Background Interview

You passed the polygraph, and now it’s time for the background interview. If you had a polygraph examiner who is also your background investigator, this would be done simultaneously as your polygraph. That is not the most usual case, though.

Many agencies nowadays use contract background investigators except the largest agencies with a whole professional standards unit. A few agencies use both.

1. Background Investigation Questionnaire – Peace Officer
2. GENERAL REQUIRED DOCUMENTS
3. INFORMED CONSENT RELEASE AND HOLD HARMLESS
4. ADVISEMENT
5. AUTHORIZATION TO RELEASE INFO FOR PEACE OFFICER (Notarized)
6. CREDIT REPORT ADVISEMENT & WAIVER
7. FALSE STATEMENTS
8. Financial History Information
9. General Instructions – Peace Officer
10. Illegal Drug Use Questionnaire
11. Notice of Applicant Processing Procedure – Officer
12. Statement of Knowledge – 11166.5 PC
13. Statement of Knowledge – 15630 WIC

LATERAL/FORMER PEACE OFFICERS ONLY

14. ADDITIONAL REQUIRED RECORDS & DOCUMENTS
15. ADVISEMENT TO LATERAL PEACE OFFICER
16. WAIVER GRANTING DISCLOSURE OF CONFIDENTIAL

MILITARY ONLY

17. Authorization for Release of Military Records
18. MilitaryRecordsRequestForm-180 Copy

These documents would have been provided to the applicant before the scheduled interview to give time for them to fill out, sign, and in some cases, notarized. There is also advisement that they should feel free to review these with their attorney first.

“What happens if my attorney says I shouldn’t sign one?” Then the process stops, and you won’t be considered for the position…easy answer.

Number “2” is a list of “General Required Documents.” These are items you must provide for your background. Then, after the background investigator reviews them, makes a copy, and certifies they saw the original, they can be returned to the candidate.

General Required Documents:

1. Copy of Certified Birth Certificate
2. Copy of Certified Marriage Certificate(s), if you have been married, for each marriage (available from County
   Registrar)
3. Copy of Divorce Decree(s) for each marriage dissolved
4. Copy of High School Diploma, G.E.D. certification or Certificate of High School Proficiency
5. Certified Copy of High School Transcripts, whether you graduated or not (must be in a sealed envelope)
6. Copy of College Diploma(s) you possess
7. Certified Copy of College Transcript(s) (if any) from each college or university you attended, whether or not you graduated (must be in a sealed envelope)
8. Copy of California Driver’s License (including any current extension)
9. Copy of your Automobile Liability Insurance Certificate (if you are operating a motor vehicle in California)
10. Copies of any traffic collision reports in which you were a named driver or involved party in the past seven years (to include any “ON DUTY EMERGENCY VEHICLE” collisions)
11. Certified copy of driving record printout from the Department of Motor Vehicles – covering last ten years of driving history
12. Copy of any and all California P.O.S.T. Certificates
13. Copy of any and all Training Certificate(s)
14. Copy of any Civil Suit(s), Liens, and Final Judgments (to include Small Claims)
15. Copy of any Bankruptcy Records and Judgments
16. Copy of Selective Service Registration (for males born any time other than between March 30, 1957, and December 31, 1959, you may obtain on the Internet at http://www.sss.gov)
17. Copy of Military Service – D.D. Form 214 – Long Form, if you were in the military, along with any awards or decorations you received
18. Copy of Military Training Certificates
19. Copy of Military Discharge Certificate(s)
20. Copy of Social Security Card
21. Copy of any crime reports in which you were a suspect or were arrested. Note: If you are not applying for a Peace Officer position, you need to furnish only copies of arrest reports which resulted in a conviction.
22. Copy of any standing (state or federal) court order(s), (i.e., Emergency Protective Order(s), Restraining Order(s), Stay Away Order(s), etc.).
23. Copy of last year’s Tax Returns – Federal & State
24. Copies of last three pay stubs from current employer
25. Copy of United States Immigration Naturalization Documents – Proof of Citizenship

That’s a lot of stuff but required.

The background investigator will go over all the waivers, admonitions, and advisements, as well as the documents you have collected so far and the Personal History Statement.

After the interview, the background investigator will write a report and submit it to the hiring authority of the department to get a go or no-go on your background. Good luck.