Florida Catholic | Touch and Go

Background checks are now touch and go

Digital fingerprinting and electronic processing speeds results.

LINDA REEVES | FLORIDA CATHOLIC PALM BEACH BUREAU EDITOR

Published: 10.19.07

The Diocese of Palm Beach has streamlined the process for background checks with digital fingerprinting and electronic data transmission. The new process is cleaner, eliminates the need to repeat the process, and reduces the time for the results.
JASON COLLINS | FC

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PALM BEACH GARDENS | Routine background checks are a common part of the workplace these days almost everywhere you go.

The Diocese of Palm Beach last month implemented a new method for its mandatory background checking and, according to those involved with the process developed by Advantage Biometrics Group, it is simple, more convenient and eliminates the need to re-fingerprint people in the future.

"It is going to make everyone's life in the parishes and schools much easier," said Melissa Martin, diocesan background screening coordinator with the Serving Children Office. "With the old process, they had to go to a police station and get their fingers printed. They would return the card (with the fingerprints) to their parish or school. It was mailed to me. I forwarded it (the card) to the FDLE (Florida Department of Law Enforcement), and then, we waited for the results. The old process took from four to six weeks."

The new process utilizes portable fingerprinting devices and electronic processing systems set up at the Pastoral Center in Palm Beach Gardens, St. Joan of Arc in Boca Raton, St. Helen in Vero Beach, St. Rita in Wellington and St. Anastasia in Fort Pierce. It eliminates visits to police stations.

Results are obtained sooner and paperwork, mailings, and ink processes and cards are no longer part of the background checking steps.

"We get back the results within two days," said Kit Johansen, Serving Children Office diocesan coordinator. "It is safer as far as personal information. What information is in there, no one can see. It is very secure in that regard. Another thing is that we never have to ask them to be fingerprinted again."

Once in the system, the digital fingerprints are preserved. Law enforcement officials continue to monitor original records and perform thorough checks every five years, using the stored prints.

Those who were fingerprinted using ink will need to be refingerprinted using the new method when their fingerprint cards reach five years old. Because the old system was put in place five years ago, officials expect to be busy for a while.

"Initially there are a lot of people we are going to have to recheck because of the anniversary coming up," said Johansen about the old method. "Anybody coming up for their five-year recertification will be notified by us. We will notify them by e-mail or by mailing a notice to the parish. It is important to tell people to wait to be notified."

The entire process is simple, and if there are any questions, people are on hand at the diocese and in the parishes and schools to help and answer questions.

"It is very easy," said Gretchen Card of the diocesan Human Resources department after her experience. "It didn't take very long at all."

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Background checks are now touch and go

Digital fingerprinting and electronic processing speeds results.

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