Each month, IAPE's primary instructor, Joe Latta, answers one of your questions. Consider writing us if you have a question that needs an answer. We would love to hear from you.
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Dear Joe,
I am a brand new member of IAPE and planning on attending a class in Kansas this spring. I have been a dispatcher for over 10 and recently took advantage of a position in the property room. So far I love it! However, I'm really struggling with how long I have to keep all the different types evidence, especially rape kits. I'm continuously hearing on the news about the backlog, however, I don't know where to find any of the information on retention, testing, etc. I've asked several of the detectives that I work with and I am not getting answers that I'm real comfortable with. Can you give me any direction on this topic?
Thank you,
Kitty
Dear Kitty,
Thanks for your inquiry. Keeping up with all of the laws and changes with sexual assault kits is a challenge, as the laws are continuously changing. The areas that may be related to the proper room are possible going to be; the testing of old kits, the mandatory testing of all new kits, annually inventorying for state statistics, and laws that are going to mandate certain notifications to the victims. These are the hot topics for law enforcement today. Let me suggest that you visit
Endthebacklog.org
The site offers various resources including
an interactive US map where you can visit your state and see where the changes are occurring. The Joyfulheart Foundation also has a great deal of information on following the trends.
I have included a table of information that provide the different requirements in each state. Hope this gives you a little direction.
Regards,
Joe
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Fremont cold-case killing solved through familial DNA
In December 1990, Upton was a manager at the Safeway in Fremont's Irvington neighborhood. Co-workers said he was dependable and was always prompt.
"One day, he didn't show up," Blas said. "They got a little bit concerned. Next day he didn't show up - even more concerned, so one of his co-workers called us up and said 'he's missing.' "
Officers went to his apartment. It was secured, ,and there were no signs of his car. Police came back the next day.
"When they were able to get into the apartment, they located him deceased," Blass said.
Upton had been beaten, stabbed and strangled.
The victim's Nissan 300ZX was later found at a mall in Thousand Oaks (Ventura County.) Police say they found fingerprints and blood in the victim's apartment and car, but didn't know who it belonged to.
Blass, who investigates cold-case homicides, reached out to Parabon Nanolabs in virginia (https://parabon-nanolabs.com/). The DNA technology company used family trees and narrowed in on Guerrero as a suspect. He had never before been on police radar.
"No," Blass said. "Not at all until we utilized this company."
Last October, Fremont police secretly tailed Guerrero in Arizona, where he now lives. They sat nearby, watched him eat pizza and took the fork and napkin he used to have it tested for DBA. Police say it was a match to the 1990 crime scene.
"If you think about technology and DNA and evidence processing, and you see a lot more with labs trying different techniques, this is what's going to be the forefront of solving cold cases," Blass said.
At the time of the killing, the suspect was 25 and worked at a semiconductor company. Police have not commented on a motive. Guerrero remains jailed in Maricopa County, Arizona and is awaiting extradition to the Bay Area.
Commentary: Many of our smaller department don't have the luxury of having a Cold Case Squad for those 20, 30 and 40 year old cases that may be hiding in our property room. In many of these cases none of our current employee were even alive when the crime occurred and the evidence in our property room may have not be reviewed / examined for years. Even though is was tested 10 years ago, DNA, Familial DNA and Genealogy are changing our world. Let me encourage you ....BOLO.... Be
On the Look Out, for old homicide evidence that has possible been forgotten about. There is a very good likelihood that your new chief who was hired from the outside would like to have the information and solve the case with the new technology that is available to us. The following case show how success this can be.
-Joe
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Become a
Certified Evidence Specialist
Along with the IAPE's extensive
evidence training courses, the IAPE offers our members the opportunity to become Certified Property and Evidence Specialists.
Certification is available to our law enforcement agency members as well as our corporate members. The designation of CPES or CCPES indicates that the holder is a professional who has completed requirements in training; has worked in the field for a required period of time; and has demonstrated their knowledge of professional standards through a written test. More than 2,000 IAPE members have achieved the CPES or CCPES designation.
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2019 CLASSES
February 19 - 20, 2019
February 21, 2019
March 4 - 5, 2019
March 19 - 20, 2019
April 2 - 3, 2019
April 4, 2019
April 16 - 17, 2019
April 30 - May 1, 2019
May 7 - 8, 2019
May 15 - 16, 2019
May 22 - 23, 2019
Fort Collins, CO
June 4, 2019
June 4 - 5, 2019
June 11 - 12, 2019
June 18 - 19, 2019
June 24 - 25, 2019
July 23 - 24, 2019
August 5 - 6, 2019
August 13 - 14, 2019
August 21 - 22, 2019
September 11 - 12, 2019
October 2 - 3, 2019
October 16 - 17, 2019
November 4 - 5, 2019
November 14 - 15, 2019
December 3 - 4, 2019
ADDITIONAL CLASSES BEING PLANNED IN 2019
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Can't Travel?
IAPE also offers
ONLINE TRAINING
Save money on lodging, meals and travel!
To learn more about the IAPE's ONLINE TRAINING
or to register please visit:
Call for details on
sponsoring a class!
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Got a Job?
Need a Job?
IAPE is delighted to announce that we have a new section for posting a job announcement or checking job opportunities.
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