Commonly Asked Criminal Background Questions

1. Which criminal offenses WILL exclude an applicant from being eligible for enrollment into the Paramedic Program?

• Has been convicted of any sexually related offense specified under Section 290 of the Penal Code
• Has been convicted of murder, attempted murder, or murder for hire
• Has been convicted of two (2) or more felonies
• Is on parole or probation for any felony
• Has been convicted and released from incarceration for offenses during the preceding fifteen (15) years for the crime of manslaughter or involuntary manslaughter
• Has been convicted and released from incarceration during the preceding ten (10) years for any offense punishable as a felony
• Has been convicted of two (2) or more misdemeanors within the preceding five (5) years for any offense relating to the use, sales, possession, or transportation of narcotics or addictive or dangerous drugs.
• Has been convicted of two (2) or more misdemeanors within the preceding five (5) years for any offense relating to force, threat, violence, or intimidation
• Has been convicted within the preceding five (5) years of any theft related misdemeanor
• Has committed any act involving fraud, intentional dishonesty for personal gain within the preceding seven (7) years
• Is required to register pursuant to Section 11590 (Controlled Substance Offender) of the Health and Safety Code
• Conviction of one (1) misdemeanor within the last five (5) years for a related offense listed within the Health and Safety Code, Section 1798.200

2. Which criminal offenses MAY exclude an applicant from being eligible for Paramedic Licensing?

• The National Registry may deny an applicant eligibility to sit for a certification examination, deny certification, suspend or revoke an individual’s certification, or take other appropriate action with respect to the applicant’s certification or recertification based on an applicant’s felony criminal convictions and all other criminal convictions (whether felony or misdemeanor) relating to crimes involving physical assault, use of a dangerous weapon, sexual abuse or assault, abuse of children, the elderly or infirm and crimes against property, including robbery, burglary and felony theft.
• All applicants for certification or recertification must disclose any criminal conviction as required on an application.
• This policy applies to an applicant’s plea of nolo contendre, a guilty plea, or plea agreement, as well as a conviction after trial.
• Applicants are not required to disclose any criminal conviction that has been expunged from the public record or a deferred adjudication that did not result in the entry of a conviction judgment.
• Failure to disclose a covered criminal conviction or the withholding of any material information regarding such conviction shall be an independent basis for denial of eligibility to sit for a certification examination, revocation of a certification or denial of an application for recertification.