How to Write an Effective Police Report

Law Enforcement Report Writing Research
How to Write a Police Report

Four Parts: Following Protocol Describing What Happened Editing
Your Report Sample Police Report and Things to Include
If you're a police officer who is deployed to the scene of an incident,
writing up a detailed and accurate report is an important part of doing your
job correctly. This can also be useful if you are a security guard. Like police
officers, security guards may have to write reports on any incident that
may have happened during their shift. A good incident report gives a
thorough account of what happened. Don't gloss over unsavory information
or leave out important facts.
Part 1 of 4: Following Protocol
Get the correct forms from your department. Each police department
has a different protocol in place for dealing with an incident and filing a
report. You may be responsible for filling out a form issued by your
department, or you may be asked to type or write up the report by hand.
Don't forget to turn it into the correct department.
 Try to do your write-up using word processing software. It will look

neater and you'll be able to use spell check to polish it when you're
finished. If you write your report by hand, print clearly instead of
using cursive.
 Start the report as soon as possible. Start by thinking

through exactly what happened and jot down some notes as
soon as possible after the incident. Write your report the same
day as the incident, if you can, because waiting will make it
harder to remember details. Try to do your report write-up
within the first 24 hours after the incident.[1] [2]
Bexar County Constables Office PCT#4 Effective LE Report Writing Research GDL 2015 Page 1
o Even if you can’t write the report on the day that the incident
happened, make sure you write down the date that you
actually did write it, to prevent any confusion. At least make
some notes right after the incident.
 Give the basic facts. Your form may have blank spaces for
you to fill out with information about the incident. If not, start the report
with a sentence clearly stating the following basic information:
 The time, date and location of the incident (Be specific. Write the
exact street address, etc.).
 Your name and ID number
 Names of other officers who were present
 Include a line about the basic nature of the incident.

Describe what brought to you to the scene of the incident. If you got a call,
describe the call and note what time you received it. Write an objective,
factual sentence describing what happened. Don't write what you think
might have happened. Stick to the facts, and be objective.
 For example, a report might say: On 8/23/10 at approximately 2340

hours officer was assigned to 17 Dist. response vehicle. Officer at
that time was notified via radio by central dispatch of a 911 call at
the location of 123 maple street. Officer was also informed by central
dispatch that this 911 call may be domestic related.
 Include a line about the basic nature of the incident.

Describe what brought to you to the scene of the incident. If you got a call,
describe the call and note what time you received it. Write an objective,
factual sentence describing what happened. Don't write what you think
might have happened. Stick to the facts, and be objective. [5][6]
o For example, a report might say: On 8/23/10 at approximately

2340 hours officer was assigned to 17 Dist. response vehicle.
Officer at that time was notified via radio by central dispatch of
a 911 call at the location of 123 maple street. Officer was also
informed by central dispatch that this 911 call may be domestic
related.
Part 2 of 4: Describing What Happened
 Write in the first-person telling what happened. This

should be a detailed chronological narrative of what happened
when you reported to the scene. Use the full names of the
people who are included in your report. Start a new paragraph
to describe each person's actions separately. Answer the who,
what, when, where, and why of what happened. [7][8]
o For example, an officer's report could say: Upon arrival, I

observed a male white, know known as, Doe,Johnny,
screaming and yelling at a female white,know known as, Doe,
Jane, in the front lawn of the above location (the address given
earlier). I separated both parties involved for field interviews. I
was told by Mr. Johnny that he had came home from work and
discovered that dinner was not made for him. He then stated
that he became upset at his wife Mrs. Jane for not having the
dinner ready for him.
 Include rich detail in your report. If possible, make sure to

include direct quotes from witnesses and other people involved
in the incident. Include an accurate description of your own role
in the course of what occurred. If you had to use physical force
to detain someone, don't gloss over it. Report how you handled
the situation and its aftermath. Follow your department's
protocol with regard to reporting on witnesses and evidence. [9]

