What is a police vet?

A police vet is a search of the NZ Police database for information held about a person. It provides criminal history and other relevant information. It might also include information about a person’s other dealings with the police, for example as a complainant or victim.

A police vet is not a complete background check, but it is an important part of the recruitment process.

Who needs to be police vetted and when does a vet need to be done?

Anyone who is appointed to work during normal opening hours must be police vetted.

Under Section 319 of the Education Act 1989, a police vet must be obtained for anyone appointed to work during normal opening hours. You must apply for a police vet no later than 2 weeks after the person begins work at the service and it must be obtained before the person has unsupervised access to children. A police vet must also be obtained for every contractor, or employee of a contractor, who has, or is likely to have, unsupervised access to children during normal opening hours.

Under Part 3 of the Vulnerable Children Act 2014, all children’s workers must be police vetted as part of a safety check. A children’s worker is anyone whose work involves regular or overnight contact with children, takes place without parents or guardians being present, and is paid or undertaken as part of an educational or training course. A police vet must be obtained before the children’s worker starts work.

Police vets must be renewed every three years.

Link to vetting form https://www.police.govt.nz/advice-services/businesses-and-organisations/vetting/forms-and-guides

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