Keizer staff outlines plan to run criminal background checks for volunteer nominees; committee raises privacy, timing and resource concerns

City staff told the Keizer Volunteer Coordinating Committee on May 8 that the city intends to implement criminal history background checks for volunteer committee nominees and provided details on timing, process and next steps, prompting committee members to raise privacy and logistical concerns.

“Yeah. So, the city's code, indicates that the city manager has the authority to implement a criminal history background process on the volunteers,” Don, a city staff member, told the committee. Don said the city has drafted a policy, will provide candidates with a release form after interview, and expects the checks to be conducted by the police department. He said unsuccessful background checks would prevent a nominee from being forwarded to the City Council and that the recruitment for that position would be reopened. Don added the city aims to begin running the checks “maybe in June” once the process is launched.

Don described the decision flow: the police department would run the criminal histories and make an initial determination; the city manager would review unsuccessful results and Melissa Silver in the City Recorder’s Office would send a standardized, attorney-approved notification email to unsuccessful applicants. Don said background checks would also be run for renewing volunteers and for volunteers applying to serve on different committees.

Committee members asked whether checks could be done before nominees are brought before the committee so unsuccessful applicants would not be identified in public. “I think it would be not a good idea to have anybody know really that… they did or didn't pass that background check,” one member said, urging checks before interviews. Members also raised operational concerns: the police department’s capacity and the cost of running checks, handling of personal identifying information (for example Social Security numbers), whether out-of-state backgrounds can be obtained, and whether youth liaisons (juveniles) would be exempt. Don said juveniles would not be subject to the same background checks.

No formal committee vote was taken; the staff described an administrative process to be implemented by the city manager. Committee members requested the city provide details about disqualifying criteria, the secure method for submitting personal information, and whether multiple city staff (for example, the city attorney or police chief) would review adverse determinations to reduce liability risk. Don said staff would take the committee’s feedback and refine the draft process.

The committee asked staff to consider doing checks before interviews, to clarify the disqualifying criteria and to clarify how juvenile nominees and out-of-state residents will be handled. Don said he would update the committee as the policy is finalized.