Police Information Check Process

All students taking 400 or 500-level Education courses in a given, upcoming academic year must submit a 'Notice Regarding Requirement for Police Information Check'. This is an acknowledgement that you are aware of the requirement to have a Police Information Check completed prior to starting your field experience. Within the notice, please note the consequences for not having a clear Police Information Check in place.

How to complete the "Notice Regarding Requirement for Police Information Check": To complete these forms, you will need to access the “UPE Field Prerequisites” module, within the University of Calgary Elevate Portal. Available Spring 2023. 

UPE Field Experience will provide you with a "Police Information Check Requirement Letter"

Students taking 400 or 500-level Education courses in an upcoming academic year will be provided with a 'Police Information Check Requirement' letter by our Field Team. You must provide this letter, in addition to your identification, to the Calgary Police Services, local police service, or RCMP to obtain your Check (see 'Requesting a Police Information Check'). Letters are ordinarily generated and emailed to students during the Spring and Summer semesters. 

Your Police Information Check must be dated July 1st or later, as they are valid for one year. No exceptions are made regarding this requirement. Students without a current and clear PIC will not be allowed to participate in field experience.

UPE Field Experience accepts Police Information Check (PIC) issued by the Calgary Police Service, RCMP (local detachment) or local police service. 

The Police Service determines the residence criteria of PIC applicants. 

If you are unsure of which Police Service issues your PIC, please contact the Police Service directly. 

PIC Fees: Police Services and RCMP Locations all have a slightly different processing fee. Some Police or RCMP locations will provide a discount if a student has a letter for unpaid practicum. Your Police Service determines the fee for your Police Information Check. Please be advised this cost is not reimbursed or covered by Werklund School of Education. 

In order to verify that you will be involved in unpaid practicum throughout your program, which may result in a reduced fee, you must provide the Calgary Police Service/RCMP Detachment/ your local Police Service with your official "Police Information Check Requirement Letter" from the Werklund School of Education.

It is your responsibility to obtain a complete PIC: It is your responsibility to obtain a Police Information Check and Vulnerable Sector Search. If you have moved or lived internationally, please work with the RCMP and your local police service to ensure you have obtained a complete PIC.

If you have moved in the last 12 months, please see the section below for more information. 

Once you receive your PIC, please review it to ensure that it is accurate. If your PIC contains a statement similar to this "we recommend that a search be completed where the applicant previously resided”, then you are obligated to make every reasonable attempt to get a second PIC from your previous jurisdiction. If that statement does not exist on your PIC, then you are not required to submit a PIC from your previous place of residence.

If you have moved within the last 12 months to a new town or city, we recommend the following: 

1. You are required to obtain a Police Information Check from your local police service. Your PIC from your local police service may include the message "we recommend this individual obtain a police check where they previously resided."
2. We also strongly recommend you obtain a second Police Information Check from your previous community, if possible

Obtaining a second Police Information Check from your previous Police Service: Please reach out to your previous police service to discuss whether a PIC can be issued to a previous resident. In our experience, to avoid any confusion with your Field Experience placement site, we strongly recommend obtaining a second PIC from your previous place of residence. If the local police service are unwilling to issue a PIC to a previous resident, we recommend collecting this information in a letter or email / their website. This will assist you when working with your placement school if they have any questions. It is your responsibility to obtain a complete Police Information Check and Vulnerable Sector Search.

The information below was provided by the Calgary Police Service as guidance. 

We recommend applying for your PIC in early July. 

Important: PICs must be dated AFTER July 1st, in order to be valid for a Field Experience placement in the following Fall or Winter term. 

Your PIC must be presented to the Undergraduate Programs in Education office staff as directed by the Field Experience team, by August 24.

You will also need to present your PIC to your Field Experience placement school(s). Please ensure you keep your PIC in a secure place. 

Please note: Some schools / school districts have different expectations and regulations regarding PIC validity. You may be required to obtain a new Police Information Check for your Winter Term Field Experience, depending on your Field Experience placement. It is our expectation students work with the school board and apply for a new PIC as required. 

Once you obtain your PIC, we ask you provide the details of your Police Information Check.

Please review your PIC carefully to ensure it is clear and accurate. Then please confirm and record your your PIC details in CareerLink. You will be asked to provide the date your PIC was issued, the police service/jurisdiction that supplied your PIC, and the format of your PIC (paper/hardcopy or ePIC from CPS).

How to submit the details of your PIC:

Once you have obtained your PIC, you will need to submit your PIC details, and present it to UPE Field Experience for review and approval. Available Spring 2023. 

Your PIC must be presented to the Undergraduate Programs in Education office staff as directed by the Field Experience team, by August 24.

You may now email (recommended) a digital copy of your PIC and email to picupe@ucalgary.ca, including your UCID, or schedule a Zoom appointment with upefield@ucalgary.ca to present your PIC. Please do not send hard-copy PICs to Undergraduate Programs in Education - we cannot receive or retain such papers. You may be required to present it in the Fall term, Winter term and on request; please ensure you keep your PIC in a secure place.

Your PIC must be presented to your Field Experience placement school administration team on or before your first day in your Field Experience. 

It is your responsibility to ensure your PIC is presented to your placement school.

- When presenting your PIC to your placement school, we ask you keep the original and the school make a copy for their records. You may be required to present it in the Fall term, Winter term and on request; please ensure you keep your PIC in a secure place. 

-The UPE Field Experience team is not able to share your PIC with your placement school or school division.  You may be required to present it in the Fall term, Winter term or on request; please ensure you have access to your ePIC throughout the year.  

We consider your PIC valid for 1 year if dated after July 1....

HOWEVER: Some schools / school districts have different expectations and regulations regarding PIC validity. You may be required to obtain a new Police Information Check for your Winter Term Field Experience, depending on your Field Experience placement. It is our expectation students work with the school board and apply for a new PIC as required. 

Do you need a new PIC each Field Experience? You will be required to obtain and present a new PIC each academic year you participate in Field Experience.