CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING

Reporting- Reporting is knowingly passing along information to someone else

Reasons/Purposes of Writing Reports

1. Written reports are a permanent record of activities (preserves information of cases)

2. Make possible to transmit facts or essential data (provides accurate details of cases)
3. Aid top level intelligence experts in the interpretation and analysis of information (coordinate
investigation activities and serves as reference by competent authorities)

Pre-requires for good reporting

1. A precise understanding of the assignment

2. Ability to go where the desired information is
3. Ability to collect and retain accurately and in detail
4. Ability to transmit the collected information as soon as possible

Criteria/Standards used

1. It must not contain vague or unclear terms

2. It must be original and correct in both composition and grammar
3. Abbreviation must be used appropriately
4. Slang or unnecessary technical terms must be avoided
5. Erasures and alterations must be avoided
6. Duplicate copies must be clear, legible and officially authenticated
7. Contents must be factual and free from bias or prejudices

“Tools” for reporting

1. Six basic questions: Who? - What? - When? - Where? - Why? - How?

2. Seven basic characteristics of good report
Pertinent (relevant, useful, important, significant)
Accurate (precise, exact, true)
Complete (total, entire, full, absolute)
Clearly phrased
Concise (brief, direct, short)
Unbiased (impartial, balance, fair)
Timely (opportune, appropriate, judicious, speedy)

Incidents to be reported

1. Violations of laws and ordinances,

2. All calls in which any member of the police force dispatched or takes official action,
3. All legal papers handled such as warrant of arrest, subpoenas, summonses, citations,etc
4. Cases of missing and found persons, animals and property,
5. Accidents which require police actions,
6. All personal injuries, bodies found and suicides, any damage to property
7. All cases in which a police officer is involved,
8. All arrests made, and miscellaneous cases, general and special orders and all other incidents that
needs to be recorded.

Mechanics of Good Report

It should present a chronological sequence of events.
1. It should be typed written or computerized.
2. It should provide complete data of victim or suspect.
 3. Abbreviations should be avoided except those that are commonly known.
4. It should be brief but clear.
5. Every incident should be written in separate report.
6. It should be accurate and state facts and not opinions.
7. It should answer the 5W’s and 1H.

Reporting and Interpretation

1. Objective/factual reporting
2. Subjective/interpretive reporting
3. To report well, the competent and honest observer generally need not concern himself interpreting what
he observes.
4. Difference between fact and interpretation.

Note taking
1. Use one you find workable
2. Develop own system of abbreviations as in dates, etc.
3. Jot down facts only – get only the bones of the skeleton.
4. Omit articles, connectives – write key words of the information.
5. Write later the details when they are still fresh in your mind.

Organization and Expression of a report

1. Heading
2. Collection and source data
3. The information part.
4. The interpretative comments.

Qualities of Good Report Writing

1. Factual – because the report’s content are all based on facts, taken form one or any or all of
the investigator’s five senses, that of sight, smell ,taste, touch and hearing, thus it can be proven.
2. Complete – means reporting all the facts, which were discovered in the course of
investigation. Hence, any relevant and pertinent information must be reflected in the report.
3. Objective – means presenting all facts with appropriate words, free from the writer’s opinions,
propaganda or emotional bearings.
4. Clear – means that the report should be as simple and direct as possible. The subject or
objective, or purpose of the report should be clearly stated.
5. Relevant – in the sense that the report should relate exclusively to the stated objective of the
report. However, if another topic or matter is to be introduced in the same report, as a result of the
follow-up investigation of the original case, the presentation or inclusion of the newly discovered facts
should be closely related and the relationship should be made clear.
6. Brief – this can be attained by avoiding sensationalizing the facts, which is the inclusion of
unnecessary details not related to the case under investigation. A report can be brief if the facts are
unified and coherent.
7. Accurate – means the contents of the report must be based on facts, which are known through
the use of any or all of the five senses; sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch.
8. Up-to-date – meaning reports should be submitted on time and possibly according to
schedule. Hence, it should be current as of the time it is needed.
9. Fair – which can only be done through the avoidance of formulated preconceived theories that
could possibly lead to twisting of the real facts that could affect the report. And this can only be done by
keeping an open mind.

Investigative Reports

1. Preliminary Investigation Report - this is the case report, which contains the initial
listing of the facts of the case. It contains: the offense, current date and time, date and time of offense,
identification date pertaining to victim or reporting party or suspect, location of offense, MO, name of
investigating officer.
1. Progress/ Follow-up Investigation Report – it describe the progress of the investigation from time to time
 and ensure constant follow up. It contains: identification of evidences noted, accurate and pertinent
other facts
2. Final Investigation Report – the complete, more detailed report, which contains sufficient evidence
noted, identity of perpetrators, which warrant the filing of the case to court

Format Contents
1. Letterhead
2. Date
3. Addressee
4. I – Authority for Investigation
5. II – Details of Investigation/Matters Investigated/ Facts of the Case
6. III – Comments/Recommendation/Conclusions
7. Annexes (list of exhibits) (appendices)

Parts of an Information Report

Heading - The heading contains the reporting unit, date of report, the subject, date of information. The date
acquired, the place acquired, the report number, the reference, the evaluation, the attachments (s) and the source
(s).

