Kansas law enforcement agencies want access to applicant's old personnel files

A former Topeka police chief is convinced law enforcement agencies hiring officers would benefit from access to previous employers’ files detailing an applicant’s job performance, commendations, grievances, disciplinary actions and other personnel information.

Ed Klumpp, who lobbies for a coalition of police and sheriff’s officer associations, recommended Senate Bill 180 to require applicants for a law enforcement job, who had been employed by another state or local agency, to authorize each prior employer to release files to agencies screening applicants. Anyone refusing to permit release of information couldn’t be hired.

“We cannot express strongly enough the importance in obtaining information necessary to determine if the applicant is or has been a problem employee,” Klumpp said. “Our background investigations are meant to explore indications of moral or integrity issues.”

Klumpp, who represents the Kansas Sheriff’s Association, Kansas Association of Chiefs of Police and Kansas Peace Officers Association, said the files would help agencies establish whether an applicant had been placed on a Brady-Giglio list. These lists identify officers with a record of dishonesty or other impeachable misconduct relevant to offering testimony in court.

Read more: http://cjonline.com/news/local/state-government/2017-03-11/kansas-law-enforcement-agencies-want-access-applicant-s-old