In addition, local police agencies also maintain their own databases that contain additional information, including charges laid and criminal histories for non-convictions (e.g., acquittals, withdrawals, stays of proceedings). This type of information is usually kept internally and is not regularly released for the purpose of background checks. Information on discharges (i.e., cases where a finding of guilt has been made, but a judge has decided not to register a conviction) are also maintained by CPIC and local police agencies. Every police agency has its own policies and procedures with respect to record retention and destruction. A request to destroy your police records with the local agency that laid the charge, or with CPIC, may be done in certain situations where your case resulted in a non-conviction. In addition, if your case resulted in a non-conviction, you can apply to have any fingerprints, photographs and records of dispositions destroyed by the local police agency. If you have been previously convicted, it may be possible to apply to the federal government of Canada for a pardon/record suspension. A pardon/record suspension allows people who were convicted of a criminal offence, but have completed their sentence and have since demonstrated they are law-abiding citizens, to have their criminal record kept separate and apart from other criminal records. If a pardon is granted, a search of CPIC will not show that you had a criminal record, or even that you were issued a pardon/record suspension. If you would like to request to have your police records destroyed (in the case of a non-conviction) or to request a pardon/record suspension (in the case of a conviction), we can assist you.