Police Records Check

Winkler Police Station
185 Main Street
Winkler, Manitoba
R6W 1B4

As part of any level of records check, police conduct a search of the RCMP National Repository of Criminal Records.  This search may be conducted by only using the applicant’s personal identifiers including their name and date of birth.  This type of search is commonly accepted for records check purposes for employment and volunteer organizations.

The National Repository of Criminal Records contains information on individuals who have been charged with indictable or dual procedure offences.  These records include a person’s name, date of birth and their fingerprints.  The individual’s records normally does not contain summary conviction offences, unless they are linked to an indictable or dual procedure offence.

Name-based records check have a weakness in verifying a person’s identity due to some last names being the same, differences in spelling, use of nicknames, legal name changes and the intentional changing of names  which may result in a false positive or negative result in the search of the National Repository.

Certified Criminal Record Check

An applicant may be required to provide fingerprints to confirm that a criminal record does or does not match the applicant.  This verification provides an enhanced level of confirmation.  This is commonly required for Level 3 PIC-VS checks, and may also be required by some employers or government departments or agencies as part of their screening requirements for Level 1 or Level 2 Checks, or if the identity of the applicant needs to be confirmed.

When an applicant submits their fingerprints as part of a records check they are only used to confirm identity.  The applicant’s submitted fingerprints are not added to a database where they could be subject to a search.

Local police record of criminal convictions

A police service may have a record of one or more summary convictions for an applicant.  In this situation the applicant would not have been fingerprinted and the conviction would not have been uploaded to the National Repository.  This conviction may be indicated on the applicant’s records check Release of Results as well.

On rare occasions a person may not have been fingerprinted but may have been convicted for an indictable or dual procedure offence.  In this instance, a person may be flagged as having a criminal record by a local police service despite the conviction not been listed in the National Repository.         

NOTES:  Refer to the Fingerprint Requirements dropdown menu for additional information
Please contact the Winkler Police Service if you have additional questions.

For some police records checks, an applicant may be required to submit fingerprints as part of the criminal records check process.  This may occur for either online or in-person police records check applications.  If fingerprints are required, the applicant will be notified that they need to attend the Winkler Police Station to provide fingerprints.  The application process will pause till the applicant provides their fingerprints.  If the applicant does not complete the fingerprint process within 30 days, the application will be terminated and the applicant will have to re-apply.  Any application fees paid will not be refunded.

An applicant may also request a Certified Criminal Record Check as part of their Level 1, 2 or 3 police records check and provide their fingerprints at the Winkler Police Station.  This option is not available for online applications.

Once fingerprints are submitted as part of the records check process, the result will include a Certified Criminal Record Check (as opposed to a name based criminal record check).

A Police Records Check is not an affirmation of good character.

The absence of information in a check is not a guarantee of safety, and police therefore recommend that this check not be the only screening tool used in assessing the suitability of any person.

It is also recognized that not all persons who have been charged with a criminal offence are found guilty of the offence, and that under law they are considered innocent until proven guilty.

The suitability criteria are established and controlled by the employer or organization, not the police service or authorized body conducting the checks.  The police service is not involved with, or responsible for, the decisions that are made by the employer or organization.

All applicants, employers and organizations relying on these checks should consult the Fact Sheets at www.winklerpolice.ca for additional information.

For name-based police records check, an applicant has two options for verifying their identity.

Option 1: An applicant can complete a secure online electronic identity verification process as part of their online records check application.  The applicant must successfully complete this process, or they will be required to attend the Winkler Police Service to provide proof of their identity (see option 2).

Option 2: An applicant can attend the Winkler Police Station and provide two pieces of approved current government issued identification.  Expired ID will not be accepted.

One piece of government issued identification must contain the applicant’s name, date of birth, signature and photograph.

