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Volunteer & Employee Criminal History System

Program Overview


The mission of the VECHS Program is to protect children, the elderly, and the disabled.

VECHS (pronounced "vecks") is an acronym for the Volunteer & Employee Criminal History System at the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE). The VECHS program was implemented in 1999 and is authorized by the National Child Protection Act (NCPA) (1993), as amended, and Florida Statute 943.0542 (1999).

Through the VECHS program, FDLE and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) provide state and national criminal history record information on applicants, employees, and volunteers to qualified organizations (not individuals) in Florida. With this criminal history information, the organizations can more effectively screen out current and prospective volunteers and employees who are not suitable for contact with children, the elderly, or the disabled.

 

Private Schools Participating in the VECHS Program


Private schools wishing to conduct criminal history record checks for schools receiving scholarship funds in accordance with Senate Bill 256, Chapter 2006-75, Laws of Florida should contact the Florida Department of Education (DOE) Office of Independent Education and Parental Choice or your attorney to confirm who is required to be fingerprinted in order to have state and national criminal history record checks. They will also be able to confirm when these must be submitted.



Florida Department of Law Enforcement Priorities

FDLE is composed of five areas: Executive Direction and Business Support, Criminal Investigations and Forensic Science, Criminal Justice Information, Criminal Justice Professionalism and Florida Capitol Police. FDLE’s duties, responsibilities and procedures are mandated through Chapter 943, FS, and Chapter 11, FAC. To learn more about these areas, read our Statement of Agency Organization and Operation or visit our Open Government page.