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Oregon Criminal Justice Background Resources       CJ IRIS Link

Erica Riddell
erica.riddell@dpsst.oregon.gov
503-378-2374
DPSST is committed to ensuring Oregon's Public Safety Professionals possess the highest levels of moral fitness and remain above reproach throughout their career.  As such, DPSST provides the following resources for background investigators to ensure only the highest quality professionals are entrusted to provide public safety services in Oregon. 

​​OAR 259-008-0010​ defines the minimum standards for employing police officers, police reserves, corrections officers, parole & probation officers, and regulatory specialists which includes conducting a background investigation pursuant to OAR 259-008-0015​ and a pre-employment psychological evaluation for police officers and reserves.

On April 27, 2023, the Boar​d on Public Safety Standards and Training approved the following rule changes:
  • A psychological evaluation be conducted on all law enforcement officers (police, corrections, parole & probation, and regulatory specialists) hired on or after July 1, 2023.
  • A background checklist be completed and saved with each background started by an agency on or after July 1, 2023.
  • Standardized questions be asked on applicant personal history statements/questionnaires started on or after July 1, 2023.
To assist agencies in understanding the new requirements, DPSST has provided the following items:
  • ​A Frequently Asked Questions page answering some of the questions constituents have already come up with, we will update regularly with new questions and answers. (in development)
  • The recommended rule text​ has been published to our rules page to allow agencies to ensure they are in compliance on time.
  • A Background Checklist form agencies can use to meet the rule requirements
  • An Applicant Personal History Questionnaire (APHQ) agencies can use that contains all the required questions.  (Agencies are not required to use this document, but must use the questions listed in rule. 
If you have any questions, please feel free to call us at 503-378-4411 or email certification.scheduling@dpsst.oregon.gov​ and we will be happy to assist you.

​​OAR 259-008-0011​ defines the minimum standards for employing telecommunicators and emergency medical dispatchers which includes conducting a background investigation pursuant to OAR 259-008-0015​.

On April 27, 2023, the Boar​d on Public Safety Standards and Training approved the following rule changes:
  • A psychological evaluation be conducted on telecommunicators hired on or after January 1, 2024.
  • A background checklist be completed and saved with each background started by an agency on or after July 1, 2023.​
To assist agencies in understanding the new requirements, DPSST has provided the following items:
  • ​A Frequently Asked Questions page answering some of the questions constituents have already come up with, we will update regularly with new questions and answers. 
  • The recommended rule text​ has been published to our rules page to allow agencies to ensure they are in compliance on time.
  • A Background Checklist​ form agencies can use to meet the rule requirements
If you have any questions, please feel free to call us at 503-378-4411 or email certification.scheduling@dpsst.oregon.gov​ and we will be happy to assist you.​

Applies to all Background Investigators conducting a background investigation for individuals being considered for employment or utilization as a public safety professional or instructor in Oregon.

​Public Safety Professionals are defined as the following:
  • ​Police Officers
  • Corrections Officers
  • Parole & Probation Officers
  • Telecommunicators
  • Emergency Medical Dispatchers
  • Regulatory Specialists
  • Certified Reserve Officers
  • Reserve Officers​

To request a DPSST records review, p​rovide the following information in an email to certification.scheduling​​@dpsst.oregon.gov​​​

Full Name (Including any known alliases or previously used last names)
DPSST # (Found on CJ IRIS​)
Date of Birth

The body of the email must clearly indicate the name of the background requester and which agency they represent.

DPS​​​ST Review Process


DPSST will conduct a search of the following:
  • DPSST regulatory records for professional standards information relating to the applicant, to include any records relating to a compliance review/investigation and complaints filed with our agency in each of the following disciplines:
    • Criminal Justice
    • Fire Certification
    • Private Security
    • Private Investigator
    • Polygraph Examiner 
  • Review of the IADLEST (International Association of Directors of Law Enforcement Standards & Training​) National Decertification Index. (NDI) 

​DPSST Resp​​​onse

  • ​All requests will be worked in the order they are received with a goal of response within 5 business days.   
  • Upon conclusion of a review, DPSST will provide an email response detailing what, if anything, was found. 
  • Copies of any DPSST records can be requested and will be released in compliance with Oregon’s Public Records Law.​​

The purpose of the National Decertification Index (NDI)​ is to serve as a national registry of certificate or license revocation actions involving Police or Corrections Officers. The records contained in the NDI are provided by participating state government agencies and should be verified with the contributing authority. DPSST reports revocations of public safety professional certifications to the NDI and serves as Oregon's gatekeeper for ​Public Safety Agencies to gain access to NDI data.​​​​​

The below list identifies OPEN, but PENDING, professional standards cases involving currently and formerly employed police officers, corrections officers, parole and probation officers, OLCC regulatory specialists, telecommunicators and emergency medical dispatchers in Oregon. 

These cases were opened pursuant to OAR 259-008-0300 (3)(F)​, which states that DPSST will initiate a p​rofessional standards case upon receipt or discovery of information that would lead an objectively reasonable person to conclude that a public safety officer has violated Board-established employment, training or certification standards for Oregon public safety professionals. 

​Under this rule, receipt of information may include, but is not limited to: ​

  • ​​(A) Notification of arrest, a criminal citation to appear or its equivalent, a conviction, or any other criminal disposition, of a certified public safety professional or public safety professional who is employed in a certifiable position but not yet certified; 
  • (B) Notification of a non-voluntary separation of employment from a certifiable position; or 
  • (C) In very narrow circumstances, complaints submitted to DPSST alleging that a public safety professional has potentially engaged in Board-defined misconduct. 
Please Note: INCLUSION ON THIS LIST​​ IS NOT PROOF OF MISC​​ONDUCT. ​
​​​​

This list simply indicates that DPSST has opened a professional standards case due to the receipt of information that an officer may have engaged in behavior resulting in an arrest/conviction, non-voluntary separation from employment or, in narrow circumstances, a complaint being filed with DPSST. 

Each of the cases listed is pending a thorough review to determine if a Board-established standard has been violated. The DPSST certifications of all listed officers remain intact as of the date of publishing. 

List of Open Pending Cases

The complete rule outlining the grounds for denial, suspension and revocation of criminal justice public safety professional certifications, as well as the processes for reviewing a professional standards case, is available through the Secretary of State’s website at: https://secure.sos.state.or.us/oard/viewSingleRule.action?ruleVrsnRsn=244386. Additional questions can be directed via e-mail to CJ Professional Standards: cj.professionalstandards@dpsst.oregon.gov

For information on requesting records, visit our Public Records​​ page. 

Please Note: ORS 192.345(35)​ exempts all DPSST records relating to investigations into potential violations of Board standards until a report is issued pursuant to ORS 181A.640​.​​​​​​​​​​

DPSST's Criminal Justice Professional Standards unit exists to ensure individuals applying for and holding DPSST certification are above reproach. Questions as to whether an individual possesses the high level of moral fitness standards to become certified in Oregon as a public safety professional are reviewed below.
 
Professional Standards is responsible for the denial, suspension or revocation of certifications held by public safety professionals who do not meet, or fall below the Board’s moral fitness standards.​
 
DPSST will only initiate a Professional Standards review of offenses that are punishable as a crime. Reported offenses of violations that are not punishable as a crime and are subject to a fine only, will be administratively closed.
 
An offense "punishable as a crime" is a crime or violation that carries with it the possibility of a term of imprisonment.

Violations are punishable b​y a fine, and are not punishable by a term of imprisonment. ​​​​​​​​​​​

Visit our Professional Standards​ page for more information.