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WAPI Governing Council

Tony Smith

Chairman
Complaints & Discipline
E-Group Moderator

Tony is currently in his 5th year as Chairman of the Association.
Tony entered the profession as a trainee investigator in 1977.
Tony opened his own offices working from Liverpool City Centre in October 1981, Douglas in the Isle of Man and latterly from offices close to Aintree Racecourse.

Tony was a founder Member of the Merseyside Association of Investigators and Process Servers in 1986 (now the British Association of Investigators and Process Servers) and remained Secretary/Treasurer of that Association until 2000 becoming an Honorary Life member in 2007.

Tony joined WAPI in 2002 and was appointed to the Governing Council in 2004.
Tony represented The World Association of Professional Investigators at The Leveson Inquiry, and is a strong advocate of Licencing for the “whole” profession.
In addition to other tasks Tony moderates the WAPI eGroup, the second largest industry eGroup in the world.

A British Mensa “1%er”, Tony is also a member of Intertel, The Horserace Writers Association and served some time with A.Co 4 Para based at Liverpool’s Grace Road Barracks in his ‘younger years’.
Tony has worked nationally and internationally for a wide variety of high profile and commercial clients and was a Consultant Script Advisor for a series BBC Drama starring Ricky Tomlinson.

Paul Champion

Vice Chairman
Training & Mentor

Paul retired from the Police service in 2000. During his career, most of his service was spent as a Detective (25 years), involved in the investigation of all categories of crime.

In 1985 he became an investigator with the UK Regional Crime Squad; latterly known as the National Crime Squad and now part of the UK National Crime Agency. He was trained in various aspects of national and international crime investigation. As a financial investigator he became a recognised expert in the field as well as a training mentor for other Financial investigators.

He operated both nationally and internationally in European Countries and the United States carrying out long-term in-depth investigations into international money laundering, drug trafficking and other related serious offences, liaising with the law enforcement agencies, courts and legal professionals of those countries. He was commended on numerous occasions both by senior Police Officers and High Court and Crown Court Judges; also, by the FBI and the office of U.S. Attorney for South Florida, USA.

The last five years of his service he spent as an Intelligence Officer with the National Criminal Intelligence Service (NCIS), which is now also part of the UK National Crime Agency. There he set up the Financial Investigation/Intelligence unit for the South West regional office of NCIS. He operated both nationally and internationally, he was positively vetted and also had the responsibility as a liaison officer with the UK Security Services.

Since retirement from the police service Paul has worked in the private sector, having previously run a company which was accredited with the ISO 9001 and BS 10200. He is also a qualified trainer and lead auditor; he was instrumental in setting up the ABI academy and served as both president and GC member of that organisation. He is a strong advocate of Government Licensing for Private Sector Investigators.

Since retirement in June 2018, he has operated as an Investigations Consultant on a part time basis as CIC Investigation Consultants.

Paul lives in Cardiff with his wife Gillian, they have two grown up daughters and 2 grandchildren.

WAPI Members Code of Ethics & Professional Conduct

Beverley Flynn

Treasurer
Electronic Media
Marketing
General Secretary
Membership Secretary

Beverley has been directly involved in the Investigation Industry for 40 years, predominantly on the Sales, Marketing & Administrative side of the business.

Beverley’s career commenced in Business Management and she joined the Investigation Industry with her late Husband Patrick, in 1979.
Beverley attained a BA Honours degree in Business Management in the early 1990’s, shortly afterwards forming Insight Investigations.
During Beverley’s career she has worked to raise the profile of the Investigation Industry.

Beverley became the Membership Secretary of WAPI in October 2003 and held the post of Lady Vice-Chairman of the Association from October 2004 to October 2006 and October 2007 until October 2008.
Beverley became Treasurer of the Association in October 2007.

Ian Withers

Press & Media
European Legislation & Licensing

Ian is a retired International Private Investigator & Security Consultant since 1960, based between Belfast, Cyprus and Maryland USA.
Ian is a founding member and past Chairman of the World Association of Professional Investigators, having held the office of Chairman for 5 consecutive years.

Ian has represented WAPI on the (UK) Investigator Sector Group (UK-ISG) and represented both the UK and Irish PI sectors in negotiations with governments on the regulation of the private investigation sector.

Ian holds a City & Guilds NVQ Level 4 in Investigations, and the National Qualification Certificate (B-Tech IQ) Level 3 award in Professional Investigations.

Ian held a license for over 10 years as a PI in Maryland, USA where he is a current member of the ‘National Council of Investigation & Security Services’ (NCISS), a retired Member of the ‘National Association of Legal Investigators’ (NALI) and the ‘National Association of Professional Process Servers’ (NAPPS).

Ian was the Regional Director of Region VIII (International) Membership Section for the ‘National Association of Legal Investigators’ and was an assistant editor for international news with PI Magazine.
Ian’s memoirs are to be published in early 2021 “Private Eye – Secret Spy” that recounts the many exceptional and interesting cases he has worked on during his almost 60 years as a prominent international investigator and intelligence provider.

Dave Edwards

Training/Mentor

Dave, a career detective, retired from the police service in 2010 with 32 years service. Shortly after selection as a detective, he successfully completed the National Undercover Training Course with the Metropolitan Police’s SO.10 Department at New Scotland Yard. The majority of his service was then deploying as a full-time Undercover Officer (UCO) and planning and deploying on covert operations both domestically and internationally.

From 1991 until 2006 he served with No. 9 Regional Crime Squad, South East Regional Crime Squad and the National Crime Squad (NCS) as a Detective Constable, Detective Sergeant, Detective Inspector and A/Detective Chief Inspector. He investigated the top echelons of serious and organised crime both in the UK and abroad. He conducted surveillance at the highest levels and led operational and surveillance teams on numerous protracted and successful investigations. In 1998 he was selected to serve with the newly formed Anti-Corruption Squad (CIB3), where he was primarily tasked with Integrity Testing; planning and leading intelligence led surveillance and covert investigations/operations into serious and organised corrupt police officers and other government employees.

In 2006, he transferred to the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA – the forerunner of the National Crime Agency – NCA) and was then selected as the operational SOCA Liaison Officer for the U.S. (with accompanying diplomatic status as the Vice Consul at the British Consulate General). He was embedded within a Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) team and was responsible for drug trafficking and serious and organised crime matters that impacted upon the UK and Europe from the U.S., Central and South America and the Caribbean Overseas Territories. He successfully investigated many major cases and initiated high profile extraditions and prosecutions with U.S. federal law enforcement and other overseas law enforcement agencies.

On his return to the UK in September 2009 he worked within SOCA’s International Inspection & Compliance Branch where he was responsible for the inspections of SOCA’s overseas posts. He inspected the entire West African network and completed comprehensive reports with regards to due diligence, operational capacity and recommendations for improvements in all posts.

Since retiring from law enforcement he has worked as an independent security consultant and investigator, operating as a Senior Investigating Officer (SIO), predominately dealing with serious criminal cases, concentrating on fraud, counterfeiting, due diligence and bribery and corruption cases. Recent successful examples include murder, blackmail, demanding money with menaces, counterfeiting and international fraud.

The WAPI Governing Council give their time, expertise and knowledge to the association free of any fees.

The WAPI Governing Council do not claim expenses for attending meeting, seminars or appearances on behalf of the association, except where travel or overnight accommodation is required.