Background Checks

[ljudge]

In my 14 years in this business I can't help but notice the amount of public officials who officiate.  I'm guessing many (especially police officers) need to have background checks.  I recently heard our high school assn is going to be requiring background checks and given I'm currently going through checks through FBI and Office of Personnel Management for Top Secret clearance with the DoD I would think that check is way more in-depth than any local background check would do and should be sufficient.  With that said, I'm wondering if those of you with checks similar to mine (or those from police) satisfy your respective state's requirements.  Uncle Sam looks at arrest, medical, financial, social, you name it!  I don't want to have to pay for something I don't need.

[TampaSteve]

In FL, since +/-2004, we've had to get fingerprinted to work games.  The law is something like everyone that comes on campus to do business (i.e. coke guy, milkman, etc.) needs to get fingerprinted to ensure no bad peeps are there.
Like mentioned above, ALL officials have to get it done - no matter what their day job is, be it a cop or even a County teacher, etc.
I was fingerprinted with the FBI & Securities & Exchange Commission for my day job, yet I needed it done too.
Additionally, in FL, some counties don't "talk" to ther counties - although our fingerprints are on file with FL Dept of Law Enforcement.  So you may be fingerprinted in your "home" county and may have to jump through a hoop to work in another county.
While the intent is good, it seems none of the Agencies are willing to talk to one-another and some of us can aviod the redundancy.

[HLinNC]

Your problem is this.  If your league/association can not have easy access to the record check, it is useless to them.  They can 't take your word that you've gone through a rigorous security clearance check, that negates the whole reason for doing it.  Most governmental agencies can not release that type of information as it would violate your personnel record privacy.  While you would want them to in this instance and it is of a benefit to you for them to do it, it probably will fall out of the norm of an agency's policy and therefore they won't give it up.

NC is requiring it this year.  However, our state office is handling it.  I work in the judicial system and have already gone through fingerprinting and background checks.  My guess is the check for me to continue officiating will be much less- probably a criminal record check and sex offender registry check.  Most of that is easily obtainable.