§ 2-24-21. Background checks for fire protection personnel.

A.

Definitions.

Employment means paid employment by the City of Memphis Fire Department.

Fire protection personnel means any paid or volunteer member or applicant of the City of Memphis Fire Department, such as firefighters, fire department officers, fire inspectors, fire investigators, and administrative assistance personnel.

B.

As a condition of employment of any fire protection personnel, the human resources director or his designee shall conduct a criminal background check before making an offer of employment.

C.

Criminal background check reports shall be maintained for the duration of employment plus one year. Access to the contents of a criminal background check shall be limited to the department head, human resource officers, and the employee's supervisor. The criminal background check shall not become part of the employee's personnel file.

D.

Fire protection personnel shall:

1.

Provide past work history and personal references to be checked by human resources.

2.

Agree to the release of information and investigative records to the City of Memphis, or to any agency that contracts with the state, as may be necessary for the purpose of verifying whether the individual has been convicted of a felony or any theft or arson related conviction;

3.

Supply a fingerprint sample and submit to a criminal history records check to be conducted by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the federal bureau of investigation, other law enforcement agency or any legally authorized entity; and

4.

Agree to the release of any information required for a criminal background investigation by a professional background screening organization or criminal background check service or registry.

(Ord. No. 5213, § 1, 9-5-2007)