1. 06/09
REPORT WRITING BASICS

2. The Ten Commandments of Report Writing
1- Never fail to properly document your actions and observations whenever your actions affect the life, liberty, or property of others.
2- Always maintain perspective.
3- Always think before you write & avoid police jargon and legalese.

3. The Ten Commandments of Report Writing
5-Field notes and an outline are the first steps in writing an accurate of the incident.
6- Record all relevant facts and strive for accuracy.
7- Always remain objective and avoid the fatal errors of report writing.
8- Strive for clarity and readability.
9- Always proofread your report before submitting it.
10- Preview and review.

4. THE FIRST COMMANDMENT
Whenever you become involved in an incident which requires you to take any type of official action which directly or indirectly affects the “Life”, “Liberty”, or “Property of Another Person”, never fail to properly document your actions and observations.

5. REASONS FOR WELL WRITTEN AND OBJECTIVE REPORT
Inform or Communicate Police Activity
Document events

6. THE SECOND COMMANDMENT
Always maintain perspective
Why am I writing this report?
Who is my audience?
In what way will this report become a part of a future proceeding?

7. WHO WILL READ YOUR REPORT
The Media
The Public
Supervisor
Sheriff or Chief
Prosecutors
Judges and Juries
The Defense Team

8. THE THIRD COMMANDMENT
Always think before you write
Police Jargon and Legalese can cloud a good report

9. PERSONS IN POLICE REPORTS
“A search was conducted of the apartment. Six plastic syringes were located in a brown paper bag on the floor next to the sink. Two more syringes were found beneath the mattress and two burnt bottle caps were located in the top left-hand dresser drawer. All three subjects were then transported to the station, where they were advised of their rights.”
Class discussion: Is there anything wrong with that paragraph? Someone should notice that it doesn’t say who found the items.
Carry the discussion into the next slide.

10. REVISED PARAGRAPH
“Officer Jones and I conducted a search of the apartment. Officer Jones located six plastic syringes in a brown paper bag on the floor next to the bathroom sink. I located two more syringes beneath the mattress in the master bedroom and two burnt bottle caps in the top left-hand drawer of the dresser in the master bedroom. I transported all three subjects to the station. I advised each of them of their Miranda Rights.”

11. GUIDELINES FOR IDENTIFYING PEOPLE
Fully identify only one time in the report.
Avoid labels
“Mr.”, “Mrs.” okay but not necessary
Use the last name in the body of the report. If more than one have same last name, use a first initial also
Avoid “subject”

12. QUOTES
Use quotes if it is important to log the exact words that were said
Exact words show the intensity and meaning of the actual statement
Changing words in a quote may lose something in the translation

13. EXAMPLE Officer: May I see your driver’s license?
Suspect: “I am not showing my driver’s license to any damn cop! Now get out of my face!”

14. IDENTIFYING PROPERTY Describe completely Place a value
Use sketch or photograph

15. THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT
Field notes and an outline are the first steps in writing an accurate account of the incident

16. SEVEN ESSESNTIAL ELEMENTS
How
What action taken
Who
What
Where
When
Why

17. NOTES SHOULD ALSO INCLUDE
Key phrases or buzzwords
Statements
Evidence Collected
Events and actions recorded in chronological order
Sketches and pictures

18. CREATE AN OUTLINE
Creating a basic outline will organize the details of your report so that it can be written in chronological order and will contain all of the facts that have been gathered without leaving out important information.

19. THE SIXTH COMMANDMENT
Record all relevant facts and strive for accuracy.

20. FACTS VS. CONCLUSIONS
When writing reports, avoid falling into traps which appear to be conclusions
Refer to student handout and lesson plan for examples.

21. REPORT WRITING FORMAT Begin with outline form
Arrange information in chronological order
Keep the report simple
Proofread your report

22. THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT
Always remain objective and avoid the fatal errors of report writing.

23. FATAL ERRORS Bias Words that bring unnecessary emotion into report
Assumptions
Omitting substantive evidence

24. THE EIGHTH COMMANDMENT
Strive for clarity and readability

25. CLARITY AND READABILITY
Verb Use
Paragraphs
Pronouns
Choosing Language That Makes Sense
Punctuation
Pronouns – artificial/natural handout
Exercise

26. KEY ELEMENTS OF A USE OF FORCE REPORT
Descriptions of the environment
How the technique or force option was applied
Explanation of why the method, technique, and level of force was used – not what the method was

27. KEY ELEMENTS OF A USE OF FORCE REPORT cont.
Describing the person’s behavior and actions that necessitated the force
Identify the “Officer vs. Threat Factors” and the “Influential Circumstances” that necessitated the level of force
Description of the threat’s physical size and appearance

28. KEY ELEMENTS OF A USE OF FORCE REPORT cont.
Description of the scene in detail
Description of the First Aid/Post-Force care that was given to the person
In summary; Graham v Connor to describe leading up to, force used, after.

29. THE NINTH COMMANDMENT
Always proofread your report before submitting it

30. THE TENTH COMMANDMENT
Preview and Review

31. SUMMARY
Report writing skills will be a contributor or detractor to your career.
Can and will make or break any arrest.
Your reports reflect your professionalism, commitment and integrity.