 Reporting Unit-Indicate here the branch/Group or Station submitting the. Standard

abbreviations for the designated office may be used here.
 Date of report.- Refers to the date when the information report is accomplished by the
originating personnel.
 Subject- contains as succinctly as possible the name or description of the matter (s) reported
upon.
 Date of information- Give here the date (s) when each particular information was obtained by
the reporting officer.
 Date Acquired- Place here the date (s) when each item of information was obtained by the
reporting officer.
 Place Acquired- Give here the place (s) where each item of information was obtained by the
reporting officer.
 Report Number- Insert here the number of the report. These reports well be numbered from
one and so on which will be preceded by the project symbol and the letter I (demoting information);
e.g. CA/I/C42 will indicate Information Report Number 42 of Project “Cobra” (Code Symbol CA).
 References (s)- State here any pertinent reference, whether to previously relate information
reports and/or reference material and/or operational reports from which the information was taken.
 Evaluation – State here the degree of reliability of the information reported, both as to source
and as to contents by use of evaluation codes (letters and numbers).
 Attachment (s) – Enumerate here the different annexes appended and pertinent to the
information report.
 Source (s) – Describe the source to assist the reader in arriving at an evaluation of the report,
while at the same time, for security reason, protecting the source’s identity.

Body - This will contain a narrative discussion of the subject(s) of the information report. This should
cover the important points of the report proper. Always try to make the report specific (concise), objective,
complete, clear and accurate. No inclusions, opinions, analysis and the like should be included here.

Comments - This should include the objective views of the reporting officer and/or P/A and/or filed
sources as to the significants of the information submitted.

Signature- The Case Officer/Agent will affix his signature.

The four (4) “C” Test of a Good Report

CLEAR
 Is the report clear?
 Will the reader understand what the situation is or what happened? (Who? What? Where? When?
Why? How?)
 Is the report limited to one main subject?
 Is the report written in terms the reader knows?
  Is the information of interest to the reader?
 Are the important ideas emphasized?
 Do the points “hang together”?
 Are the recommendations and conclusions, if any, clear stated?
 Is the report written in “talking language”?

CONCISE
 Is the report as brief as possible?
 Can the report be read rapidly?
 Are meaningless phrases left out?
 Are unnecessary words eliminated?
 Are the sentences short and simple?
 Does the get to the point quickly?
 Are over – worked expression avoided?

CORRECT
 Is the grammar correct? All words spelled correctly?
 Are the facts and figures correct? Correct punctuations used?
 Are all words used correctly?
 Are contractions and abbreviations avoided?

COMPLETE
 Is the report dated/signed/classified?
 Is it clear to whom the report is to be sent?
 Does the report present all the information which the reader needs?
 Is it clear whether a reply is expected?
 Does you report have a human touch?

POLICE REPORTS

Concepts

 It is any written matter prepared by the police involving their interaction with the community.
 It is an exact narration of facts discovered during the course of investigation which serves as a
permanent written record for future reference.
 It is a permanent written record of police activities classified as informal and formal which
communicates important facts concerning people involved in criminal activities.

Types/Classifications

1. Informal Reports – is a letter of memorandum or any one of many prescribed or used methods of
communications, in a day-by-day police operations. It carries three items besides the text proper,
the data submitted, subject, and person or persons to whom submitted, and it contain many items
of administrative importance along with the subject matter of the text. Most police reports are
placed in this category.

2. Formal Reports – suggest a full-dress treatment, including cover, title page, letter of transmittal,
summary sheet, text, appendixes, and sometimes index and bibliography.

Informal Reports

 General Orders – used to publish matters relating to the modification of the skeleton of the
organization, shifting of functions from one command to another, changes of territorial jurisdiction of
police precincts, and those that requires execution of policies of the administration.
 Special Orders – used to announce appointments of personnel, whether original or promotional,
reinstatements, rank promotions, salary increases, transfers, designations, administrative fines and
punishments, resignations, retirements and dismissals.
 Numbered Memoranda – it contains directives of general concern to, and for compliance by, all
units and offices on specific subjects concerning various phases of external and internal police
 administration.
 Circulars – utilized in the publication of law, ordinances, executive orders, republic acts,
administrative orders, opinions and other valuable information which serve as convenient guides
and references for members in the performance of their official duties.
 Memoranda – used for the dissemination of specific orders for implementation/compliance by
certain units or individual members, usually of temporary nature or lasting for a certain period only.
This is also utilized for the publications of letters or appreciation and other communications from
various government and/or private offices and individuals.

Other Types of Police Reports

1. The Case Report

a. Complainant/Assignment Sheet which reflects all information regarding

complains and reports received by the police from the citizens and other agencies, or
actions initiated by the police.
b. Investigation Report, which contains the findings of an action taken by the
investigating officer based on inquiries made and by obtaining the available facts of the
incidents.

2. The Arrest and Booking Report - This record maintains the arrest and jail booking report, which is
required for all persons arrested. It shall bear an arrest number for each arrest made.

3. The Identification Report - Identification record is the third major division of police report. Fingerprint
records are the heart identification system. It provides positive identification and the police must supplement it
with a record of physical characteristics and in some cases a photograph of the criminal. Identification reports
have their own number series: an identification number is assigned to each criminal to identify records relating to
him.

4. The Administrative Report - These are reports required in the management of the department
personnel and designed to aid in assignment, promotion, and disciplinary actions. Such records are so essentials
in administering personnel matters that they must be maintained in a police department.

5. The Miscellaneous Report - These are reports, which do not relate to recorded complaint and
investigation reports but are informational in character.

Values and Uses of Police Report

1. It serve as the raw materials from which record systems are made;
2. It is written to serve as part of the component of the record system, the direct relationship between
the efficiency of the department and the quality of its reports and reporting procedures;
3. It is written to guide police administrator for policy-formulation and decision-making;
4. It is written to serve as a gauge for efficiency evaluation of police officers; and
5. It is written to guide prosecutors and courts in the trial of criminal cases investigated by the police.
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