What is required for a criminal records check during the application process?

The requirement for a complete set of fingerprints to be submitted directly to the superintendent for a criminal records check is a critical step in the application process. This is because fingerprints allow law enforcement agencies to conduct a thorough and accurate background check against various national and state criminal databases.

The fingerprinting process ensures that the agency can uniquely identify the individual applying and assess their criminal history, if any, effectively. This step is not only a standard protocol in many licensing processes but also a safeguard aimed at ensuring that individuals entrusted with significant responsibilities, such as those in the security industry, do not have felony convictions or other disqualifying factors in their backgrounds. By directly submitting fingerprints to a designated authority, the application process maintains a level of security and integrity for both the applicants and the public they serve.

Engaging in a written request to the local police department, seeking verification of moral character from references, or paying a background check fee are certainly important aspects of application processes in various contexts, but they do not replace the specific requirement of fingerprint submission for a criminal records check. These other components may play a role in assessing the applicant's suitability but do not fulfill the crucial legal and procedural requirement represented by fingerprinting.