INTRODUCTION TO POLICE REPORT WRITING

REPORT WRITING LITERARY - JOURNALISTIC IMAGERY, ENTERTAINMENT CRIME REPORT FACTUAL, ACCURATE

COMMUNICATION PROCESS THOUGHT TRANSMISSION REPLY UNDERSTOOD RECEIVED

PURPOSES OF A POLICE REPORT DOCUMENT REPORT, STATISTICAL ANALYSIS POLITICAL REASONS TO MAKE A RECORD OF THE INCIDENT INVESTIGATIVE FOLLOW UP LEADS WORD PICTURE INFORMATION

INTRODUCTION TO POLICE REPORT WRITING CRITICALITY OF EFFECTIVE POLICE REPORT WRITING - AN ESSENTIAL SKILL PROBLEMS WITH POOR WRITING - CONSEQUENCES COURSE METHOD: PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION; ROLE PLAYING

INTRODUCTION TO POLICE REPORT WRITING SKILLS PRACTICED: WRITING, INTERVIEWING, CRIME SCENE SEARCHING, EVIDENCE HANDLING GRADING SYSTEM FOR REPORTS 5 POINTS SPELLING 5 POINTS GRAMMAR 15 POINTS CONTENT

INTRODUCTION TO POLICE REPORT WRITING PERSPECTIVES: COURSE IS BASED UPON SIMULATED PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATIONS STUDENT AS POLICE OFFICER/WRITER TEACHER AS FTO/FIELD SUPERVISOR/DETECTIVE STANDARDS FOR ACCEPTANCE FILING DEPUTY DA/FOLLOW UP DECECTIVE

POLICE AND CITY MANAGEMENT DOJ/FBI RECORDS CRIME REPORT INTERNAL FILES DETECTIVES PATROL REGIONAL CRIME IMPACT TEAMS COURT/DA

PURPOSES PROSECUTORIAL PURPOSES PUBLIC INFORMATION ELEMENTS OF THE CRIME WORD PICTURE PUBLIC INFORMATION MEDIA INFORMATION EXCHANGE

WAYS TO IMPROVE REPORT WRITING BE BRIEF/CONCISE ELIMINATE VAGUENESS MAKE IT UNDERSTANDABLE RE-READ AS YOU WRITE KEEP OBJECTIVE IN FOCUS REDUCE EGO WHEN STUCK, REMEMBER CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER

NARRATIVE STYLE STYLE SHOULD BE EFFICIENT ACCURATE AND FACTUAL OBJECTIVE - NOT PERSONALIZED WRITTEN IN FIRST PERSON REFLECTING WRITER’S ACTIONS STATEMENTS IN 3RD PERSON AVOID DIRECT QUOTES EXCEPT TO EMPHASIZE A POINT

INTRODUCTION TO REPORT WRITING F CTUAL A CCURATE C LEAR C ONCISE C OMPLETE T IMELY

NARRATIVE STYLE REPORTS SHOULD BE CLEAR AND UNDERSTANDABLE MINIMIZE EXTRANEOUS VERBIAGE STICK TO THE POINT USE OF HEADING SYSTEM

ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS WHO: VICTIMS, SUSPECTS, WITNESSES WHAT: ELEMENTS OF CRIME, DETAILS OF INCIDENT WHERE: EXACTLY IF KNOWN ADDRESSES, SPECIFIC AREAS WHEN: TIME FRAME

ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS HOW: M.O. IF KNOWN WHY: IF KNOWN

“FUZZY WORDS” INDICATED (SAID) CONTACTED (PHONED, TALKED TO) RESPONDED (DROVE, WENT, CAME) OBSERVED (SAW) DETECTED (SMELLED, HEARD, SAW) EXITED (LEFT, GOT OUT OF..)

“FUZZY WORDS” PROCEEDED TO -(WENT, DID) ALTERCATION - (FIGHT) UTILIZE - (MAKE USE OF)

REPORT FORMAT FACE PAGE NARRATIVE STATISTICAL BIOGRAPHICAL CRIME ANALYSIS INFORMATION BOXES AND CHECK-OFFS - A FORM- NARRATIVE “THE STORY”

PRELIMINARY INFORMATION NARRATIVE HEADINGS PRELIMINARY INFORMATION FIRST PARAGRAPH WHAT INITIATES THE ACTION? HOW DID THE CALL START? OFFICER OBSERVATION? “CITIZEN FLAG-DOWN” RADIO CALL TIME CALL WAS RECEIVED

NARRATIVE HEADINGS NATURE OF THE CALL IN PROGRESS? JUST OCCURRED? WEAPONS INVOLVED? INJURIES? DEATHS? SUSPECT/VEH DESCRIPTION DIRECTION OF TRAVEL

NARRATIVE HEADINGS INITIAL OBSERVATION SECOND PARAGRAPH OR SUBSEQUENT CATEGORY WHAT OFFICER FIRST SEES ON SCENE OR WHAT WITNESSES/VICTIMS FIRST TELL HIM/HER ABOUT THE INCIDENT PROTECTIVE SWEEPS AID TO INJURED PERSONS UPDATING BROADCASTS

REPORTING PARTY STATEMENT NARRATIVE HEADINGS REPORTING PARTY STATEMENT OFTEN THE VICTIM DETAILS OF INCIDENT MAY PROVIDE SUSP DESCRIPTION WHAT DID RP ACTUALLY SEE? CAN ID SUSPECT? EVIDENCE TO CONTRIBUTE? VICTIM STATEMENTS IF NOT RP WITNESS STATEMENTS

CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SCENE METHODICAL AND ORGANIZED ALL EVIDENCE IN SCENE DESCRIBED WHAT WAS OBSERVED AND COLLECTED. MAY PRECEDE WITNESS STATEMENTS ASSISTANCE OF OTHERS AT SCENE

EVIDENCE ITEMIZED LISTING OF PHYSICAL EVIDENCE COLLECTED DETAILED DESCRIPTION NUMBERED AND REFERENCED TO LOCATION

CONCLUSION HOW WAS CRIME COMMITTED? WHEN? BY WHOM? SUPPORTING EVIDENCE? DISPOSITION OF PRISONERS, VEHICLES AND INJURED OR KILLED PERSONS