Acceptable government issued photo identification include:

• • • • Provincial drivers licence
      • Provincial photo identity card
      • Passport
      • Permanent Residence card

Other acceptable government issued identification include:

• • • • Birth certificate
      • Provincial health insurance card
      • Social Insurance card
      • Firearms Possession / Acquisition licence
      • Certificate of Indian status card
      • Manitoba Metis Federation card
      • Military Service Identification card
      • Nexus card
      • Citizenship card

A Police employee will compare the photo identification to the applicant to ensure they match.

If a youth is applying for a police records check and they don’t meet the identity requirements, their parent can sign a Declaration of Guarantor instead.  The parent will have to produce two pieces of government issued identification that meet the above identification requirements.

Note: A third party may not conduct the physical identity verification for an applicant.

Example: A spouse or friend of an applicant can’t drop off the applicant’s records check package with the applicant’s identification at the police station. The applicant has to appear in person.

Additional copies produced on subsequent days: $10 per visit

A youth may only apply for a police records check in-person at the Winkler Police Station.  Due to electronic identity verification restrictions a youth may not apply online for a police records check.

A youth will need a parent or guardian to attend the Police Station (with identification) as well to co-sign the youth’s records check application.

A youth may apply for

• A Level 1 Police Criminal Records Check
• A Level 2 Police Information Check
• A level 3 Police Information Check – Vulnerable Sector

A Level 3 check for a youth is more thorough and may include more information than a Level 2 Check, but will not include a check of the RCMP databases for record suspensions (pardoned) criminal convictions, including non-sex offences as identified by a Vulnerable Sector query.

Record Suspensions fall outside the scope of the Youth Criminal Justice Act.  Youth convictions (without adult convictions) are destroyed or archived after applicable time periods have lapsed, and therefore no pardon would be processed.

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A parent may assist with identity requirements if the youth doesn’t have appropriate ID.  See additional information in the Identification Requirements section.

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If a youth has a criminal record, they will have to provide fingerprints and obtain a certified criminal record check.  If a youth declines to be fingerprinted their Release of Results will be marked ‘Incomplete’.

If a youth does not have a criminal record, but is on charge for a criminal offence, their Release of Results will be marked ‘Incomplete’.

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Section 119(1) of the Youth Criminal Justice Act directs that the Release of Results may only be returned directly to the Youth (with certain narrow exceptions).

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Youth Records Checks are subject to more considerations and restrictions than the equivalent adult Records Checks.  Please contact the Winkler Police Service if you have any questions or need clarification.

A Release of Results from will be provided for a Level 1, 2 or 3 Records Check.  This will be marked with a red police service stamp to indicate it was a name-based check, or with a blue Certified Criminal Record Check police service stamp to indicate that it included a fingerprint-based criminal record check.

A Declaration of a Criminal Record may accompany a Release of Results.  This will be stamped with a red police service stamp, indicating it was confirmed by a name-based criminal records check.

If the applicant’s declaration doesn’t match the name-based search, the applicant will be required to submit fingerprints as part of the application process.

A Release of Criminal Record Information may accompany a Release of Results.  This will list criminal record information from the National Repository of Criminal Records.  This information has been verified by the submission of the applicant’s fingerprints.  This will be stamped with a blue Certified Criminal Record Check police service stamp.

A Supplementary Information form may accompany the Release of Results for a Level 2 or Level 3 check.  This will include a red police service stamp.  This information may include additional police records information such as:

• Other federal / provincial convictions (if a public safety concern exists)
• Judicial Orders
• Outstanding / pending charges / warrants
• Adult diversions and youth extrajudicial sanctions
• Other non-conviction information

An applicant may appeal the disclosure(s) contained within a Release of Results for any level of police records check by submitting a written request within 30 days of the completion of the check.

The appeal request should be addressed to the Chief of Police who will conduct a review.

Chief of Police
Winkler Police Service
185 Main Street
Winkler, Manitoba
R6W 1B4

A written response will be provided within 90 days of receipt of the appeal request.

How long will it take to process my records check?

Most records checks may be processed within 2 weeks.  Complex or unusual requests may take longer.  During peak periods, there may be delays as well.