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Print articlePrivacy Commissioner’s Report on Police Information Checks Released
April, 2014 - Nicole Skuggedal
On April 15, 2014, the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner for British Columbia (the “Privacy Commissioner”) issued a report regarding the use of police information checks in British Columbia (the “Report”). The main focus of the Report is the scope of information provided in police information checks.
Currently police information checks include information about prior convictions, outstanding charges, and non-conviction information such as adverse police contact, investigations that did not result in charges and apprehensions under the Mental Health Act. Police agencies no longer provide criminal record checks which are restricted to information on prior criminal convictions.
The Privacy Commissioner's recommendations include that government and police boards should cease providing mental health information in all circumstances and should only provide non-conviction information for positions working in the vulnerable sector, i.e. with children and at vulnerable adults.
