Police Verification for Employment: What It Is and When to Ask

Police verification, also called a police clearance certificate or a criminal record check, is a check that a person has no recorded criminal history, or a statement of what is recorded. Ask for it only when the role justifies it, tell the candidate why, get their consent, and handle the result fairly. Whether you may ask, and what you may see, depends on the country, so check local law first.

What it means in different places

In India, employers commonly ask candidates for a police verification or police clearance certificate, which the candidate obtains and shares. In the United Kingdom, criminal record checks are done through the Disclosure and Barring Service and are available only for certain roles, with rules on spent convictions. In the United States, criminal history is usually checked through a screening company, with specific consent and notice rules. In the European Union, data about criminal convictions is tightly restricted and can be processed only where national law allows. These are overviews, not legal advice.

When it is reasonable to ask

A police check is most defensible where the role involves trust, such as working with children or vulnerable adults, handling money, or access to sensitive property or data. For roles with no such risk, asking everyone for a clearance certificate can be excessive and, in some places, unlawful.

How to ask well

Tell the candidate in writing what you are asking for, why, how the result will be used and how long you will keep it. Ask the candidate to provide it, or ask for their consent to request it. Give them a date and tell them you will help if the process is slow, since official processing can take time.

Handling the result fairly

A record does not automatically rule someone out. Consider how relevant the offence is to the job, how long ago it happened and what has changed. Give the candidate the chance to explain, and keep the result confidential, shared only with those who need to know to make the decision.

Keep only what you need

Record that the check was done and the outcome, and store any certificate securely. Delete it when you no longer need it. Do not copy criminal record details into emails, chat or shared documents.

In Rezumz

In Rezumz you can add a police verification as a check on a candidate, send the candidate a ready-written request email, and move the check through not started, in progress, done or failed, with a note and a link to the report kept wherever you store it securely. Hiring managers who are limited to some jobs cannot see background checks, and every status change is in the audit log.