City to privatize background checks

City to privatize background checks: "Change sought to expedite processing of licenses.

By MATTHEW LeBLANC of the Tribune’s staff
Published Wednesday, November 8, 2006

City officials say the Missouri State Highway Patrol often takes too long to process criminal background checks on applicants for Columbia business licenses and will ask a private company to conduct the investigations.

Janice Finley, who oversees business licensing for the city’s finance department, said some applicants have waited up to six weeks for a finalized background check state police say only takes 30 minutes to an hour to conduct.

'That’s not a very acceptable practice,' Finley said.

City rules require first-time applicants for various licenses - business, liquor, taxi driver, guard, private detective or solicitor - to submit to a criminal background check. Highway patrol officers conduct the checks at their Jefferson City office, and the paperwork from Columbia sometimes gets trumped by background investigations requested by others.

Finley and city Finance Director Lori Fleming each say the turnaround time on background checks can be improved significantly - two days rather than up to six weeks - by allowing a private company to conduct them.

The city will soon begin accepting proposals from vendors for providing the service."