Free Police checks for members

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(The following is an update of an instruction issued in October 2007, and July 2013)

Free Police checks are available to members of Friends of Parks Inc. This is in accord with a state-wide agreement negotiated with the State government by the volunteering sector as part of the Advancing the Community Together compact. For further information refer to the following link:

https://www.police.sa.gov.au/services-and-events/apply-for-a-police-record-check

To qualify a number of basic conditions must be met:

• Activities will involve personal unsupervised contact with vulnerable groups, i.e. children, the elderly, and people with disabilities.
• The person must be a volunteer, e.g. a person who performs an activity which is of benefit to the community, is done of their own free will, and is undertaken without monetary reward.
• Services provided by the volunteer are for the benefit of the community at large.

Notes:- Unsupervised contact is when a vulnerable group or individual has not got a responsible person present who has a police clearance. Helping school groups where there is always a teacher present is considered supervised and no clearance is required by the volunteer. But keep in mind that where there is only one teacher present and that teacher may be required to leave the group for whatever reason then the remaining volunteer would need a police check.

Applicant

• Obtain NPC application form from SAPOL website police.sa.gov.au or any Police Station (PD267 form): https://www.police.sa.gov.au/services-and-events/apply-for-a-police-record-check
• Complete application form
• Take application form with Proof of identification (100 point check) to Police Station, or Justice of the Peace to certify ID documents.

Police Station/Justice of the Peace

• Witness identification and ensure 100 point Check is undertaken. Attach copy to application form
• Endorse application form

Applicant

• Write a covering letter to the President of Friends of Parks Inc., detailing why the police check is required, including activities to be undertaken and the vulnerable group/individual involved.
• Get your Group President to endorse the covering letter.
• Forward the application to:

Mrs. Pam Smith,
Secretary, Friends of Parks Inc.
c/- Volunteer Support Unit
GPO Box 1047, Adelaide
SA 5001

Friends of Parks Inc. Secretary

• Check that the SAPOL conditions for a free check are met
• Endorse application form with Volunteer Organisation Authorisation Number
• Forward application form to SAPOL Record Release Unit

The Friends of Parks Inc. Secretariat role is thus to endorse the application for a free check.

SAPOL will forward the results of the application to the applicant.  The applicant will then supply a copy to their Friends Group.

The Group President will ensure that:

• the applicant is in fact carrying out an approved activity of the group;
• that the activity involves supervising vulnerable individuals or groups; and
• that the applicant is a bone fide member of the group.

Signatures

SAPOL procedure requires the identification of original signatures, preferably signed in blue pen. Endorsed applications with photocopied signatures of authorised VOAN officers will not be accepted.