Source: https://www.ecode360.com/6669373
Timestamp: 2020-06-01 14:28:45
Document Index: 620011141

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 115', '§ 115', '§ 115', '§ 115', '§ 115', '§ 115', '§ 115']

Township of Howell, NJ Criminal History Background Checks
§ 115-2 Requests for criminal background checks; costs.
§ 115-3 Conditions under which a person is disqualified from service.
§ 115-4 Procedure; periodic checks.
§ 115-5 Limitations on access and use of criminal history record information.
§ 115-6 Determination by Committee; appeal process.
Chapter 115 Criminal History Background Checks
[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township of Howell 5-20-2002 by Ord. No. 0-02-20.[1] Amendments noted where applicable.]
Editor's Note: This ordinance also required that all nonprofit youth-serving organizations in Howell Township complete their initial background checks of all volunteers by 1-1-2003.
The Township of Howell Police Department.
A three-member Committee consisting of the Township Manager and Chief of Police and Township Manager's designee. The Committee shall be charged with the review of all appeals by any employee or volunteer whose criminal history background check reveals a disqualifying criminal conviction.
[Amended 4-24-2012 by Ord. No. 0-12-09]
Any person involved with a nonprofit youth-serving organization who has unsupervised direct access to minors as a result of their involvement with the organization.
The Township of Howell requires that all employees and volunteers of a nonprofit youth-serving organization request through the sponsoring organization, who shall have the requisite VRN number from the state to accomplish same, conduct a criminal history record background on each prospective and current employee or volunteer of the organization.
[Amended 8-16-2011 by Ord. No. 0-11-21]
The sponsoring organization shall inform the Township Manager or the Township Manager's designee whether the person's criminal history record background check reveals a conviction of a disqualifying crime or offense specified in § 115-3 of this chapter.
[Amended 8-16-2011 by Ord. No. 0-11-21; 4-24-2012 by Ord. No. 0-12-09]
A criminal history record background check shall be completed by the sponsoring agency only upon receipt of the written consent for the check from the prospective or current person with direct unsupervised access to minors.
The employee or volunteer shall bear the costs associated with conducting his or her criminal history background check.
Involving danger to the person, meaning those crimes and disorderly persons offenses as set forth in N.J.S.A. 2C:11-1 et seq.; N.J.S.A. 2C:12-1 et seq.; N.J.S.A. 2C:13-1 et seq.; N.J.S.A. 2C:14-1 et seq.; or N.J.S.A. 2C:15-1 et seq.
Involving any controlled dangerous substance or controlled substance analogue as set forth in Chapter 35 of Title 2C of the New Jersey Statutes except Paragraph (4) of Subsection a of N.J.S.A. 2C:35-10.
[Amended 11-23-2004 by Ord. No. 0-04-50; 8-16-2011 by Ord. No. 0-11-21]
Prospective or current employees or volunteers of nonprofit youth-serving organizations shall submit their names, addresses, fingerprints and written consent to the organization for the criminal history record background check to be performed. Thereafter, all subsequent background checks shall be undertaken by the sponsoring agency every three years after the date of the initial check and a federal background check every three years after the initial check.
All sponsoring agencies must submit, on an annual basis, prior to the beginning of any seasonal activity or activity or program, to the Howell Township Manager's office, a certified list of all prospective or current employees or volunteers who have been fingerprinted in accordance with this chapter to ensure compliance with same. Failure to do so will result in the penalties set forth herein.
Access to criminal history record information for noncriminal justice purposes, including licensing and employment, is restricted to the members of the Review Committee, as authorized by federal or state statute, rule or regulation, executive order, administrative code, local ordinance or resolution regarding obtaining and disseminating of criminal history record information obtained under this chapter.
The Review Committee shall limit its use of criminal history record information solely to the authorized person for which it was obtained, and criminal history record information furnished shall not be disseminated to persons or organizations not authorized to receive the records for authorized purposes. Use of this record shall be limited solely to the authorized purpose for which it was given, and it shall not be disseminated to any unauthorized persons. This record shall be destroyed immediately after it has served its intended and authorized purpose. Any person violating federal or state regulations governing access to criminal history record information may be subject to criminal and/or civil penalties.
If this criminal history record may disqualify an employee or volunteer for any purpose, the Committee's determination shall be provided to the employee or volunteer with an opportunity to complete and challenge the accuracy of the information contained in the criminal history record. The employee or volunteer shall be afforded a reasonable period of time to correct and complete this record. A person is not presumed guilty of any charges or arrests for which there are no final dispositions indicated on the record. The sponsoring organization shall make the initial recommendation to the Review Committee based solely on the NJ State Statutes. They shall advise the Committee whether the volunteer is being recommended or not. The Review Committee will receive a preprinted form on each individual submitted to the sponsoring organization for background check. One form will be for recommendation and the other will be for rejection. If there is a rejection, the Committee may still allow the employee or volunteer to participate. The sponsoring organization will make a recommendation based on the record only. It is within the Committee's discretion to overturn the recommendation of the sponsoring organization recommendation.
Appeal process. The Review Committee shall promptly notify a prospective or current employee or volunteer whose criminal history background check reveals a disqualifying conviction. The person shall have 30 days from the receipt of that notice to petition the Committee for a review and cite reasons substantiating the review.
Notwithstanding the provisions of § 115-3 of this chapter, no person shall be disqualified from serving as an employee or volunteer of a nonprofit youth-serving organization on the basis of any conviction disclosed by a criminal history record background check; if the person has affirmatively demonstrated to the Committee clear and convincing evidence of the person's rehabilitation, the Review Committee shall consider the following factors:
The Committee shall promptly advise the nonprofit youth-serving organization whether a person is qualified to serve as an employee or volunteer of the organization.
[Added 8-16-2011 by Ord. No. 0-11-21]
Failure of any sponsoring organization to comply with the requirements set forth herein shall, upon conviction of same, be punished by a fine not exceeding $2,000, with the minimum penalty of a first offense being $500.