jeffrey Shapiro Brings Oversight Mission to Central Massachusetts

By-Hank Stolz

Photo-mass.gov

WORCESTER, MA– Massachusetts Inspector General Jeffrey Shapiro spent the day in Central Massachusetts this week, meeting with municipal leaders, agencies, and partners to highlight the role of his office in safeguarding public resources. Shapiro joined Talk of the Commonwealth live from Sherwood’s Diner to explain the scope of his work and why public engagement is essential to uncovering fraud, waste, and abuse.

The Massachusetts Office of the Inspector General, created in the late 1970s after the Ward Commission exposed irregularities in public construction projects, was the first statewide Inspector General’s office in the country. Unlike the state auditor, Shapiro explained, his office is investigatory in nature. “If somebody made a tip to our office and suggested there was an impropriety of procurement at a state agency or municipality, we can dig right in,” he said. “We have full investigatory authority—subpoenas, witness interviews, document reviews—so we can focus in real time on a specific allegation.”

Local Case Study in Barre

Shapiro pointed to a recent case in the town of Barre as an example of how his office operates. A tip revealed that the town’s DPW superintendent, a full-time employee, was also working other state jobs without proper oversight. Investigators found conflicts of interest on the oversight board and uncovered gaps in timekeeping and personnel policies.

“The oversight board didn’t see this as a problem,” Shapiro said. “To its credit, the town administrator and others did. Ultimately, the select board worked to fix the system with a Memorandum of Understanding requiring compliance with town policies around HR and time reporting.”

Shapiro praised Barre’s leadership for taking corrective steps, noting the changes will “benefit taxpayers in the town of Barre.”

Engaging the Public and Municipal Leaders

Since taking office nearly three years ago, Shapiro has emphasized outreach. “We’re the only Inspector General’s Office in the country with both state and municipal responsibilities,” he told Talk of the Commonwealth. “I like to engage with stakeholders, hear their pain points, and educate them on what we do.”

In Worcester, Shapiro has met with organizations including the Worcester Regional Research Bureau, the Worcester Chamber of Commerce, and the Central Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission. On this visit, he addressed the Massachusetts Higher Education Consortium at the DCU Center, focusing on the importance of fairness and transparency in public procurement.

“Procurement rules matter,” he said. “It’s the public’s money, and businesses should know about opportunities and be able to compete.”

Fraud, Waste, and Abuse: Perception vs. Reality

Shapiro acknowledged that the public often assumes there is far more fraud and waste than exists. While his office handles a steady stream of cases, he said most public employees strive to do the right thing.

“I do believe many people that do the wrong thing don’t do it for a nefarious reason,” Shapiro said. “They do it because the job was vacant, or they were told ‘do it like this’ with no written procedures. That’s why I emphasize outreach, education, and written policies.”

When asked about the scope of fraud in Massachusetts, Shapiro was clear: “I think it is a much smaller number than people think. There’s a steady stream, but it’s not overly taxing.”

How to Report Concerns

Shapiro encouraged residents to report suspected fraud, waste, or abuse of public funds. The Office of the Inspector General can be reached at 1-800-322-1323, by email at IGO-FightFraud@mass.gov, or online at mass.gov/OIGFightFraud.

“Think of us as an emergency room,” Shapiro said. “Report it, and we’ll triage. I’d rather have things over-reported than under-reported.”