RELIABILITY SCREENING SOLUTIONS IS READY FOR NEW GOVERNMENT SECURITY SCREENING RULES
When word got out that federal government employees and contractors who require security clearance will need to be fingerprinted as of Feb. 1, there was much confusion about the change.
“A lot of people had the impression that they had to go out immediately to have their fingerprints taken. That’s not the case,” said Greg Wilson, the CEO of Ottawabased Reliability Screening Solutions. “It simply means that when it’s your turn for screening, whether it’s a renewal or a new hire, it’s going to be fingerprint based.”
The change came about because the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, which is the agency responsible for security inquiries, will retire the name-based Criminal Record Check process it used previously and replace it with a fingerprint-based system that will be quicker and more accurate.
“It makes a lot of sense because you really have no idea who the person is when you’re submitting a name check. It’s pretty easy to come up with fake ID,” said Wilson, whose company was one of the first private firms to be accredited by the Canadian Criminal Real Time Identification Services (CCRTIS) branch of the RCMP to provide fingerprint-based Criminal History Checks.
“When an applicant’s fingerprints are submitted and there is a record on file, the RCMP knows who they’re dealing with. The applicant can consent to have the search results sent directly to their employer, so when the employer gets the certificate they are confident of the employee’s identity and if they’ve committed any crimes,” he explained.
Contractors who work with the federal government or employees of federal agencies that require background checks after Feb. 1 can have their fingerprints taken by Reliability Screening Solutions in Ottawa or at one of their many affiliates across the country. They can scan fingerprints directly using a live scan system where the person places their fingers on a sensor and the fingerprints are captured directly. Alternatively, traditional ink impressions on a C216C fingerprint form are taken and digitized to create the RCMP fingerprint submission. In either case, the data is securely sent to the RCMP for a security check and the results are almost immediate.
“We are audited by the RCMP on a regular basis to make sure that we safeguard the personal data of our clients,” Wilson added. “Fingerprint files are sent to the RCMP and we get back a response from them that says that the fingerprint transaction has been completed. Our system has been designed to ensure that the fingerprints are immediately deleted on notice of completion.”
He also explained that the RCMP can’t send fingerprint search results to anyone other than the individual themselves without that person’s consent, so they carefully record that consent and also submit a biometric thumb impression to the RCMP as part of the consent process.
Reliability Screening Solutions not only provides fingerprinting services, but also sells their technology to companies that want to perform the scans themselves and submit them for processing by the RCMP.
“I am being buried by requests in Ottawa right now. Most people want to buy their own system, when, in fact, they don’t need that. They are not inexpensive,” noted Wilson.
The same holds true for some of their affiliate locations that send cards to Reliability Screening Solutions for scanning. “They are accredited to take the fingerprints, but it doesn’t mean they need to spend all that money to have their own digitizing system. If they send the cards to us, we submit them to the RCMP on the same day we receive them, no matter how many cards they send. It’s very efficient.
“Most agencies that are contractors with the federal government are very small so they can come in and get the service done with us,” said Wilson. “Or they can go through the rigorous accreditation process that allows them to take ink fingerprints on cards, without the need to have the secure infrastructure to submit them electronically. They can just mail to us to scan. Some people in Ottawa just drive them over to our office.”
People overseas – such as ESL teachers, oil and gas workers or people trying to emigrate to other countries – often require background checks, and Reliability Screening Solutions is equipped to handle those requests as well. Because of their large affiliate network, they also handle requests in many remote communities of the country, something that is welcomed by federal agencies whose mandate takes them to all corners of Canada.
Despite the company’s wide reach, there are some holes in coverage, and Reliability Screening Solutions is actively recruiting new affiliates in different parts of Canada, especially in smaller communities.
“We are looking for affiliates everywhere, so if anyone wants to contact us to become an affiliate, it will probably take them a few months to get accredited by CCRTIS,” said Wilson.
For more information on the services provided by Reliability Screening Solutions or to learn about becoming an affiliate, visit www.reliabilityscreening.ca