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Date: 12/12/2019
SOUTHWICK – Southwick Police Lt. Robert Landis is working with Chief Administrative Officer Karl Stinehart and the board on the town’s civil fingerprinting process.
Fingerprinting is used when running background checks on those seeking a license or permit. Landis said a CORI check is run on anyone wishing to bring their business to town, including ice cream trucks, hawkers, liquor establishments and more.
Under the current process, fingerprints are taken at the police station and Select Board Administrative Assistant Cindy Pendleton then runs the CORI check. Landis said the problem is she can only run it for Massachusetts.
Landis has access to other databases, however, there must be suspected criminal activity for him to run an expanded check. Landis and Stinehart are working to change the process so that Pendleton’s CORI includes the FBI database through the Massachusetts State Police.
Landis said Pittsfield uses this process and the town can use their language as a model to create an ordinance for Southwick. Select Board Chairman Russell Fox said they need to find out if it can be a simple ordinance or if it must go to a Town Meeting vote.
“If we go to Town Meeting, we need to educate people in advance,” Fox said. “We don’t want people to think we’re going overboard.”
Landis said the process would be the same, except when Pendleton submits the CORI, it will be checked against the FBI database.
“It gives us greater ability to know who is coming into town,” Landis said.
Pendleton noted that the town often has workers from out of state canvassing neighborhoods and her office receives numerous calls checking on them.
Landis and Stinehart will create a policy with Town Counsel, which will be sent to the Attorney General for review and approval and they will then know more about the necessary process. He said it could take time, but he wants to get started.
Landis said there would be a $30 fee associated with the process required by the state and the town could charge $15 for its administrative fee. The fees would be paid by the person being fingerprinted.
Landis said the process could take longer than the current CORI, but it’s worth it to vet people coming to town to do business.