The ACFE Law Enforcement and Government Partnership: A Partnership that Benefits Your Agency

GUEST BLOGGER

Sarah Ellis, CFE
ACFE Partnership Manager

The start of the New Year often means a fresh perspective, and that is certainly the message we hope to convey with the release of our new Law Enforcement and Government Partnership (LEGP) webpages. We are proud to debut our new LEGP website with a renewed sense of professionalism and user-friendly navigation. Be sure to check it out at ACFE.com/LEGP.

You can easily view and download informational resources about the partnership, navigate through our list of current partners, learn about the benefits associated with joining and quickly get in touch with ACFE staff. Our newest members are now on the website immediately after partnering, and you can connect with more than 800 LinkedIn members in the public sector who are dedicated to fraud prevention and detection by joining the ACFE Law Enforcement and Government Partnership group on LinkedIn.

As mentioned, our informational resources are available for download including our new LEGP video featuring Angela Byers, Section Chief of the Financial Crimes Section of the FBI and Dom Blackshaw, Detective Senior Sergeant of the Western Australia Police. This video, narrated by actor Stacy Keach, highlights the benefits of becoming an LEGP member, having CFEs on staff and how an agency can go about joining the partnership.

We are happy to welcome our newest LEGP members: the Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations, Michigan Gaming Control Board and the New York State Insurance Fund – The Division of Confidential Investigations. Your agency is encouraged to become a partner alongside more than 100 agencies like these and unlock the opportunity to build a solid foundation of anti-fraud knowledge for your team.

Visit ACFE.com/LEGP to view partnership benefits and the newly-released informational video to help you get started. For more information on how to participate, contact Sarah Ellis, CFE at SEllis@ACFE.com.

Bringing CFE Expertise to Afghanistan

MEMBER PROFILE

David Crump, CFE, Law Enforcement Professional
Engility Corp

David Crump, CFE, is currently working in Afghanistan for Engility Corp. as a law enforcement professional assigned to a U.S. Army battalion. His job is to advise, mentor and train U.S. soldiers and leaders in law enforcement, evidence handling and collection, and rule of law. Crump also mentors and trains leaders and investigators from Afghan law enforcement agencies on investigation techniques, processing of evidence and detainee operations.

Please tell us about your background in law enforcement. How has your career grown?

I always wanted to be a police officer. After three years in the Army and then college, I joined the Wichita (Kansas) Police Department, where I served for 20 years. I liked being a police officer, and I loved being a detective. As a detective, I spent two years in undercover narcotics, two years in the robbery section and four years in the exploited and missing child unit.

I retired as a detective in 2011 and moved to Kansas City, where I worked in the marketing department of a large corporation. I got to travel a lot and loved it, but I missed law enforcement. When the job in Afghanistan became available, I eagerly accepted it. It has been a great honor to be here with the military. I have been able to use my training and experience to help keep our soldiers safe and help the Afghan police forces improve their rule of law and investigation skills.

How often does your job involve fraud investigation – and what types of fraud are you most likely to investigate?

I deal with bribery and corruption investigations on a regular basis here. It is no secret that corruption is rampant in just about every aspect of Afghanistan politics, business and life in general. Bribery and corruption are technically illegal here, but are extremely common nonetheless. I work with some of the Afghan law enforcement authorities who try to fight this activity.

Which types of cases are the most interesting to you, personally? Did a certain type of investigation really draw you in?

Early in my career, I ran away from financial crimes cases as fast as I could; until I realized that practically every type of crime has a financial motivator as a common factor (child sex abuse is usually an exception). When I worked in the undercover narcotics section, I became fascinated with the ingenuity of drug dealers to hide and launder their money. Whether the crime is forgery, embezzlement, robbery or drug dealing, there is usually some sort of financial motivation involved. I have always enjoyed following the money trail and documenting the benefits received from the criminal activity. This information always makes for a better case to present for prosecution.

Which types of criminal cases do you find the most challenging?

The most challenging cases, but also the most rewarding, were child sexual abuse cases. In addition to interviewing suspects and witnesses, I specialized in conducting forensic interviews with the child victims. The most enjoyable part of my investigations, though, has always been the suspect interviews. Whether I am interviewing a suspect in a financial crime, a bank robber, a terrorist or a rapist, the objective of the interview is always the same: To find out the truth. Each interview is different. Every suspect doesn’t always turn out to be guilty and you don’t always get a confession from the ones who are, but going into an interview and getting a confession from a suspect is always extremely satisfying.

Read Crump's full profile on ACFE.com.

