Why your municipality should take a vested interest in the background investigation process - and how tech can help

City and county administrators are no strangers to accountability. They take responsibility for the successes and challenges that face their municipalities on an everyday basis—for their actions, decisions and policies. In the past decade, this accountability has been amplified with the advent of the 24/7 news cycle. 

The relationship between police chiefs and municipal leaders is a key partnership—one that is essential for effective law enforcement and community safety. Together, they collaborate on many initiatives, whether it be setting policy priorities, hiring the police chief, negotiating union contracts, making disciplinary decisions, or implementing community task forces and community policing. It’s safe to say that municipal leaders take these relationships seriously. 

One aspect of policing that municipal leaders should be well aware of is the background investigation process. In recent years, and particularly in the past few months, there have been several incidents across the U.S. that have taken place within police departments. In many of these cases, there has been a link back to the background investigation process and information that should have been vetted upfront. 

Take the case of Sonya Massey, for example. According to NBC News, when “an Illinois deputy sheriff was charged with murder after fatally shooting Sonya Massey, observers questioned how and why the officer, who had worked for six law enforcement agencies in four years, kept on getting hired.” Although there were several red flags in the officer’s past, there was no consistent background investigation process from agency to agency that would have prevented the officer’s hiring. The article goes on to demonstrate that, “an NBC News review of hiring practices around the country shows that there is a patchwork of hiring standards that vary from state to state and from community to community.”

While it’s true that there are no national laws to govern how law enforcement agencies vet and hire applicants, there are tangible ways to prevent these incidents from happening. By taking a vested interest in the background investigation process occurring at a municipality’s police department, and ensuring there is a defensible and consistent process, local leaders can ensure their agency’s processes are compliant with industry best practices.

It’s nuanced: Background check vs. background investigation
The core difference between a background check and a background investigation is the depth of the data dive. A background check is broad, but relatively quick, and focuses on basic verification and red flags. It verifies a person’s identity, searches an applicant’s past records for information, and includes information about a person’s criminal history, employment history, credit history, driving record, civil court history and education. Most public sector employees will be run through a standard background check for roles such as administrative assistant, parks and recreation, and wastewater management.

On the other hand, a background investigation is deep and thorough. It is handled with the same level of care as a criminal investigation. It is a comprehensive assessment of character, integrity and suitability for a high-responsibility, high-trust role such as police officer, deputy sheriff, state trooper, crime analyst and dispatcher. This type of background investigation dives into the data with a combination of online tools and detective work to understand the risk associated with hiring a person. It corroborates statements from the applicant with that of references, delves into an applicant’s digital profile, and reviews polygraphs and psychological evaluations. A background investigator then lays out the facts concretely, and makes a case for the morals, judgment and ethics a person will demonstrate on the job. 

While a majority of police departments across the country are conducting background investigations, there is fluctuation in how well it is being done. Couple this with the fact that the challenges today’s departments face are real. High turnover and retirement rates mean less-seasoned officers are often conducting background investigations, positions that were once reserved for only the most senior investigators at a department. Additionally, budgetary constraints mean that a midnight shift officer may be conducting background investigations in his slower hours as a collateral duty, without the expertise needed for an in-depth process. These situations can lend less credence to the overall result. 

How to ensure your police department is conducting a proper background investigation process
While there are no standard policies for conducting a proper background investigation process, there are best practices agencies can follow. 

2. Take opinion out of the equation. Facts are the crux of a strong background investigation. Once you get comfortable with them, a good investigation understands what makes someone tick, then lays out the case for why this person would work and what they’ve done to demonstrate their character.

3. Understand the importance of recruitment and retention. An upfront investment will lead to a stronger police force, with long-term interest in building their career. It is important that agencies select not only the best candidates for their agency, but also individuals that will represent the law enforcement profession as a whole for the entirety of their career. 

4. Understand the responsibility. Background investigators, and by extension the agencies they represent, bear the burden of ensuring they are conducting thorough background investigations and hiring only the most qualified applicants. One might go so far as to say agencies (as well as city managers and mayors) have the power to lift up, or set back, the law enforcement profession with a single good or bad hire.

5. Create a clear and consistent process, and lean into the right tools. Departments need to pay attention to the process being used to select background investigators. The ideal investigator is one who is going to have a vested interest in the good of the department, has a successful track record in handling investigations, and is articulate and relentless in understanding an applicant’s background. 

Technology can play a key role in helping agencies streamline and document their background investigation processes to ensure they are consistent, effective and legally defensible. For example, Vetted is a software tool that manages the entire process and flags any inconsistencies to identify issues early in the investigation process. 

6. Leverage tools and resources to help. There are several databases that agencies can reference to ensure they are conducting a thorough investigation. For example: 

7. Don’t forget about training. The background investigation process is nuanced, and it is important to ensure training is comprehensive and ongoing. Agencies must understand important and evolving hiring factors such as how to reduce investigator bias, employment law implications such as Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1974, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act, and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, as well as how to understand reentry codes for someone with prior military experience, how to thoroughly research an applicant’s social media, and more.

Trust, but verify 
Municipal leaders are working hard to align their jurisdiction with one that is known to be a great place to live, work and play. The negative effects of just one incident that makes it into the mainstream media can be very damaging. 

While municipal leaders aren’t expected to micromanage the background investigation process, it is important to understand how a police department is recruiting and retaining officers—and the background investigation is a critical piece of this puzzle.