Article Highlights:
- Background check vs. background investigation: what's the difference?
- Police background investigation
- Compliance risks with investigations
- Benefits of background investigation software
In 2024, background investigation software is a non-negotiable in public safety hiring. Why? Let’s start with the basics.
What is a Background Investigation?
A background investigation is an intensive examination of an individual’s history, usually as a condition of employment. It begins with a review of the candidate’s submitted forms and then dives deep into vetting that information along with all other available information. A background investigation includes in-depth analysis of the following:
- Criminal history
- Employment history
- Education history
- References provided
- References, colleagues, neighbors, and other associates
- Credit history
- Drug testing
- Social media and online presence
- Global sanctions and watchlist records
- A face-to-face security interview with the candidate
- More, depending on the position
Background Check vs. Background Investigation: What’s the Difference?
Many sectors use background checks as part of their hiring processes, but only a few use background investigations. The main differences between the two are depth and scope.
A background check will cover the candidate’s provided information (such as verifying the employment history on their resume) and usually includes a criminal history report. But typically, background checks are limited to public records and databases, and they provide just a surface level overview of a candidate’s background.
In contrast, a background investigation goes deeper. It includes more details about more areas of the candidate’s life, and it can provide information that is not available to the general public.
Pre-employment Investigations for Public Safety Roles
In sectors like public safety, screening applicants so thoroughly is vital because the safety of others depends on it. When applied to roles in social work, law enforcement, emergency response, corrections, and some healthcare settings, a pre-employment investigation can shape the future of community protection. Uncovering anything that might make a candidate unfit for a public safety role before they are employed can even save lives—it’s that important.
Police Background Investigation
Police officers in particular undergo a very thorough police background investigation before employment. Why? These individuals are entrusted with the safety of our communities, friends, and family. They uphold our laws, hold power over others, and often carry weapons. Obtaining a complete candidate history is imperative to help ensure that the person hired can handle the pressure of the position and be trusted to act with integrity.
What Does a Police Officer Background Investigation Entail?
A police background investigation is one of the most in-depth variations of a background investigation. The exact order of the steps can vary, but this type of investigation typically includes:
- Personal History Statement (PHS): 20-60 pages long. Candidates provide their employment history, education history, current and past residences, personal references, and more.
- A background investigator vets this information to make sure that it is true. It also looks for any information left off the PHS to create a comprehensive picture of the candidate’s history.
- Written Test: Usually a pass/fail grade. Evaluates the following:
- Cognitive ability
- Deductive reasoning
- Inductive reasoning
- Spatial orientation
- Written comprehension
- Written expression
- Vocabulary and spelling
- General knowledge of facts and laws
- Physical Fitness Test: Usually a pass/fail grade.
- Drug Test: To check for any use of illegal substances.
- Polygraph: To validate the truthfulness of the candidate.
- Credit History: A standard financial credit check looking for bankruptcies and patterns of financial irresponsibility.
- Social Media Check: A review of the candidate's social media presence to see if there are any problematic affiliations, inappropriate content, extremist views, or behavior unbecoming of an officer.
- Reference Checks: Interviews with personal and professional references to gauge the candidates character, work ethic, and job fit. Can include provided references and other people associated with the candidate.
- Psychological Evaluation: To evaluate the candidate's mental fitness and emotional resilience, as well as understand how they might perform in a chronically stressful work environment.
What Kinds of Things Does a Police Background Investigation Look For?
A police officer background investigation looks for any information that might identify an individual as unfit for work in a public safety role. Immediate red flags are a history of domestic violence, gang affiliations, extremist views, criminal behavior, drug use, certain mental health concerns that can affect job performance, poor reference checks, and falsification of application information.
On the flip side, a police background investigation can uncover information in the candidate’s favor—such as a clean criminal record, a great credit report indicating financial responsibility, volunteer work and community involvement, and more.
Why is it Important to Have an Accurate, Organized Police Background Investigation for Every Candidate?
Having a thorough, accurate police background investigation for every candidate is important because it does the following:
- Helps ensure public safety
- Assesses suitability for police work
- Improves workforce quality
- Facilitates agencies’ informed decision-making
- Helps agencies comply with local, state, and federal requirements
- Improves fairness and consistency in hiring
- Reduces liability
- Protects the department’s reputation
Compliance Risks with Pre-Employment Investigations
Unfortunately, traditional methods of carrying out background investigations (paper, spreadsheets, fillable forms) can lead to inaccuracies and compliance issues. Shared drives, paper forms, and other non-secure technologies can easily become accessible to employees without a need-to-know—putting your agency at risk.
