OPatricia King
Washougal Police Department
Washougal, WA

COMMENT:
I would like to find out what other agencies do with the paperwork after items are released or disposed of from their property rooms. At this time we put the paperwork from the property room with the signed receipt in the case file. My concern is that after the retention period the case files are destroyed and the paperwork would be destroyed with them. Should the paperwork be kept in the property room files to show the disposition?

RESPONSE:
Patricia - FYI - no one does it the same.

Options - 

1. Have a drawer just for active evidence and one for inactive evidence.
2. Have a drawer with both active and inactive case in one drawer
3. Send to records and have them retain in the case file.

My preference is have the property room keep the paper until the retention time has lapsed and then destroy it. I just like having all the property records in a central location for audits, inventories and internal controls. Just a prefer­ence. No right way or wrong way - just lots of ways. Just make sure your getting rid of both at the same time. (under the same retention schedule) You would be surprised at the number of departments that still have the evidence after the incident report was destroyed. -- doesn't make sense, but it happens.

Jim S. Stephens 
Apache Junction Police Department
Apache Junction, AZ

COMMENT:
Please advise where I can find info about Aspergillosis as it relates to the storage of Marijuana and other drugs. My Chief needs info to support our request for exhaust fans in our storage areas. Thank you in advance.

RESPONSE:
Jim - attached is an article re: Aspergillosis written by one of our instructors a few years ago. I have also attached one of our standards related to ventilation. In the article it talks about negative pressure. Negative pressure is a source of fresh air in and exhausted out of the building 7 - 12 changes per hour. You may also want to talk to Richard Yates at http://evidenceprotection.com. They manufacture great air filtering systems.

Terri Perkins
Henderson Police Department
Henderson, NV

COMMENT:
Hi Joe,
Hope all is well. Things are booming here in Henderson ..... growing faster than ever. I seem to remember reading that our CPES certification is for 2 years ... if that's true, do we need to attend one of your training classes (again) before we re-certify? (Not that I don't want to, I truly enjoy your training!) Just want to make sure I get it done by the end of the year. Thanks, and take care. Terri

RESPONSE:
Terri - five years and we are working on a pos­sible on-line solution for re-certification.

COMMENT:
R.G. Neville - Cmre. Sgt.
Evidence Custodian

Doing great Joe. Have successfully gone through 3 audits of all the contents of the Evi­dence Room since the course. We are ahead of our counterparts in the Military Police because we are able to accomplish this. It is done every 6 months and our NPM has made it a priority. Following the guidelines from yourseminars makes it possible. I purge evidence regularly and the young persons coming into the MP trade are following the guidelines I set up after your training. There have been growing pains but I am quite proud of what the unit has accomplished.

I might not have a fancy room with good shelving etc but I can honestly say if persons follow the guidelines laid done by the IAPE they will achieve the same success that I have here. Your latest issue of the Evidence Log has addressed a problem that I have bee fighting here. What should the temperature in Evidence Room be? Right now I have no ventilation or air conditioning; hopefully to be corrected. With the information in the article I now have something in writing I can show our construction engineering people. The Evidence Log and your web site are excellent tools. Keep up the good work.

RESPONSE:
Raina - Thanks (if okay I'm going to forward your letter to our editor for the next Evidence Log)

Det. Lindsey G. Prebble
Lexington Police Department
Lexington, KY

COMMENT:
I am preparing to send in my application in order to take the certification exam. My question is from what material do the questions come; the 2 day basic course and/or material on the IAPE website. I attended the 2 day basic course in 2005. Also, will IAPE accept a Purchase Order for the certification fee?

RESPONSE:
The link below will provide the info:
http://www.iape.org/Standards_7-03/index. htm

Yes, IAPE will accept a Purchase Order for the certification fee.

Det. Kevin Reinbolt
Seneca County Sheriff's Office
Tiffin, OH

COMMENT:
Hi,
I was wondering to become a Certified Property & Evidence Specialist if you had to attend your two day course. I spoke with my Sheriff and we have the money to apply for the testing but not for the course itself including lodging. I have been a detective for the past 8 years and for 5 of them I have been in charge of the evidence room. If that does not apply do you offer the class online. Thank you for your time.

RESPONSE:
Kevin ... One of the requirements for certification is attending the two day class.We are hopeful that we can provide some type of on line training in the future. Call us if you have any questions.