[10]
o Use specific descriptions. For example, instead of saying "I

found him inside and detained him," write something like, "I
arrived at 2005 Everest Hill at 12:05. I walked to the house and
knocked on the door. I tried the knob and found it to be
unlocked..."
 Use diagrams. Draw a picture or diagram in your report if it is

difficult to explain certain information in words. You may also
want to use a picture or diagram to show what the scene of the
incident looked like.[11][12]
o Police officers often have to write reports about auto accidents. It can
be much clearer to illustrate with a picture or a diagram how the
accident occurred. You can draw a picture of the street and use arrows
to show how where each was moving when they hit each other.
 Be thorough. Write as much as you can remember and

include as many details as you can remember. Don't leave
room for people reading the report to interpret something the
wrong way. Don't worry about your report being too long or
wordy. The important thing is to report a complete picture of
what occurred.[13][14]
o For example, instead of saying “when I arrived, his face was

red,” you could say, “when I arrived, he was yelling, out of
breath, and his face was red with anger.” The second example
is better than the first because there are multiple reasons

someone’s face is red, not just that they are angry.
 Be accurate. If you did not see something happen, make sure

that you don't report that you did. If a witness tells you
something that you did not see, whatever the witness says is
considered “hearsay.” Hearsay is something you hear that you
cannot substantiate by personal knowledge. Report hearsay as
hearsay, not as something you personally saw.[15][16]
o Even though it is hearsay, make sure to write down what each

individual at the scene said to you. It may be important, even if
they are lying. Include any information about the witnesses
demeanor, in case what he or she told you becomes
controversial.
 Be clear. Don't use flowery, confusing language to describe

what happened. Your writing should be clear and concise. Don't
use legal or technical words. Use short, to-the-point, fact-
oriented sentences that don't leave room for interpretation. [17]
[18]
o Use the party’s name when possible, so you can avoid

confusion when talking about multiple people. Also, spell out
abbreviations. For example, say “personal vehicle” instead of
“P.O.V.” (personally owned vehicle), and “scene of the crime”
instead of “code 11,” which is a police term for “on the scene.”
 Be honest. Even if you're not proud of how you handled the

situation, it's critical that you write an honest account. If you
write something untrue it may end up surfacing later, putting
your job in jeopardy and causing problems for the people

involved in the incident.
o Preserve your integrity and that of the institution you represent

by telling the truth.
Part 3 of 4: Editing Your Report
1. Edit and proofread your report. Read through it to make sure it's
understandable and easy to understand. Double check all of the facts,
including spellings of names, dates, times, addresses, license plate
numbers, and so on. Make sure you didn't leave out any information that
should have been included. Look for obvious gaps in the narrative that you
might need to fill in.
o Check it one more time for spelling and grammar errors.

Remove any words that could be seen as subjective, like words
describing feelings and emotions.
 Submit your incident report. Find out the name of the

person or department to whom your report must be sent. If
you can, submit an incident report in person. Make yourself
available to answer further questions or provide clarification.
o If you have to mail or email your report, follow up with a phone

call within a 10 day period. Do this to make sure your report
was received.
Part 4 of 4: Checklist of what to include in your

report
1. Items to Include in the Report:
 Existing witness reports

 Description of the crime scene:
 Complete (Accurate) Address
 Specific crime committed
 Crime scene evidence
 Locations
 Date
 Time
2. Chronological narrative (include each of the following, if

they apply):
 How did you come upon the scene?
 Who was involved?
 Which investigative avenues are being taken?
 What was said?
 Arrests made
 Evidence
 Reason why the officer was on the scene
 Booking
 Description of witnesses
 Description of crime committed
 Details about other officers involved
 Any other relevant factors

3. Editing Steps
 Report is typed (unless specifically requested to be hand-written)
 Report is current (continues up until the present day)
 Report contains proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation
 Names of witnesses and places are spelled correctly
 Report is free of subjective wording and personal opinions (except
in witness reports)
Tips
1. Ask your department for any templates or forms that they use, in
order to make sure the report is in the proper format.
2. Add to the report, if new information comes to light. Add an

addendum that reports the new information, rather than deleting
information from your original report. That information may also be
important.
3. Keep a copy of the report for your records. You may need to refer
back to it in the future
Sample Police Report

