Title
ORDINANCE NO. O17-24
AN ORDINANCE OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GLENDALE, MARICOPA COUNTY, ARIZONA, AMENDING CHAPTER 2, ARTICLE III - OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES, DIVISION 1 - GENERALLY OF THE GLENDALE CITY CODE REGARDING RETENTION OF FINGERPRINTS OF APPLICANTS.
Staff Contact: Jim Brown, Director, Human Resources and Risk Management
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Purpose and Recommended Action
Recommendation
This is a request for City Council to waive reading beyond the title and adopt an ordinance to amend Chapter 2, Article III, Division I, of the Glendale City Code regarding fingerprints of applicants.
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Background
Article III, Division I, Sec. 2-51 (a) of the Glendale City Code states the following: “All applicants being considered for selection for positions as city employees and all prospective volunteers under the direction of the city whose duties include interaction with juveniles, upon application for temporary or permanent employment for an indefinite period of time or upon application to volunteer, shall appear at the offices of the police department and submit to having copies of their fingerprints made by a police officer. The human resources department shall forward the fingerprints of eligible applicants to the Arizona Department of Public Safety for the purpose of obtaining a state and federal criminal records check pursuant to A.R.S section 41-1750 and P.L. 92-544.”
Article III, Division I, Sec. 2.51 (d) of the Glendale City Code states the following: “One (1) copy of the fingerprints shall be maintained by the police department so long as the person remains a city employee and for a period of five (5) years thereafter.
Analysis
The City has been fingerprinting all applicants being considered for selection and prospective volunteers, regardless of whether they are interacting with juveniles. We have been following this practice for more than ten years and are therefore requesting a change to the city code to reflect this practice. Conducting fingerprint checks is an important part of the background checking process for all new hires and volunteers. This practice allows Human Resources to review all new hire’s or volunteer’s criminal history information to ensure we are not hiring individuals with job related criminal convictions.
The language in Sec. 2.51 (d) conflicts with the Department of Public Safety policy concerning the retention of fingerprints and conflicts with the Arizona State Library records retention schedule. Therefore, we are also requesting a change to the city code to maintain fingerprints in accordance with the Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records retention schedule.
Community Benefit/Public Involvement
These changes to City Code ultimately benefit the citizens of Glendale by ensuring that the City is not hiring individuals with job related criminal convictions.
Budget and Financial Impacts
There is no expected financial impact associated with updating the City Code.