SUNDRE – Non-vulnerable sector criminal record checks will soon be available with just a few clicks – for a $75 fee.
Although residents will still have the option of dropping by the Sundre RCMP detachment in person to request a criminal record check at no cost at all, anyone who might be so inclined will also be able to apply for a criminal record check by clicking a link on the town’s website that will provide access to an online portal that facilitates the process.
Following a remote presentation by the vice-president of Forrest Green Solutions – a company that provides software to municipal police services – council directed administration by unanimous consent on Sept. 9 to partner with the company and proceed with installing the link on the town website at no cost to the municipality.
“That would allow the citizens of that area to go online for their criminal record check application rather than having to come into the local detachment and get that done at their local police service,” Clive Weighill, who over many years accrued experience in policing prior to becoming the company’s vice-president, told council by phone.
“Now this certainly has nothing to do with the performance of the RCMP,” Weighill emphasized, adding it’s simply that the RCMP in the region does “not allow any online criminal record checks as of yet.”
Although a pilot program with the Alberta RCMP’s K Division that involved a dozen different detachments worked out well, “the RCMP in Ottawa are not ready to move from paper to online yet,” he told council.
Going onto explain the process, he said Forrest Green Solutions would if approved partner with the Taber Police Service as well as the Town of Sundre.
“We would provide the software. We don’t see anything that gets involved between the citizen and the Taber police,” he said.
“We would put a link on your town website. We would just work with your IT person; that’s about the only work that Sundre would have to do.”
Anyone who opts to request a criminal record check online would click the link on the town’s website that would then redirect the user to the Taber Police Service, which actually conducts the check and coordinates with the client to deliver results, he said.
Neither the company nor the municipality is involved with the criminal check nor has access to any of that information, he said, adding that is all between Taber police and the client.
“For this, we would give $25 to the Town of Sundre for every application that’s processed through the system,” he said, adding the Taber Police Service would in turn receive $40 while Forrest Green takes a cut amounting to $9.95 for providing the conduit software.
While other similar online portals are available, Weighill said that by going through the Taber Police Service, a more thorough process that involves checking with police departments across Canada for warrants and charges is conducted.
“It provides a better criminal record check than some of these other out-of-province organizations,” he said, adding Forrest Green also works with other municipal police services in Alberta including Edmonton, Calgary, Lethbridge, and Medicine Hat.
“Camrose and Lacombe are coming online with us next month,” he said, going onto open the floor to questions.
Coun. Connie Anderson asked how much the service would cost for people who choose that option, and was informed that all-told, the fee amounts to $74.95 plus tax.
Weighill added that larger RCMP detachments tend to have longer lineups, especially in the fall.
“I would sense that most RCMP detachments would be very happy to take a bit of a load off of their staff,” he said.
Coun. Owen Petersen said he was all for making available more options for people to consider, but expressed one main concern.
“I would just hope that if we do do this, that residents also understand that (criminal record checks) are free if they go into the RCMP,” said Petersen, adding the local detachment had per information he’d obtained processed 183 criminal record checks in 2023.
“I think a large amount of that, it would probably be volunteers in Sundre,” he said.
“My only concern with this program, is if volunteers see one more roadblock to volunteering by (taking) a $75 hit to get a criminal record check not knowing that they can just walk in and get them for free,” he said.
Coun. Jaime Marr also sought to confirm that the online service is specifically for regular criminal record checks as opposed to vulnerable sector checks.
“It only applies to a regular criminal record check,” said Weighill. “A vulnerable sector does request sometimes people have to submit their finger prints. So, they would have to go to the local detachment.”
Marr also asked if a client receives either a digital or paper copy of the check, and if they could have the expense reimbursed by a potential employer.
Weighill said a client would have to bear the initial cost but that an employer could theoretically reimburse them, and that the Taber Police Service would also coordinate with the client on providing access to the record that includes a QR code employers can use to verify its authenticity.
Coun. Todd Dalke also sought assurance that the traditional method of simply walking into the detachment remained an option.
“Is it to replace our current use and then our detachment would no longer do any criminal record checks, or is this in addition to where anybody can do either or?” Dalke asked, to which he was told the online portal is just another option.
“The RCMP would still provide the service they always have,” said Weighill.
Mayor Richard Warnock agreed that some people such as volunteers might be financially strapped to find $75, but added others who live further away from town might appreciate the option to expedite the process by saving themselves a trip to the detachment.
“There are pros and cons,” said Warnock.
Marr motioned for the municipality to partner with Forrest Green Solutions and direct administration to proceed.
“A service to our community that doesn’t cost us money, is something that we should always look at for our residents,” the mayor said prior to calling a vote on the motion, which carried unanimously.