Case Number: 010147858
Date: 13 August 2013
Reporting Officer: Deputy Jones
Prepared By: CPL Stevens
Incident Type: Robbery
Address of Occurrence: 557 Maple Street, Manchester, NH 03104
Witnesses:
Alan Perez: Store owner. Male, 43, Latino
Michael Tully: Employee. Male, 21, African American
Andrea Chao: Customer. Female, 27, Asian American
Evidence:
Closed-circuit surveillance footage
Fingerprints (taken from counter)
Footprint (size 10 Nike Air, found in drying paint)
Weapon/Objects Used: Pistol/Firearm
Preliminary Investigation:
On August 13, 2013, at approximately 17:38, two unidentified males

entered a 7-Eleven convenience store and stole $232 from the register
at gunpoint. The store’s security camera recorded the incident as one
man pointed a handgun at store owner Alan Perez while the other man
gestured threateningly while demanding that Perez give him the money
from the register. “Two guys came in with masks and a gun,” Perez said
in his witness statement, “and one started yelling at us to give him the
money.” Perez was running the store with the help of Michael Tully, his
employee. Tully described the suspects as middle-aged, white, both
wearing leather jackets, jeans, and ski masks. The only customer in the
store was Andrea Chao, who heard the robbery taking place but did not
see it as she was in the store restroom at the time.
After obtaining the money from the register, the two suspects ran out of
the store. The parking lot had been painted earlier that afternoon, and
Perez identified one of the suspect’s footprints in the drying paint.
Deputy Jones arrived on the scene at around 18:15, responding to

Perez’s 911 call. After reviewing the security footage, Deputy Jones
noticed that the unarmed suspect had at one point leaned across the
counter as he was grabbing money from Tully and Perez. Fingerprints
were captured from the counter and sent to the forensics lab for
analysis. Closer inspection of the drying shoeprint revealed that one of
the suspects was wearing size 10 Nike Airs, which is consistent with the
security footage.
SOURCE: http://www.wikihow.com/Write-a-Police-Report
2 secrets to good report writing: Organization and

clarity
Set the scene, by introducing the people, property and other information
before it is discussed.
What is the secret to good report writing? The answer is twofold —

organization and clarity. By following these two principles, you’re
already on the path to a great report.
A major problem for a lot of report writers is organization, not writing the
report in chronological order.
The problem with chronological order is: the order according to whom? Is
it the writer, the victim, a witness or perhaps even the suspect? Each of
these actors in the event has their own perspective to the order of events.
Where Do I Begin?
For the writer, the incident starts when they first arrive on the scene. For
the victim, it is when they first realize they are the victim. For the witness,
it is when they first see the action that makes them a witness.
Of course, for the suspect, it is when they make that conscious decision to
commit the crime.
When we say chronological order — meaning true chronological order —

we’re talking a bout the order in which the events actually occurred.
Many reports begin this way:
While on patrol, (date and time) I received a call to (location). Upon

my arrival, I spoke to the victim, (name) who said...
This format is told in the order in which the events occurred to the writer.
It can work — and has worked since report writing began — in simple
cases with few principals, facts, and evidence. In these cases, it is easy to
use and can be understood fairly well.
The problems in clarity occur when there are multiple principals, a

significant amount of evidence, and events occurred over a longer time
period of time.
You know you’re having problems in organization when you ask yourself,
“Where do I begin?”
Telling the Story Backward

This format is not what I would call a report. It is a statement from the
writer saying what happened to them. In fact, in most cases the crime has
already occurred and the writer is telling the story backward.
When asked why they write this way, many writers will state that they
don’t want to make it look like they are “making it up” — they want to
emphasize where they received the information.
I have a simple startup paragraph that relieves this concern and makes it
clear where the information came from:
I, (name), on (date and time) received a call to (location) reference to

