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Highway Patrol Schedules Criminal History Background Check Symposiums

 Highway Patrol Schedules Criminal History Background Check
Symposiums

Colonel James F. Keathley, superintendent of the Missouri State Highway
Patrol, would like to make the public aware of several criminal history
symposiums scheduled during the summer 2008. These symposiums are in
response to the growing interest and desire to obtain criminal history
record information for individuals applying for positions of trust with
children, elderly, or persons with disabilities, and are open to the
public. The symposiums will take place in several locations throughout the
state and will be provided by the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Criminal
Records and Identification Division. The symposiums are designed to educate
and assist the general public on the methods of obtaining criminal history
background checks in the state of Missouri as well as nationally through
the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

Symposium Highlights:

The state of Missouri has requested access to implement background checks
under the authority of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of
2006. The FBI has granted approval for Missouri to process
fingerprint-based civil background checks for private elementary and
secondary schools as well as public educational agencies. Under the
authority of Section 153 of the Adam Walsh Act, private elementary and
secondary schools will have added resources to make sound employment
decisions regarding individuals employed by, under consideration for
employment, or in positions working with or around children in the school
or agency. These new resources will enable Missouri to better protect its
most vulnerable citizens.

In addition to the Adam Walsh Act, a new program, the Missouri Volunteer
and Employee Criminal History Service (MoVECHS), will allow both state and
national background checks from non-governmental entities for persons who
work or volunteer with children, the elderly, or the disabled. This
initiative, authorized by the National Child Protection Act (NCPA),
Volunteers for Children Act (VCA), will allow for criminal record checks to
be processed through the Highway Patrol’s Criminal Records and
Identification Division. This program provides qualified entities a means
to thoroughly screen their current or prospective employees and volunteers.

MoVECHS was modeled after a highly successful program developed in Florida
known as the Florida VECHS program. One proponent of the Florida VECHS
program is Universal Studios, which uses federal and state criminal history
information as a component of their screening mechanism on prospective
employees.

The mission of the MoVECHS program is to protect children, the elderly, and
the disabled. Through the MoVECHS program, Highway Patrol and the Federal
Bureau of Investigation (FBI) will provide qualified entities (not
individuals) in Missouri the state and national criminal history record
information on applicants, employees, and volunteers.

Generally, to be qualified to participate in the MoVECHS program, a
business or organization (public, private, for profit, not-for-profit, or
voluntary) must provide some type of care, placement, or educational
services for children, the elderly, or persons with disabilities as
patients or residents, including a business or organization that licenses
or certifies others to provide care or placement services, even if only as
a limited part of the entity’s overall business. Once qualified to
participate in the program, an entity may request criminal history
information on all its current and prospective employees and volunteers,
not only those who work with vulnerable persons.

The MoVECHS program is not available to organizations currently required or
authorized to obtain criminal history record information on their employees
and/or volunteers under other statutory provisions. Those organizations
must continue to follow the statutory mandates that specifically apply to
them.

Additional Symposium Topics Include:

· Roles Of The Missouri State Highway Patrol And The FBI In The
Criminal History Process
· Advancements In Biometric Identification And Record Response Methods
· Name-based vs. Fingerprint-based Criminal Record Checks
· “Sunshine Law” Requirements Specific To Open And Closed Criminal
History Information
· Federal Dissemination Policy
· Fingerprint Errors And Resubmission Policy
· State And Federal Criminal History Record Responses
· Interpreting A Record Of Arrest And Prosecution (RAP Sheet)
· Criminal Record Expungement Processes
· Audit Procedures And Requirements
· Electronic Fingerprint Capture Processes — MOAPS And Integrated
Biometric Technology
· The Family Care Safety Registry (Department Of Health And Senior
Services)
· Sex Offender Registry Information

The cost for each symposium is $20 per person and must be paid in advance.
Payment of fee(s) should be in the form of check or money order payable to
“MISSOURI STATE TROOPERS ASSOCIATION”. Symposiums are scheduled from 9 a.m.
until 5 p.m. each day with registration beginning at 8 a.m.

Scheduled symposiums include:

Wednesday, June 11, 2008, Jefferson City — St. Joseph Cathedral
Undercroft, 2305 W. Main Street, Jefferson City, MO 65109. Deadline for
registration is June 4, 2008.

Thursday, June 19, 2008, Lee’s Summit — Lee’s Summit High School,
Performing Arts Theater, 400 SE Blue Parkway, Lee’s Summit, MO 64063.
Deadline for registration is June 12, 2008.

Additional sessions will be held in St. Louis, Cape Girardeau, and
Springfield during summer 2008. Locations and dates will be announced on
our website in the coming months.

Registration forms are available from the MSHP home page. Select the link
that states “Up And Coming Events”. This will direct you to the Criminal
Records and Identification home page. Interested participants should
complete a registration form and mail the completed form with payment to
the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Criminal Records and Identification
Division, Criminal History Background Check Symposium, Post Office Box
9500, Jefferson City, MO 65102-9500.

For additional information or further questions, please contact the
Missouri State Highway Patrol, Criminal Records and Identification
Division, at (573) 526-6345 or e-mail MOVECHS@mshp.dps.mo.gov.