Cops revealing too much in criminal record checks: Report

TORONTO - Too many Canadians are being denied jobs, places in school and volunteer work because police services across the country are disclosing information they shouldn’t during criminal record checks.

So says Nathalie Des Rosiers, general counsel for the Canadian Civil Liberties Association. The group released a report Monday into police criminal check procedures that shows police are disclosing “non-conviction” information — including withdrawn charges, acquittals and complaints where charges were never laid.

“It is not in the interest of public safety to prevent people from accessing employment,” Des Rosiers said.

So just a cop’s word is good enough for you, huh?

What about the presumption of innocence? A fair trial? I suppose to you acquittals mean they’re really guilty just walked on a technicality?

You’d use false/dropped/withdrawn charges to influence your hiring decision? I hope you do and get your rear sued off.

Oh, this day and age with the idiot cops we have everywhere you too can be given a BS charge by some idiot donut-muncher.

I’m 63 years old. In my lifetime, I’ve met exactly TWO police officers whose word I would take for ANYTHING. The rest were just wannabe RAMBOs, puny punks with a chip on their shoulder, and psychologically impaired people who managed to attain some measure of undeserved power.

You’d use false/dropped/withdrawn charges to influence your hiring decision?

Yup.Why? As I said earlier,I've been around the block a few times.If you glance at my profile you can get at least an idea of how old I am.In all those years I've had *one* brush with the law.And that one brush was a ticket (which was a civil,rather than criminal,violation) and carried a maximum penalty of $50.I fought it in court and was found "not guilty" in a court proceeding that took about 5 minutes.I testified for about 2 minutes,the cop did the same,the judge said not guilty.So no $50 fine.

My point is if I can have a truly spotless record,except for that dismissed fine,over such a long period of time it cannot be that difficult.So if I see a report that has one entry over many years,that entry having been for a minor traffic violation I doubt that I'd think much of it.But if I saw anything more serious..or saw more frequent entries...I'd surely sit up and take notice.And yes,I'd expect others to do the same with me and would accept their right so to do.

This a case from Canada.Their laws may well be different.If it's decided that people like me shouldn't be able to see records of "withdrawn charges" or acquittals up there they obviously can do that and their country will reap the benefits...and the negative consequences...of such a decision.

A couple of years ago my brother’s grandson was charged with breaking and entering and theft and all kinds of charges. My SIL called and told me how innocent he was and I thought, “Yeah, sure.” Then she told me the dates, he was 2700 miles away from where the crimes took place and I know that for a fact because he was at my house.

It still cost them thousands in legal costs even though we had evidence not just testimony that he was here.

You've obviously never had a vindictive wife level false charges at you again and again.

I've been put in jail multiple times for 'domestic abuse' and gotten the charges dropped every time because they were unfounded.

Now I have to go thru Hell to get my record expunged of this crap.

This is killing me in the job market.

Walk a mile in my shoes before you comment like that.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.