Township Requires Background Checks to Work with Children

Volunteers and employees of Washington Township will need to be fingerprinted and have background checks performed if they work with children.

The township council approved a resolution at their last meeting which officially requires the checks. A coach with the township's youth wrestling program was arrested for endangering the welfare of a minor last December because he allegedly posessed and distributed child pornography.

Recreation Superintendent Margaret Koesel said she recommended the council adopt the new regulations.

"With today's society, you can't be too vigilant with these situations," Koesel said. "It's something that needs to be done."

Koesel said the costs of the approximately 200 background checks this year will be covered by the The Megan Nicole Kanka Foundation, an organization which aims to protect children. The background checks cost about $26 each.

The Kanka Foundation is running out of grant money and may not be able to pay for checks in future years, Koesel said.

Officials previously said they were concerned about the amount of additional work the new requirement would create, but Koesel said she believed it would not be a problem. Coaches and other volunteers will have to fill out a form, which the township will keep a record of. She said she did not expect anyone would be deterred from volunteering because of it.

"I don't think it will be that monumental," Koesel said.

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