10 Ways to Successfully Transition from Law Enforcement to Corporate Life

GUEST BLOGGER

Joseph Agins, CFE, Director, Ethics & Compliance Investigations
Apollo Group, Inc. 

Throughout my career in the corporate anti-fraud profession, I have had the opportunity to work with many former law enforcement professionals who transitioned into corporate security, fraud or investigative roles. Of course, there are many corporate roles where the training and skills gained in a law enforcement career are relevant and oftentimes desired. Often former law enforcement officers (LEOs) make a seamless transition into their new corporate roles and achieve much success, but not all seem to fare as well. I have witnessed the latter more times than I would ever have expected to, and I have long thought about why this is. Why is it that some seem to succeed and transition so easily and others don’t? I’m not sure I necessarily know the answer, but exposure to this for the last 16-plus years has given me some perspective. Here are some observations and tips from colleagues who have successfully made the transition to help you make yours.

1. Conduct an honest and detailed assessment of your knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) to determine if the KSAs are at the appropriate level for a role in the corporate sector. Some people think that just because they are in law enforcement they can make the jump to the private sector. That may or may not be the case. An objective assessment of KSAs should ideally be done several years before your separation/retirement date to allow for filling any identified gaps, including advanced college degrees, certifications and presentation skills.
2. Do your homework about a particular role and the company.
3. Speak to people who have made the transition to learn from their successes and failures.
4. Be prepared to relocate for the best opportunities, but also make sure you want to live in that area. If you are accustomed to living in NYC, will you be happy living in Arkansas?
5. There is a false belief that life is better in the private sector. Determine why you want to leave law enforcement. If you are not happy in your current role, what makes you think you will be happy in a new role?
6. Do not leave until it is a “stomach-heart-mind” process - in the “gut” (worn out, lost interest), you feel it (this is the right thing to do), and you think it through (you access the fiscal, lifestyle and other cost/benefits).
7. Expose yourself to the corporate world before transitioning.
8. Develop a strong résumé and/or curriculum vitae.
9. Embrace change and keep up with technology. Former LEOs who I've seen fail have been those who think they know all there is and do not make learning a continuous activity.
10. Do not jump to the first private sector opportunity just because it is the first job offer. Step back and fully assess if the new opportunity is best suited for you. Understanding that one size does not fit all is critical.

There will always be those who have a hard time adjusting to change. So, “law enforcement” and “corporate roles” aside, this is all primarily about understanding and successfully dealing with change. The change will be there regardless. It won’t be easy, and you will either get on board or you won’t. Those who refuse to accept the change and make necessary adjustments will have a tough road to hoe, while those who understand, expect, prepare and embrace change will have a path of much less resistance.

CFE’s Knowledge, Persistence Exonerated Innocent Woman

MEMBER PROFILE

Cliff Coutcher, CFE
Fraud Investigator (retired), Rhode Island State Police

“It was a classic case of when bad things happen to innocent people,” Cliff Coutcher, CFE, said about a particularly memorable case “It’s scary.”

Coutcher, a former fraud investigator for the Rhode Island State Police, helped free an innocent woman who had been arrested, transported across several states, and held in custody for 11 days for a fraud she didn’t commit. Coutcher helped uncover a case of identity theft by an 18-year-old Rhode Island man that had turned the woman’s life into a nightmare.

“The incident was an example of something that can go perversely wrong in the system… if people don’t have the knowledge or the training to uncover what really happened,” Coutcher said. The case involved internet fraud – and Coutcher successfully traced the criminal activity to a Rhode Island man who had stolen the woman’s personal information to set up a purchasing scheme. The suspect’s subsequent confession to Coutcher exonerated the Tennessee woman.

Now retired, Coutcher looks back on the identity theft episode as one of many significant accomplishments in a decades-long career of fighting fraud. He investigated cases including millions of missing dollars from a loan and investment firm, the collapse of the Rhode Island Share and Deposit Indemnity Corp., the corruption case of a former governor, and the fraud investigation of a former state senator.

Coutcher said his CFE certification and access to membership resources helped provide the tools he needed to stay on the cutting edge of fighting fraud in an ever-changing industry.

“The training and networking have been excellent, and the ACFE always keeps me up-to-date on current (fraud) issues,” Coutcher said.

An ACFE Life Member since 1991, Coutcher was named 2005 CFE of the Year. He was awarded at the 16th Annual ACFE Fraud Conference and Exhibition for his commitment to fighting fraud.

A woman in Tennessee can attest to his dedication. For her, Coutcher is a personal hero.