Background checks required for local volunteer coaches

Howell

HOWELL - Township residents are being advised there is a four- to six-week backlog at the New Jersey State Police pertaining to the processing of state and FBI background checks for volunteer coaches and volunteers associated with either township or associated sports clubs.

For the upcoming baseball season, parents are advised that there should not be any coaches on the field who have not submitted their information for the background checks.

However, those who have provided the Howell Police Depart-ment with all the necessary information and are awaiting the results of the state and FBI background checks are granted provisional authority to participate in their respective activities, according to a press release from the township manager's office.

In an effort to be proactive in providing a safer atmosphere for Howell's youth, in 2002 the Township Council adopted an ordinance requiring all nonprofit youth-serving organizations to submit their volunteers to criminal history background checks.

According to information provided by the township, officials have fingerprinted more than 3,000 volunteers with approximately 800 due for rechecks this year. However, with more municipalities now requiring background checks, the turnaround time for fingerprint results from the state police has increased.

In order to reduce the amount of time required to clear the volunteer, the township is making some administrative changes to improve the process.

According to the press release, the township is recommending that payment be made at the time of fingerprinting to help expedite payment to the state police to get the process started.

In addition, all volunteers coming due during the 2007 calendar year will have an expiration date of Dec. 31, 2007. During this time the township will be transitioning to a company that will handle the database and the issuing of identification cards.

Township officials said the goal is to ensure that by the end of 2007 all volunteers who have been cleared will have an identification card that is easily recognizable. No volunteer should be with the children without his or her identification card in plain sight.