Police Checks for Members
Obtaining a Police Record Check is a standard requirement of membership in many volunteer organizations, and it is a requirement for membership in the Rotary Club of Guelph (“RCOG”).
Having a Police Record Check is a necessary and reasonable step towards protecting people in vulnerable sectors with whom our members may interact, reducing the risk of crimes involving the Club’s financial resources, reducing the risk to the Club of civil liability and preserving the reputation of the Club and Rotary International.
It is also a reasonable precaution to have all members of the Club provide a written declaration from time to time to verify their criminal record status.
POLICY (updated April 2026) Download it HERE
For new members
All new members must provide a Vulnerable Sector Police Record Check from the Guelph Police Service or applicable jurisdiction, as part of their application for membership.
For existing members
Club members' Police Record Checks that were previously obtained by the Club were unfortunately destroyed in a fire, and some members were not ever requested to provide a Police Record Check at all when they joined. Therefore, as of April 2026, the Club is therefore requesting any existing members who became members within the last 5 years (since 2021) to provide a new Vulnerable Sector Check by June 30, 2026. This requirement can also be satisfied by providing to the Club Safe Practices Officer (“CSO”) a copy of a valid Nexus Card or a copy of a Criminal Record Check, which includes a Vulnerable Sector Check, which is less than 5 years old.
Offence Declaration every five years Download it HERE
Going forward, members will be asked to sign an Offence Declaration verifying the status of their criminal record commencing in 2026 and every 5 years thereafter. The Offence Declaration form will be sent with the Club fees annual invoice and is to be returned to the CSO within 30 days. This requirement will not apply to members who are 75 years of age or older, however participation is encouraged. In 2026, this requirement will only apply to members who have been in the Club for 5 years or more but are under 75.
PROCEDURE
The application for a Police Record Check must be made to the police service for the jurisdiction in which the applicant resides. For residents of Guelph, the application will be made online through the Guelph Police Services website. The Applicant must request a Vulnerable Sector Check (VSC). The application requires a letter from our Rotary Club's CSO stating that a Police Check including VSC is required to be accepted into membership, as members will be interacting with vulnerable people. The Membership Experience Committee can provide the applicant with a letter for this purpose and this letter (in PDF format) can simply be uploaded into the online application.
The Guelph Police Service charges a fee, currently $25, that must be paid when completing the online application.
STORAGE AND SECURITY
Police Record Checks and Offence Declarations will be stored digitally in a secure storage repository. Only the President, the CSO or anyone specifically designated by our Rotary Club's Board will have access to the secure repository. Paper copies will be destroyed once they have been digitally stored.
All information regarding a person’s Police Record Check or Offence Declaration will be confidential. Any considerations or deliberations taken by the Executive Committee and the Board will take place on an in-camera basis.
Email address for our Club Safe Practices Officer: