September, 2006 - For the first time in the history of the International Association for Property & Evidence, Inc. (I.A.P.E.) the designation of Corporate Certified Property and Evidence Specialist (CCPES) has been awarded to two individuals. Cindy Witherspoon and Tammie McKool of Wal-Mart's Corporate Fraud Division are the first two CCPES designees. Wal-Mart sent Tammie and Cindy to the I.A.P.E. two day "Property and Evidence Management Course" in Little Rock, Arkansas in October of 2005. Subsequent to the class, both of these individuals requested that they be given the opportunity to become Certified Property and Evidence Specialists. 

The I.A.P.E. Board had extensive discussions about the possibility of extending our certification process to include individuals within the private, corporate sector whose duties relate to the receipt, storage, accountability and disposition of property and evidence that may be evidence in criminal prosecutions. In keeping with the charter and mission of I.A.P.E., the Board decided to create a new certification, i.e. "Corporate Property and Evidence Specialist." Based upon conversations and research, it appeared to the Board that publicly traded companies have or will be creating repositories for documents that may be indicative of fraud or criminality within their corporations. These records repositories will be established in an effort to comply with the requirements of the federal Sarbanes Oxley Act, often referred to as SOX. Companies will need to create policies and procedures that govern the records and the repositories. The I.A.P.E. standards and training have been used by Wal-Mart to create their own procedures. 

To insure that the highest standards are required and maintained, the requirements for the Corporate and the law enforcement CPES designation are similar. Active membership in I.A.P.E., attendance at the two day Property and Evidence Management Course, completion of one year (or 2080 hours) as a Property and Evidence Custodian, and successful completion of an online examination are all required to be designated as a CCPES. 

I.A.P.E. Executive Director Joe Latta and Board President Bill Kiley will travel to Wal-Mart Corporate Headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas to make a presentation of the CCPES Certificates to Tammie McKool and Cindy Witherspoon. It is the hope of our Association Board that the publicity related to this presentation will encourage other corporations to have personnel become members of I.A.P.E. and then achieve the CCPES certification.