Volunteer Screening/Background Check Standards
In order to preserve the safety and well-being of participants in its programs, the Knightdale Parks & Recreation Department will conduct background checks on volunteer coaches.
It is the policy of the Knightdale Parks& Recreation Department that a person will be disqualified and prohibited from serving as a volunteer if the person has been found guilty of the following crimes:
Guilty means that a person was found guilty following a trial, entered a guilty plea, received a prayer for judgement, received deferred prosecution, entered a no contest plea accompanied by a court finding of guilty of the following crimes:
SEX OFFENSES
• All Sex Offense (Misdemeanor or felony) – regardless of the amount of time since the offense.
Examples include: Child Molestation, rape, sexual assault, sexual battery, sodomy, prostitution, solicitation, indecent exposure.
FELONIES
• All Felony Violence – regardless of the amount of time since offense.
o Examples include: murder, manslaughter, aggravated assault, kidnapping, robbery, aggravated burglary, etc.
• All Felony offenses other than violence or sex within the past 10 years.
o Examples include: drug offenses, theft, embezzlement, fraud, child endangerment, etc.
MISDEMEANORS
• All misdemeanors violence offenses within the past 7 years.
o Example include: simple assault, battery, domestic violence, hit & run, etc.
• Any other misdemeanor with the past 5 years that would be considered a potential danger to children or is directly related to the functions of that volunteer / employee.
o Examples include: contributing to the delinquency of a minor, providing alcohol to a minor, theft, - if a person is handling monies, etc.
• All misdemeanor drug and alcohol offenses within the past one year or multiple offenses in the past 5 years.
o Examples include: driving under the influence, simple drug possession, drunk and disorderly, public intoxication, possession of drug paraphernalia, etc.
PENDING CASES
• Anyone who has been charged with a felony offense or disqualifying misdemeanor that is pending in court will NOT be considered for employment or volunteer service until the official adjudication of the case.
• Any volunteer determined eligible to participate in youth programs and subsequently arrested, charged, committed, and/or found guilty of any disqualifying offense (as determined above) shall immediately (the next business day) notify the Knightdale Parks & Recreation Department. For failure to notify the Department immediately shall result in disciplinary consequences.