Dear IAPE Member,

Our Association is now entering its sixth year of existence, and we have made tremendous strides in getting the word out about the importance of properly handling property and evidence. We are seeing more and more Chiefs of Police in our seminars, and we recently complied with a request to make a presentation on property management issues at a meeting of California Chiefs of Police.

As I look back at the development of property officer associations, I must recognize the members of the California Association for Property and Evidence (CAPE). CAPE was the first official association for the professionalization of the property and evidence function. In fact, CAPE just observed its tenth anniversary with "Celebrating A Decade of Dedication," its annual training conference in San Luis Obispo, California. With over three hundred current members, almost 200 attended the conference. Happy Anniversary to CAPE, and congratulations to their new President Nancy Ely, of the Menlo (CA) Police Dept. (605-858-3300).

The International Association for Property and Evidence would also like to congratulate Dennis Davenport, of the Thornton (CO) Police Department (303-538-7443). Dennis is the newly elected President of the Colorado Association for Property and Evidence (also CAPE). Watch "Bits and Pieces" in the next issue of The Evidence Log for information about their three day annual conference in Breckenridge, Colorado starting September 30th.

Our last acknowledgment is to the newest Property Officer Association. The Texas Association for Property and Evidence Inventory Technicians was chartered just last month. Welcome to T.A.P.E.I.T., and to its first President, Kolene Dean from the Hurst (TX) Police Department (817-788-7154). If you're a Texan and interested in the property management profession, give her a call about membership. IAPE will be co-hosting a training class with T.A.P.E.I.T. in the Dallas / Fort Worth (TX) metropolitan area, on October 15-16, 1998. Special attention will be focused on Texas statutes regarding property and evidence.

It's great to see property room professionals step forward and make a difference, and not just on a local scale anymore. Please let us know about any upcoming events sponsored by your state property associations, but note our publication deadlines on the inside back cover of this issue. As IAPE members, we can be proud of the support we give our profession through state and local organizations.

Lastly, let me encourage you to participate in our magazine, The Evidence Log, just as you participate in our association, your local associations, and your profession. It seems that almost every problem that is discussed in our seminars is solved through the joint expertise and creativity of our membership. The magazine allows us to share that experience on a much larger scale.

Please write with problems, solutions, examples, and even full articles which you feel would benefit the profession through exposure on the international level. Thanks for sharing!

Sincerely,

Joe Latta
Executive Director