What makes a good report...

[SDU_Eric]

When you write a report, do you use first person point of view, or do you use narrative point of view? If you use 3rd person pov, what do you call your urself? The writer? The officer?

What other tips you got that will make a good report?

[keith758]

A good report cites the facts: Who, What, Where, When and How. It does not include personal opinion or conjecture. I, personally can not stand a report in which the author referres to themselves as "This Officer." Simply calling yourself I" is sufficient. I'll know who "This Officer" is when I see who signed the report.

[1oldsarge]

Write it just like you're writing a factual story. First person, always. Chronological if possible. As Keith said, refer to yourself as "I". Don't use any cop jargon, just plain english. If you put it in the computer, pls use spell check (defense attorneys love bad spelling and such). One resource is "Amazon.com" for
"The New Police Report Manual" by Devallis Rutledge.

[slamdunc]

Write it just like you're writing a factual story. First person, always. Chronological if possible. As Keith said, refer to yourself as "I". Don't use any cop jargon, just plain english. If you put it in the computer, pls use spell check (defense attorneys love bad spelling and such). One resource is "Amazon.com" for
"The New Police Report Manual" by Devallis Rutledge.
All good points: I was trained to write in first-person, active voice in chronological order. I always start mine with the time and date, identify myself and then get into how I became involved in the incident.
The spelling thing really is critical. Defense attorneys always try to attack your credibility, your memory, your vision, etc. I have been in court when an attorney handed copies of a police report to the jury and judge. The attorney had taken the liberty of checking all spelling and grammar; he basically graded the report and gave it a D+. The officer was visibly shaken and his testimony went downhill. The state still won the case, but it had an effect.

[Camo Cop]

See if you can get a few examples from your supervisors and/or prosecutors that they feel are "very good". After reviewing what they consider to be a good report you'll have a much better idea of what is expected. After you get good at meeting his/her expectations try to find ways to make continuous improvements. After 20 years I'm still making improvements.

Learn the difference between minutia and important details. Make sure you specify how the suspect violated the specific statute.

Don't be thin-skinned when the supervisors critique your efforts, even if you have a numb-nutz like mine.

Your efforts in the field are wasted if you don't properly document things in your reports.

Opinions can be included in the right time and place. For example, an officer who has been well trained in accident investigation will include opinions as to the contributing causes of the accident. If it is an opinion, it should be clearly stated as such.

Dat's my $0.02

[My Gluttony]

It s importint that you writ it compleet and acerate

Watch you're spelling and grammer

Don't use no dubble negiteves

What is first persin meen ?

[1042 Trooper]

Brief but complete
The truth

[sflcop]

Always use first person, always spell check, and as mentioned always state how the specific statute was violated. For example, if your PC for stopping the vehicle was hearing loud music emitting from over 25 feet, do not just say that as the vehicle was approaching you heard the music. You need to ARTICULATE that it was over 25 feet, and how you came to that conclusion. Sorry, that one came to mind as it was my PC for a good drug arrest the other night. I always start mine off with the date and time... On August 9, 2006, and approximately 1011 hours, I was....

Hope this helps.

[Kieth M.]

29.5 years ago, I was trained to write my reports in the third-person, "Officers then entered the location. Officers were hailed by Victim-Jones, who stated....." Today, we are meant to write our reports in the first-person, "I entered the location with my partner, Victim-Jones came forward and stated..."

Today, in the arrests for major felonies, or when force is used in any arrest, we now have any involved officer write a statement. WE don't do anything as a team any longer. Each of us may have different views of what took place and we have to explain that, in our separate statements.

I remember 25 years ago, having to write a report in that WE, team-mode, then later having to explain that my partner had stepped out of the room to do whatever else, so he didn't recover the evidence with me and couldn't testify to that part of the case.

I would like to say that I have now eliminated most, if not all cop-talk from my reports:

"On above date/time, I entered my mkd b/w veh(icle) and neg(otiated) an l/t-s/b Framas from Main. I then obs'd deft-smith on the s/w ft/of loc(ation), who looked at me...." Has become: "On 08/09/2006 at about 0755 hours, I got into my marked black and white police vehicle and made a left-turn southbound on Framas from Main St. I saw James Smith, standing on the sidewalk in front of 2341 S. Framas. Smith looked in my direction..."

But some things about report-writing have never changed:

Be as brief as possible.

Use as many words as necessary.

Support opinions with facts. (Not "Smith was drunk" But, "Based on the odor of an alcoholic beverage on his breath, his staggered gait, his flushed face, and slurred speech, I concluded Smith was drunk.")

If you don't write it down, it didn't happen. (Meaning that if your suspect did X-Y-Z, don't write a report that only says he did X and Z, then walk into court and talk about Y. The defense will inform you there's no mention of Y in your report. "I made a mistake, and left it out," might be your reply. "Oh? Well Officer, what other mistakes did you make and what else did you leave out?" It is, indeed, a very difficult tap-dance on that witness stand.

If it's worth doing, it's worth doing well. Take the time to write the report needed to justify your actions in a particular case. Keep innocent people out of jail and guilty ones in jail.

I'll end by saying that when I was in the Academy, one of our training officers told us to be proud of every report we write. "Who knows," he said, "one day it could end up on the table at the Supreme Court." One report I wrote didn't go to the Supreme Court, it went 2000 or so miles across the Pacific. Imagine my surprise, and the jelousy of my co-workers when the subpoena to be in court in Honululu, Hawaii was served on me! :D

[Kieth M.]

Oh, yeah, one more thing...

Make sure your reports satisfy the elements of whatever crime you're reporting/arresting for.

Here, in California, there's two statutes for stealing a car. 487.3PC Grand Theft Auto says the vehicle was taken with the intent to permanently deprive the owner of the use of the vehicle...then there's 10851VC driving vehicle w/o the owner's consent (joyriding). If you're gonna' convict 487.3Pc, you had better be able to artculate the intent to perm/deprive (stripped parts, VIN plate removed, papers forged), otherwise you may arrest 487.3PC but you'll only get a 10851Vc conviction.

[firemanjb]

When you write a report, do you use first person point of view, or do you use narrative point of view? If you use 3rd person pov, what do you call your urself? The writer? The officer?

What other tips you got that will make a good report?

In addition to what has been stated, go back and read what you wrote. Read it like you have no idea what happened on the scene. Does it still make sense, or is it confusing? Does the story flow or are there gaps? Are the reasons for your actions spelled out, or implied?

Good: "I saw part of a ballpoint pen that was melted and bent, so I arrested Mr. Smith for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia."
Better: "I saw the insert of a ballpoint pen; the rest of the pen was not immediately visible. The open end of the insert was melted and burned; based on my training and experience, it appeared that the insert had been used as a pushrod for smoking crack cocaine. I arrested Mr. Smith and charged him with Possession of Drug Paraphernalia."

[SDU_Eric]

Thanks for the helpful tips. Now I take my sweet time to type up my report so its better than my previous ones.

Imagine my surprise, and the jelousy of my co-workers when the subpoena to be in court in Honululu, Hawaii was served on me! :O

Now this is an example that I will have in the back of my mind... maybe one day I will end up on the other side of the world as well :D