Are you thinking about volunteering in a school for the 2013-2014 school year? If so, the Coquitlam RCMP is encouraging all would-be school volunteers to start the criminal record check process as soon as possible.

Policy changes introduced in previous years require anyone planning to work, either professionally or in a volunteer capacity, in the “vulnerable sector” to complete an enhanced criminal record search process that may include the need to submit fingerprints in order to get the record check approved.

The vulnerable sector policy protects the safety of kids and youth by catching pardoned sex offenders who are attempting to secure volunteer or professional positions using different names. Under the policy, any applicant whose gender and birth date match those of one of the 14,000+ pardoned sex offenders in the national sex offender registry will be required to submit fingerprints, which can extend the record check process by weeks or months.

Click here to visit the Coquitlam RCMP Front Counter Services webpage and download the forms needed to start the criminal record check process.

Click here for more information about the vulnerable sector criminal record search policy change.