About Us

MISSION STATEMENT

CSI’s mission is to provide exemplary customer service in a timely, accurate and cost-effective manner. We encourage our clients to contact us for information or advice pertaining to all aspects of the background screening process. Our highly trained, bilingual staff are ready to personally assist you, to answer your questions and alleviate your concerns. We attribute our success to the quality of our Customer Service. The one-on-one contact makes all the difference! CSI Background Screening is 100% Canadian owned and operated. CSI has been providing professional background screening services, on an International level, since its incorporation in November, 1995.

History of CSI Background Screening

CSI Background Screening was founded in 1995 by Fred and Trish Dehmel, two distinguished professionals with deep roots in law enforcement, security, and investigative services. Built on decades of combined experience in military policing and international investigations, CSI quickly established itself as a trusted leader in the background screening industry.

Fred Dehmel brought with him a prestigious 25-year career in Military Police investigations. Highly decorated and widely respected, Mr. Dehmel commanded major crime investigative units both in Canada and internationally. His career included close collaboration with local law enforcement, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), Interpol, and other international investigative agencies. He also served on United Nations Missions, further expanding his global investigative reach.

Following his retirement from police investigations, Mr. Dehmel founded CSI Inc., leveraging his elite expertise to serve the needs of the private sector. His deep understanding of law enforcement and investigative processes became the cornerstone of CSI’s services. Mr. Dehmel’s ability to interpret and advise on background screening results with accuracy and insight has been instrumental in building the company’s reputation for integrity and excellence.

Trish Dehmel, also a veteran of the Military Police, specialized in security and harassment investigations. Her expertise as a security specialist within the Canadian Military laid a strong foundation for her leadership role at CSI. Upon co-founding the company, Ms. Dehmel was invited to join the prestigious Council of International Investigators, an opportunity that allowed her to forge invaluable connections with law enforcement and security experts worldwide.

Through these international relationships, Ms. Dehmel helped CSI expand its capabilities in conducting global criminal record checks, reference verifications, education validations, civil litigation searches, and financial investigations. Her strategic vision and global network have been vital in ensuring that CSI continues to offer comprehensive, reliable, and up-to-date screening services across jurisdictions.

Over Three Decades of Leadership

For over thirty years, CSI Background Screening has remained at the forefront of the industry. The company’s commitment to professionalism, accuracy, and discretion is a direct reflection of the values and experiences of its founders. CSI’s law enforcement-informed approach offers clients an added layer of reliability and clarity, making it a trusted partner for organizations across Canada and around the world.

With its strong foundation and continued innovation, CSI Background Screening is proud to serve businesses with the same integrity and dedication that defined its inception in 1995.

 A New Chapter for CSI Background Screening

CSI Background Screening is proud to announce a new chapter in its history as ownership transitions to the next generation of leadership. Building on over three decades of excellence established by founders Fred and Trish Dehmel, the company remains committed to the core values of integrity, precision, and professionalism. While the leadership changes, the mission stays the same: to provide reliable, high-quality background screening services that organizations can trust.

Looking ahead, CSI is focused on growth through innovation, expanding its global reach, and enhancing the client experience with advanced digital tools. The company will continue to offer comprehensive, compliant, and timely screening solutions, supporting businesses across Canada and internationally. With a strong foundation and a clear vision, CSI Background Screening is well-positioned for continued success and industry leadership.

Leanne Pickrem, Office Manager

Leanne Pickrem has been with CSI since 2013, accepting positions of increasing responsibility from Screening Analyst to Supervisor to her current position of Office Manager. Leanne is highly skilled in various aspects of background screening for both corporations and individuals and is greatly respected by staff, clients, vendors and applicants alike. Leanne’s exceptional customer service skills ensure that each client’s situation is treated uniquely and they are then furnished with the most accurate information available. Equipped with a solid knowledge base, CSI clients, in turn, can make critical hiring decisions. In her dealings across Canada, the United States and abroad, Leanne has maintained numerous important national and international contacts within in the industry.

Our Staff

CSI staff remain up-to-date with current practices, procedures, Human Rights legislation, as well as other legal issues through trade periodicals, NAPBS (National Association of Professional Background Screeners) newsletters, and Human Resource Association notices and newsletters, etc. CSI also researches relevant topics, changes within the industry, best practices, processes and procedures, as well as, national and local press releases. This information is passed onto our staff through meetings, internal communication, and the development of internal documents. The first-hand experience of the CSI owners greatly benefits CSI employees. Through in-house training, and regular monthly meetings, the owners provide in depth professional development on a wide range of industry topics. They are always available to explain the intricacies of the screening industry. Our goal is to remain informed, and to pass that information onto our clients. We accomplish this through open communication, newsletters and special notices.

Professional Accreditation

• A Founding Member of the Canadian Association of Professional Background Screeners
• Current Member of the Professional Background Screening Association (PBSA)
• Former President of Council of International Investigators
• Former members of a national committee whose primary purpose was to assist the RCMP in developing the guidelines for all Professional Background Screening Agencies in Canada.
• Current Member of the HRPA-Human Resources Professional Association
• Current Member of HRANS-Human Resources Association of Nova Scotia
• Current Member of HRANB-Human Resources Association of New Brunswick
• Current members of various international organizations providing up-to-date information on global requirements and legislation.

Credentials and Accreditation

CSI is accredited by the Canadian Criminal Real Time Identification Services (CCRTIS) branch of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) to provide fingerprint-based Criminal History Checks. CCRTIS has partnered with Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) and Canadian Industrial Security Directorate, to develop a new process for accrediting private companies to take fingerprints for non-criminal purposes. CSI is affiliated with IdentoGo by Idemia.

CCRTIS Accreditation

Accreditation is a process whereby the business and the individuals in that business who handle sensitive or private information are screened to ensure the safety of the public. These background checks include fingerprint-based criminal history, credit checks and address history screening for individuals. In addition, the organization and its directors, officers and controlling shareholders are reviewed in detail. The physical business also undergoes a security audit to ensure appropriate document and information handling procedures are in place. CSI has been accredited by CCRTIS and will continue to undergo periodic compliance reviews by CCRTIS and PWGSC. CCRTIS accreditation procedures assess the security and administrative operations of private fingerprinting companies that intend to take fingerprints for civil and/or refugee purposes, and submit the fingerprints as live electronic transactions to the national repository for criminal record verification.

CCRTIS Certification

Certification is a process whereby the software and systems used in the fingerprint submission process are tested for compliance against international and RCMP specifications to ensure reproducibility of results. Both the systems and the components are certified in end-to-end testing. Fingerprint quality in both the capturing and printing processes is very important, as is the compliance of individual data items and reference numbers. All CSI systems and components have met or exceeded the standards as set by CCRTIS. CCRTIS certification processes ensure that contributing agencies are capable of electronically submitting National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) compliant transactions to the national repository. The process enables agencies to perform end-to-end verification within a formal certification environment prior to becoming operational.

All CSI personnel have undergone personnel screening, including fingerprint background checks and credit checks, and have been issued security clearances under CCRTIS.