The new online criminal background check system is available to employers and professional licensing boards on Arkansas' Web site. Previously, employers who performed Arkansas background checks had to do so by filling out a notarized application form and submitting it in the mail.
The service is the only background check system that links directly to the Arkansas State Police database. Businesses should beware of "cheaper checks" or other services that claim to find a person's background but never tap into the resources of the Arkansas State Police. As a result, some businesses may pay for an incomplete background check.
"If I were a business owner, I would pay an extra few dollars to get the most accurate and up-to-date background check through the Arkansas State Police," Steve Dozier with the Arkansas State Police said. "We've heard of unfortunate instances involving incomplete background checks through third-party vendors who clear a prospective employee for a client when the person was actually a convicted felon."
