Refs not vetted enough, says city auditor

San Diego City Auditor Eduardo Luna is out with a report slamming city officials for inadequately vetting the backgrounds of the city’s youth sports league referees. “In general, there are Citywide procedures to require individuals to complete background checks prior to working with children,” says the March 29 document. “However, we determined that the Parks and Recreation Department does not perform criminal background checks for a City-sponsored youth sport’s referees.

The Department’s rationale was that since the service provider was not supervising children or patrons, and would not be left alone with them, criminal background checks were not required.” Advises Luna, “Our investigation did not learn of any allegations that any of the recreation service providers engaged in any misconduct related to interactions with children.” Nevertheless, the report says, Parks and Recreation officials will in the future “require City youth sports league referees to operate under contracts that include background checks for all staff, and insurance coverage.”