Resident asks council to clarify police practice of running background checks during routine calls

Huber Heights — At the March 9 council meeting, resident Tom McMaster said police officers asked for his Social Security number and ran a background check during a recent interaction at his home. He told the council he found the request unnecessary and asked for an explanation of the department’s protocol.

"They asked for my Social Security number and ran a background check to see if I had any warrants out," McMaster said during public comment, adding that the interaction left him uncomfortable and that he would like the policy reviewed.

The mayor said the council should understand whether the checks are performed routinely for officer safety or only under specific circumstances. Staff agreed to investigate and report back to the council with the protocol's rationale and how the practice developed. Another resident noted, as context, that gun-permit records can be tied to Social Security numbers and addresses, which can be a factor in why officers seek identity-confirming information in some situations.

What happens next

Council asked staff to clarify the police department’s current practice and provide justification for when background checks are run during noncriminal calls; the item was not resolved at the meeting and requires a staff report.