Police Record Checks
Police Record Checks are performed only with the written consent of the applicant for employment or volunteer positions.
Before an individual applies for a Police Record Check the organization/employer should:
- Understand the legal rules concerning the collection, use, security and any further disclosure of the information obtained through a police record check, as contained in the Personal Information Protection Act (for businesses and non-profit organizations) and in the Freedom of Information & Protection of Privacy Act (for public bodies).
- Determine whether a Vulnerable Sector check is required to be included, as this type of police record check is designed to assist the organization/employer in determining the suitability of potential employment/volunteer candidates whose duties will include responsibility for the well-being of persons who, because of their age, disability or other circumstances are at a greater risk than the general population.
By performing a Police Record Check, the Winnipeg Police Service is in no way making a recommendation as to the suitability of the applicant for the position, nor should the agency consider the existence of police information a reason for compulsory disqualification of an individual. Factors such as relevancy, age and seriousness of the disclosed information should be taken into consideration prior to determining the suitability of any applicant. It is important to note that the information contained within a Police Record Check is based upon information provided by the applicant and a police agency cannot guarantee it will identify all information pertaining to the individual.
The Winnipeg Police Service provides two types of Police Record Checks:
- Police Criminal Record Check (PCRC)
- Police Vulnerable Sector Check (PVSC)
Police Criminal Record Check (PCRC)
This check is intended for applicants who are seeking volunteer and/or employment with agencies where the applicant will NOT be in a position of trust or authority relative to vulnerable persons.
Police Vulnerable Sector Check (PVSC)
This check is restricted to applicants seeking employment and/or volunteering in a position of authority or trust relative to vulnerable persons in Canada only. If your certificate is being used outside of Canada, we are unable to process a Police Record Check with Vulnerable Sector (VS) search.
If the applicant is being considered to work in a paid or volunteer position where they will be in a position responsible for children or vulnerable individuals they may be required to submit fingerprints to verify whether there is a criminal record including the existence of any sex offences for which they received a record suspension contained within the RCMP National Criminal Records Repository.
When applying for a PVSC you do not need to apply for a PCRC for the same position, as the PVSC includes both the PCRC and PVSC.
Self-Declaration
Self-declaration of a criminal record is a process where the applicant may declare their adult criminal record of convictions to the Winnipeg Police Service. This may allow the Winnipeg Police Service to assess the accuracy of the applicant’s criminal record information without taking fingerprints and without the delay that a fingerprint comparison may cause.
Release of Completed Police Record Check
The Winnipeg Police Service will provide the results of a completed Police Record Check to the applicant only.
It is the choice of the applicant to decide whether they wish to discuss the results of the Police Record Check with the requesting organization/employer. The role of the Winnipeg Police Service is to provide the applicant with the results of the Police Record Check. The hiring organization/employer is responsible for determining the suitability of the applicant for the position. The result of any Police Record Check is just one component of the information available to and evaluated by the organization/employer.
Please refer to the Winnipeg Police Service website for further information regarding the police record check processes.
