Alberta Law Reform Institute Paper on Police Record Checks

The Alberta Law Reform Institute (ALRI( has published a paper on police record checks in the province:

"To assess their suitability for opportunities, employers and volunteer organizations seek background information on their applicants. One way of obtaining such information is through police record checks. That being so, many employers and volunteer organizations require applicants to request, and share the results of, a police record check. Other organizations, including governments, professional regulatory bodies, post-secondary institutions, and even landlords, also use police record checks as a screening tool."

"Determining what information should be disclosed in the results of a police record check involves balancing public safety interests with an applicant’s privacy and human rights. Across Canada, police services do this balancing in different ways, with little legislative direction."

ALRI conducted some preliminary research to determine whether it should undertake a police record check law reform project. As part of its research, ALRI compared Ontario’s police record check legislation with the procedures from the Alberta Association of Chiefs of Police (AACP).

ALRI determined that the AACP procedures could be improved, but recognized that they are relatively new and that the AACP is open to revising them. As time may tell whether Alberta needs specific legislation to regulate police record checks, ALRI decided not to proceed with a police record check law reform project now.

ALRI’s paper contains its preliminary research findings. Its publication is intended to promote discussion about police record check practices in Alberta.