Two certifications added to ASIS' ranks

ALEXANDRIA, Va. - Twenty-eight years after ASIS International created its certified protection professional (CPP) classification, the association is adding two more to its ranks– investigations professional and physical security professional. The new certifications will become available in 2003 after three years of work by ASIS International's professional certification board and association members. "The demand for specialized security services has dramatically increased," said Vicki Contavespi, public relations manager for ASIS International. "Specialized skills are in great demand and these two new programs will help employers identify those people who posses advanced knowledge and skills in these particular areas." ASIS International debuted its CPP classification in 1974. Since then, 9,500 people worldwide have earned this distinction which denotes professionals that have passed a rigorous test regarding security management and have a certain level of experience in the field. Recent polling of ASIS' 32,000 members showed that 19,000 are interested in physical security, with another 14,000 focused on investigation related work. Like CPP, those who want to earn an investigations professional or physical security professional certification must also pass a test and posses a minimum level of experience. For investigations professionals, that minimum level of experience involves nine years of investigation experience with at least three of those in case management. The number of years of field experience decreases for investigation professionals with a bachelor's degree. Instead of nine years of investigation experience, the certification requires seven years with at least three years in case management. Physical security professionals must bring to the table five years of experience in the field and a high school diploma. Both types of certification candidates must also have a clean record. "It's going to demonstrate the competency of the people in these two disciplines," said Mike Knoke, CPP and president of the professional certification board for ASIS. "That's what is going to differentiate someone who has the certification and someone who does not." ASIS plans to offer testing worldwide next year. Its largest will be at its annual seminar scheduled for September in New Orleans.