Additionally, pre-employment investigation processes should be fair and consistent across the board. If a candidate is not chosen, it’s critical that the selection and investigation process was consistent and well-documented—along with the reasons for disqualification. Traditional background investigation methods aren’t designed for this type of compliance, and not having a thorough documentation system in place puts your agency at risk of liability.
Pre-employment Investigations’ Impact on Time-to-Hire
A background investigation can take weeks—even months—to complete. To properly vet candidates for public safety roles, the process must be thorough. But the speed at which an agency completes a background investigation greatly impacts time-to-hire.
A recent report from Harvard Business Review shows that nearly 62% of candidates lose interest in a position and an organization if they haven't heard back within two weeks of their initial interview—while the current average time-to-hire in the public safety sector is 119 days. A prolonged hiring process can lead to candidate disengagement and loss of top talent. And in an environment where finding qualified candidates is the top recruitment challenge for 86% of public safety agencies, you can’t afford to lose them.
Fortunately, there are simple ways to reduce time-to-hire and gain a competitive edge over other agencies seeking the same candidates.
What is Background Investigation Software?
Background investigation software is a digital tool designed to streamline the process of conducting background investigations on individuals.
What are the Benefits of Background Investigation Software?
Background investigation software offers many benefits, especially to hiring agencies in public safety. With the right background investigation software, it’s possible to:
- Vet candidates faster: gain a competitive edge by drastically reducing the time between applied and hired.
- Identify issues early: the best background investigation software makes it easy for investigators to flag and document issues and inconsistencies throughout the process.
- Manage hiring all in one place: background investigation software that integrates with your applicant tracking system (ATS) allows you to manage every aspect of hiring from a single location, improving organization and efficiency.
- Securely store and protect data: background investigation software protects candidate privacy and agencies from liability by securely storing and managing every applicant's PII. The best background investigation software will be CJIS and SOC2 compliant.
- Reduce the burden on applicants: background investigation software makes it easy for applicants to upload documents, complete their personal history statements, and communicate with investigators.
- Configure investigations to your needs: the best background investigation software is configurable and can be adjusted to meet the needs of your agency. Think configurable personal history questionnaires, task lists, waivers, and more.
Are There any Downsides to Using Investigation Software?
It’s true—some background investigation software is more reliable than others. Cases of inaccuracy, data breaches, and even legal compliance problems have arisen due to the use of background investigation software that doesn’t meet high standards of data integrity and security. These issues can emerge from outdated databases, inadequate encryption methods, or poor algorithm design, which can lead to unauthorized access to sensitive information, and the violation of privacy laws.
The key here is for agencies to thoroughly vet their software providers and select the right background investigation software. What should you look for? A strong history of demonstrated expertise providing reliable software, and consistent adherence to industry best practices, up-to-date and comprehensive data sources, and compliance with all legal and regulatory requirements. By doing so, agencies can mitigate risks and make more informed, fair, and secure hiring decisions.
You Don’t Have Time to Lose Great Candidates. Get PowerVetted.
In 2024, there is too much data to analyze, and the stakes are too high to go without background investigation software—especially in the public safety sector. In an intensely competitive market with a limited pool of qualified applicants, agencies responsible for hiring law enforcement officers and emergency responders must be able to move quickly while maintaining the highest standards of accuracy and compliance.
That’s why PowerVetted by PowerDMS by NEOGOV is the right choice. Say goodbye to insecure drives, unorganized processes, and paper forms floating around the office. Instead, reduce your time-to-hire and land the best, most-qualified candidates through software designed to be fast, effective, and secure. As the most-trusted brand in public sector and public safety software, PowerDMS by NEOGOV offers background investigation software with all of the pros and none of the cons.
Vetted not only streamlines the vetting of candidates but also enhances the accuracy and reliability of the information collected—while protecting its privacy. In this environment, investing in robust background investigation software like Vetted is crucial for safeguarding communities and maintaining the integrity of public safety agencies.
The stakes are high. Get PowerVetted.