PHQ Confidentiality

**DecentShack** · 03-16-09 06:15 PM

When applying for a Law Enforcement Agency for the position of Police Officer or a related position you have to disclose alot of information in a seperate Personal History Questionnaire (PHQ) for each agency you apply for. Everything from education and former residences to criminal records (expunged or not) and past drug use history. My question is when applying for multiple Law Enforcement Agencies from county to state and state to federal are they allowed to contact each other regarding information in the PHQ? Or is each PHQ only to be disclosed to employees of that particular agency. For example could a federal agency contact a County Agency asking why an employee was not hired and the county lets the Federal Agency know it had something to do with their PHQ involving past drug use history or a past employment firing; or is that protected and therefore illegal? Or can a County Agency contact another County Agency within the same state or different state in regards to information in the PHQ? Are the privacy of these PHQ's legally protected and confined to the specific agency? If a specific state is needed in answering these questions use Maryland. Thanks for your time I look forward to your response.

**Roger Dat** · 03-16-09 06:23 PM

Sure they will compare. You lie on any application others will find out and ur done.

**BJJVad** · 03-16-09 06:42 PM

Or can a County Agency contact another County Agency within the same state or different state in regards to information in the PHQ?

Yes in CA. But ours doesn't have such a catchy acronym..

**Legoate** · 03-16-09 07:26 PM

I've seen other BI's from other departments come to our department. They have full access to your entire file. They are given the file, and allowed a private office in which to look over it for as long as they want. I'm not sure if they are allowed to copy information out of it, but I'm guessing if they really wanted to they could take photos with their cell phone for later use.

There is no privacy as a cop. If you want privacy, this is the wrong career field for you.

**DecentShack** · 03-16-09 09:27 PM

Then why have the "waiver" at the end of these packets warning/gaining permission to share information with any authorized representative of the department (specifically the department)?

As for the warning not to lie, thanks but not necessary. I'm actually more interested in why states do not have a state wide PHQ for all departments/offices in which a background investigator may access easily. They could recruit you rather than vice versa.

**Legoate** · 03-16-09 09:51 PM

Because departments want to do their own background rather than rely on the work of some other department.

Not the most motivated individuals at most state jobs- ever go to DMV in CA? Enough said.