Dear IAPE Member, As we approach midyear I am delighted to report that we are back on schedule with the Evidence Log, and that we also have a full schedule of training classes scheduled from coast to coast. Hopefully you have already received a training flyer and will be joining us at one of our training seminars. I urge you to make your reservations as early as possible. The San Diego class held on June 9-10 was completely sold out ten days before the class, with 50 students attending from agencies in California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, and even Lawrence. Indiana. The first class of 1997 was held in Lexington, Kentucky, where we were graciously assisted by the Lexington Police Department. Class members am ved from as far east as New Hampshire and west as Texas, along with other property professionals from Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Ohio, Texas, Tennessee and Wisconsin. With this cross section of property room personnel, supervisors, and managers we quickly learned that the issues that must be addressed to avoid tragic hometown headlines are pretty universal. Whether you're from California or Maine, Washington or Florida, the property room function is one of the most important support functions of your law enforcement organization. When property management fails, our organization is discredited and embarrassed, and the reputation of our profession is tarnished. Training and education is the paramount avenue toward professionalization of our job function. Police managers and administrators need to provide property officers the basic tools to ensure that we retain our integrity and credibility within the law enforcement community. We don't need any more negative news headlines or sensational TV stories. I submit that property room personnel are not the only ones needing property and evidence training. All law enforcement administrators need to be educated regarding the grave consequences of both active and passive mismanagement of the agency's property function. We are regularly receiving telephone calls about having a training seminar in a particular community. Many different factors are considered, but critical is accessibility for students. Being adjacent to a hub airport allows less expensive airfares, and therefore more departments have access to the training. Other options include a co-host program, in which a local agency sponsors the class in their community. The hosting agency would provide a training room, assist in publicizing the class, take reservations and collect tuitions. Our requests for classes in 1998 already include Minnesota, Florida, New York, Utah, and California. Please let us hear any suggestions you may have. In addition to the outstanding turnout at the training events, our membership has grown by almost 25 percent since the first of the year. Thanks to each member and student for making IAPE a stronger influence for highly professional law enforcement property management. 
Copyright © 1997 International Association for Property and Evidence, Inc. Reprinted from the Evidence Log, Volume 1997, Number 2, Page 2 |
