1. Field Notes and Investigating Reporting
FIVE
Field Notes and Investigating Reporting

2. LEARNING OBJECTIVES Understand the importance of field notes
Distinguish between basic and primary investigative questions
List the six primary investigative questions
Understand formats for basic incident reports
Discuss aids to information gathering
Summarize the report approval and disposition processes
List elements common to incident reports
Explain techniques involved in writing effective reports
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3. THE IMPORTANCE OF FIELD NOTES
Field notes are more reliable than an officer's memory
Field notes are the primary information source for the incident report
Field notes completed in detail may reduce the need to re-contact the parties involved
Field notes can be used to defend the integrity of the incident report
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4. BASIC INVESTIGATIVE QUESTIONS
Asked by the first-responding officer
Used to fill in the blank spaces on the face of an incident report
Typically includes items such as:
Identity of victims and witnesses
How to recontact victims and witnesses
Specific information about the crime
Descriptions of the suspect
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5. PRIMARY INVESTIGATIVE QUESTIONS
Primary questions meet most investigative information needs
There are six recognized categories of primary questions:
What
When
Where
Who
How
Why
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6. INCIDENT REPORT
While the exact layout for incident reports typically varies from one jurisdiction to another, they all have a “face” with blanks into which the officer conducting the preliminary investigation enters basic case information.
Suspects: Additional information about suspects.
Witnesses: Information from witnesses, including their descriptions of events and things as they experienced them through their four senses.
Evidence: The evidence seized, how it was marked, the chain of custody, and numbers assigned by the property or evidence control room is recorded.
Interviews: All persons with whom the investigator talked during the course of the inquire should be identified, even if they could not provide information at the initial contact.
Investigation: A short description of the crime scene may be given to permit a basic conceptualization of it by persons to whom it is unfamiliar.
Reconstruction: The reconstruction is a narration of the probably manner in which the crime was committed.
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7. INCIDENT REPORT (cont’d)
(Source: Courtesy Athens-Clarke County, Georgia, Police Department)
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8. NIBRS
The National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS), is administered by the FBI
Its format allows for much more data about an offense to be gathered
Data gathered allows police to look for relationships between:
Victims and offenders
drugs/alcohol and crime
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9. NIBRS INCIDENT REPORT
The NIBRS incident report collects a significant amount of information for later analysis by investigators
(Source: Courtesy Sterling Heights, Michigan, Police Department)
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10. SUSPECT DESCRIPTION FORM
There are numerous aids that investigators can use to gather information from witnesses. The suspect description form is one such aid.
(Source: Courtesy Philadelphia, Police Department)
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11. ASSORTED HANDGUNS
Another valuable aid for investigators is the handgun identification chart such as the one shown. This is a useful tool for witnesses who are unfamiliar with guns.
9-mm Smith & Wesson Semiautomatic
.22 RG-10 Revolver
.357 Herter’s Derringer
.357 Colt Python Revolver
.25 Colt Semiautomatic
.45 U.S. Semiautomatic
.22 Ruger Revolver
.38 Smith & Wesson Chief’s Special Revolver
(Source: A Visual Aid for Firearms Identification, Federal Bureau of Investigation.)
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12. REPORT APPROVAL AND DISPOSITION PROCESS
Officer sends/gives Incident Report to supervisor
Supervisor reviews report
Requests corrections and/or additional information
Corrections made and/or additional information provided
Approves/Signs report
Makes disposition
Retained for further uniformed officer investigation
Unfounded
Inactivated
Referred for plainclothes investigation
Police reports are subject to supervisory review for corrections and guidance before their final disposition
Well written reports are very helpful to investigators who may be conducting follow-up investigations at a later date
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13. THE REPORT DISPOSITION PROCESS
Supervisory options for report disposition following approval include:
The case may be retained for further investigation by uniformed officers
It may be unfounded (i.e., the complaint is false)
The case may be inactivated due to the lack of leads
It may be referred to plainclothes investigators
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14. COMMON ELEMENTS OF INCIDENT REPORTS
Race, Ethnicity and Sex
Age
Physical and Addresses
Telephone/Pager/Wireless Numbers
Personal Descriptions
Property Description
Occupation
Value
Date
Time
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15. WRITING EFFECTIVE REPORTS
If incident reports are going to serve the many uses to which they can be put, they must meet certain standards.
Fill in all of the blanks on the incident report
Write the report in the first person
Avoid unnecessary technical or legalistic jargon
Write short sentences
Use shorter paragraphs for the same reason.
Support any conclusions you express with details
Don’t repeat facts more than once
Check your spelling
Edit what you write
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16. SUPPLEMENTAL REPORTS Supplemental reports are written to:
Document new or corrected information
Document specific acts or accomplishments, such as the issuance of a warrant, arrest of a suspect, or the recovery of property
Unfound an offense
Exceptionally clear an offense
Inactivate a case
Should be written every 10 days
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