After extensive analysis, review and consideration, the Board of Directors of LA.P.E. has authorized the implementation of a Corporate Certified Property and Evidence (C.C.P.E.S.) program. The genesis of this action was an inquiry from the Wal-Mart Corporation who was seeking to have several of their Corporate Fraud Division employees attend I.A.P.E.'s "Property and Evidence Management Course" class in Little Rock, Arkansas; two Wal-Mart employees attended the training. After a review of the course training materials, I.A.P.E.'s standards, and feedback from employees who participated in the class, Wal-Mart Vice President Sharon Curry contacted our association to inquire about the C.P.E.S. designation. Ms. Curry described the many similarities to law enforcement in the way evidence of potential corporate fraud must be maintained; stringent new guidelines have been placed on publicly traded corporations by the Sarbanes-Oxley Law. This new federal legislation was the result of such major corporate fraud cases such as World-Com, Enron, Tyco, etc. Now, Wal-Mart and other corporations must have processes and procedures that insure the proper storage and accountability of documentary evidence. The I.A.P.E. Board and our legal counsel, have concluded that our mission to provide educational opportunities for law enforcement logically extends to those in corporations who are responsible for the retention of what, in many cases, will become evidence used in criminal prosecutions.

The requirements to achieve the C.C.P.E.S. designation are mirror images of our earlier C.P.E.S. program in that applicants will have to be: I.A.P.E. members; have attended the two-day training course; have worked in the Evidence Custodian capacity for a specified period of time, and successfully complete an online examination.

Based upon the conversations with Wal-Mart V.P. Sharon Curry, I.A.P.E. Board President Bill Kiley envisions Evidence Custodians of other major corporations will seek the C.C.P.E.S. designation. "Our hope is that the training and certification of corporate Evidence Custodians will enhance the justice system in the U.S. and possibly in Canada" said Kiley. Additionally, he noted that opportunities for employment in the corporate sector, i.e. as Evidence Custodians, may become available for those who retire or transition from Property and Evidence positions in law enforcement. "This is definitely a win-win situation" said Joe Latta, I.A.P.E. Executive Director.

The next issue of The Evidence Log will contain further information regarding the new Corporate C.P.E.S. program. Watch for details, an application form, etc.