(the crime). My investigation revealed the following information.
This one short paragraph is interpreted to mean you talked to all the
parties involved and examined the evidence.
A report is not a statement of what the writer did (although this format can
more or less work). A report tells the story of what happened, based on
the investigation.
Some writers are concerned about being required to testify about what the
report revealed. This is not a concern. You only testify to what you did,
heard, or saw.
When a witness tells you what they saw, you cannot testify to those facts,
only that they said it to you. Their information should be thoroughly
documented in their own written statements. Each witness, victim, or
suspect will testify to their own part in the case. Crime scene technicians
and experts will testify to the evidence and how it relates to the case.
Your story, told in true chronological order, will be the guide to the
prosecutor of what happened. It is like the outlines in a coloring book. The
prosecutor will add the color with his presentation, using all the subjects
and experts as his crayons to illustrate the picture — the story.
The investigating officer that writes the report is one of those crayons.
Setting the Scene

We start the process with the opening statement I outlined above. You can
change the verbiage to suit your own style. The important phrase is the
last sentence, “My investigation revealed the following information.” This
tells the reader that this is the story of what happened. Your actions will be
inserted in the story as it unfolds.
When you start, set the scene. Introduce the people, property and other
information before it is discussed. For example: In a convenient store
robbery, set the time, location and victim before you describe the action.
Mr. Jones was working as a store clerk on Jan 12th, 2013, at the Mid-
Town Convenient store, 2501 E. Maple Street, at 2315 hours. Jones
was standing behind the counter, facing the store. There were no
other people in the store.
These first sentences set the scene. The next sentence is the next thing
that happens.
Approximately 2020 hours the suspect walked in the front door.
Each of the following sentences is merely a statement of what happened

next.
• The suspect walked around the store in a counter clockwise

direction.
• When he emerged from the back of the store he was wearing a
stocking mask.
• He walked up to the counter and pointed a small revolver at the
clerk.
• He said, “Give me all the money in the register...”
If you have multiple subjects involved in the event, introduce and place
them all at the same time, before starting the action. A good example of
this is a shoplifting case with multiple suspects and multiple loss prevention
officers. Before starting the action, place all the people.
This makes it easy to describe the action when it starts.
After you finish telling the story, you can add all the facts that need to be
included in the report not brought out in the story. Example:
• Evidence collected

• Pictures taken
• Statements of witnesses, the victim and even the suspect.
• Property recovered
• Any facts needed to be documented in the case
Using this process will ensure your report is clear and complete.
Source: http://www.policeone.com/investigations/articles/6289855-2-
secrets-to-good-report-writing-Organization-and-clarity/
A simple way to improve your report writing
What does police report writing have in common with "the beautiful
people?"
You submit your report to the supervisor. He reads it and says, “This is
terrible.” When you ask what is wrong, he stutters, he stammers, he looks
at the report and perhaps picks out some phrase or word he doesn’t like.
You think, “That’s it?” He hands it back to you and tells you to fix it. You
scratch your head and begin the rewrite, not sure what he wants. What’s
wrong with it? You don’t know and he doesn’t know exactly how to
articulate why he thinks it’s so bad. He only knows he doesn’t like it.
Well, it is probably ugly.
You know what I mean. You know it when you see it, but it is hard to
define. Look around you, look at the people you see everyday, look at the
people on TV in magazines and the movies. We all pretty much agree on
who is pretty, good looking and who is not. Well what makes it so, we all
agree, but we cannot describe it. We can point to examples. If you have
the talent, you can draw it. Most people do not know what it is, but most
of us fail to really think about it.
Well, here it is. It is organization. When you look at a person, your brain
sizes up the organization of the face. Is it balanced? Are the eyes even?
Are the ears the right size for the head? Are the features balanced? This is
the same thing the new technological application is doing. It is looking for
organization and balance.
Back to our reports. What is it that the supervisor is subconsciously picking

up on in your report? It is the organization. If it is not organized, it is ugly
and the supervisor sees it. Many times they don’t exactly know what it is
they are seeing, like looking at the ugly person, the supervisor sees ugly,
you know, ugly. How do we fix it? Answer, get organized.
First Person
Most reports police officers write are written in first person. They are telling
the story of what happened to them. Unfortunately, this is a backwards
report. Most of them start, “I responded to a crime, I talked to the victim
and they said….” and it goes on with the writer telling us what happened
to them, the writer. They are telling us what happened to them. This can
make for a confusing story as it is told from back to front, or middle to
back and then back to front. Rarely do we tell the story from the true
beginning to end, unless we were there when it started.
How often does that happen? Right... rarely!
Chronology
Here is my solution to the problem. Tell the story in the order that it
occurred. Gather all of your information from the victim, the witnesses,
sometimes the suspect, your observations, and the evidence. Put the
information back in the order it actually occurred. Time order is easier to
write and easier to read. Some people have criticized this method because
you did not see the incident happen. My answer, it is not a statement, it is
a description of what happened and it is supported by the testimony of the
people and the evidence. To clarify this at the outset, make this statement:
“On date and time, I Officer Name, responded to location reference to

