FAQ's for Agencies

Does my agency have to be registered for my applicants to apply online?

               Yes your agency will need to be registered so when your applicants apply online they will be able to select your exact agency name.

 How many agency accounts can I register online?

               You can register as many agency accounts as required. You will need a unique agency email address for each registered account.

What is a VSPN number?

               This is a number supplied by Volunteer Alberta. The Volunteer Police Information Check Program allows eligible nonprofit/voluntary sector organizations to receive Police Information Checks free of cost for eligible volunteers. When approved, organizations receive a Voluntary Screening Program Number (VSPN) to include on their Police Information Check forms to indicate that they should not be charged.

Can I pay for my applicant’s police checks?

               Yes as an Agency you can choose to pay for your applicant’s police checks. When you register your Agency online, you will be able to stipulate if you would like to cover the cost associated with performing the check.

What do I do if I do not want to pay for all of my applicants but I want to cover some?

              

You have 2 options.

               Option 1- you can set up two agency accounts and provide only those applicants in which you want to cover the cost that specific agency name. ie: Agency name could be set up as - ‘XYZ Company-Paid’ and if you do not want to cover the costyour other name could be ‘XYZ Company–Unpaid’.  

               Option 2 – you can direct applicants in which you do not want to pay to any Calgary Police Service district office to obtain their police check.

               You may also have volunteers who qualify for the reduced fee or are covered under the VSPN number; you will not need to set up a separate account for them; unless of course it suits your needs to have two accounts.

What if my Agency does not have a credit card but would like to pay for my applicants police check?

               In order to pay online for your applicant’s police check, you must have any one of the following types of cards: VISA; Visa Debit; Master Card; Amex

Why is my Agency domain name required in my email address?

               This is for security purposes to ensure results are returned to an actual agency and not a random individual’s email account.  

What happens if I have a VSPN account but some of my volunteers do not qualify under Volunteer Alberta? Do I have to have a separate account for each method of payment?

               No, you would simply not provide your volunteers who do not qualify with a letter with your VSPN number on it. You will just provide them with a normal volunteer letter.

How can the Agency track when a Police Information Check has been started by an applicant?

               This will be an internal process for each individual agency. Some agencies are requesting applicants to forward them the reference number given to applicants once they have completed the application process online. The first 8 digits of the reference number is the date in which an application was submitted online.

Can I find out what day the Police Information Check Unit is processing?

               Yes, on the top of this webpage will reflect the date being processed.

Do we receive a receipt for payment for each applicant? Or do we get billed once at the end of the month?

               If you provide your email address when setting up your credit card, a receipt will be emailed to you each time an authorization has gone through. Otherwise, you would be able to reconcile your payments with your credit card statement monthly. There is no monthly billing.

What do I need on my letter in which I provide to my volunteers or unpaid practicum students when they are applying for a Police Information Check?

               Whether your applicants are applying online or at a Calgary Police Service district office the letter requires having the following information in order for the reduced fee of $15 or for no charge under the VOAN program.

               A letter is required for every person volunteering or entering into an unpaid practicum program.

               Letters are to ensure reduced or waived PIC fee, verification of Agency, person and position.

               Letter are used for auditing purposes mandated by CPS, Volunteer Alberta (for VOAN Numbers–if applicable) and RCMP.

              Letters are also required to enable our Unit to waive the fingerprint fee for the Vulnerable Sector; otherwise applicant must pay the RCMP fee of $25

What is the criteria for Volunteer and Unpaid Practicum letters?

               All letters must have the following information to be valid and accepted:

  • Must be on Agency Letterhead
  • Date letter issued
  • Applicants’ name must be on letter typed or hand written
  • Position and whether a volunteer/unpaid practicum
  • VSPN number must be on letter (if applicable)
  • Signed by authorized Agency Contact for their Designate; ink or electronic signature or the name of the authorized Agency Contact or their Designate on the letter
  • Agencies may email electronic letters to applicants

Why does the result letter have a “VOID” watermark when an Agency prints or saves the letter? 

               This is a security feature as applicants can only share their results with agencies.  The VOID watermark is intended so the agencies cannot share this document for any other purpose. Also, as with any electronic device, this hinders anyone from being able to tamper with the document.

I am not able to receiving emails. What should I do?

               Check your spam/junk email folder. If not there, you may need to give permission on your computer to receive emails from: noreply@calgarypolice.esolutionsgroup.ca

Why can I not see where my applicants are in the process?

               ePIC is Applicant driven; this means it is up to the applicant to share their results with the Agencies. Agencies will NOT receive notification when an applicant applies, only when the applicant shares their result letter with them. Agency will receive an email notification when an applicant shares their result letter. Applicants must share their result with original Agency first before they can share result with any other agency that accepts shared results and provided the Agency meets the same criteria.

 My applicant has told me they received their results but I cannot see it. What can I do?

               The onus is on the applicant to “SHARE” their results with the agency. Contact the applicant to ensure they selected “share” and have stipulated your agency. Once they complete this you will be able to log onto your agency account and view their results.