crime. My investigation revealed the following information.”
This statement tells the reader that you responded to a crime, talked to a
lot of people, looked at the evidence and this is what you have discovered.
Remember, you are not writing a statement (what happened to you) or an

arrest affidavit (sworn testimony of your opinion) leading to the probable
cause. You are merely telling the reader what happened.
The process is easy. You go to the scene and gather all of your
information, verify the facts, evaluate your evidence. The next step is to
put those facts in true chronological order. For example, you respond to a
spouse abuse. You arrive and talk to the wife. She tells you the husband
comes home, hits her, and leaves a bruise on her face. She called 911, you
arrive, you investigate and he goes to jail. The first thing that happened is
not you arriving, the first thing is, she was at home. The facts in true order
may be as follows:
• Wife is at home
• Husband comes home
• Husband hits wife
• The hit leaves a bruise
• The wife calls police
• You arrive
• You investigate
• You arrest husband
• Husband is taken to jail
This is an admittedly simplistic example. However, it is an example of

putting the even back into order. When the supervisor reads it, it will look
good, because it is organized. In the instruction of report writing, I’ve
found this to be an easier way to write the report and the end result has
been well received by supervisors. In one case, a deputy came to class and
shared with me the fact that her report writing was bad and she would be
terminated if she did not improve. Her Sergeant tried to tell her how to
write the report, but was having a hard time explaining it.
After learning this method, she told her sergeant about it. He did not
understand and told her, “You write the report, and I will tell you if it is
OK.”
During the weekend, she had the opportunity to work a complex call of a
robbery, a pursuit, and an arrest. She used this simple process to write her
report. The sergeant read the report and exclaimed how good it was. The
bottom line: she was previously not organized and the sergeant saw it as
ugly. She organized it, and now it is good looking. The sergeant recognized
the organization as a good report.
So I say to you, organize it first and write it right.
Source: http://www.policeone.com/police-products/police-
technology/software/report-writing/articles/2867049-A-simple-way-to-
improve-your-report-writing/
Ten Tips for Writing Reports Efficiently
Try using these 10 tips the next time you write a police report, and you’ll
be able to complete your paperwork more quickly and efficiently. And
that’s only one of the benefits. Anyone who reads your report (a
lieutenant, reporter, or attorney) will be impressed by your professionalism
and writing ability. You will have avoided outdated (and time-wasting)
wordiness that characterizes so much police writing.
1. Use names and pronouns (I, he, her) when you write about yourself and
others at the scene. Avoid outdated expressions like “this officer” and “the
abovementioned witness” or “victim 1.”
In the past some officers were taught that impersonal terminology

guaranteed objectivity and accuracy. Not true! You have the same integrity
whether you’re calling yourself “I” or “this officer.” And think about this: if
you were testifying in court, and sworn to tell the truth, you would use
everyday language (“I,” “me”) in your testimony. Follow the same practice
in your reports.
2. Limit yourself to one idea per sentence.
Short, straightforward sentences are easy to read and understand, saving

time for everyone. (You’ll especially appreciate this time-saving tip when
you’re reviewing a report to prepare for a court hearing.) The longer a

sentence is, the more likely you are to make an error.
3. Start every sentence with a person, place, or thing.
Normal sentence structure in English begins with a noun, and the grammar
is simple: Just put a period at the end. Complicated sentences, on the
other hand, require complicated punctuation, and they open the door to
sentence errors.
4. Try to limit yourself to three commas per sentence.
If a sentence has more than three commas, it’s probably too complicated
to be read easily, and it may contain usage or punctuation errors.
5. Be as clear and specific as possible.
“Contacted” is vague: Did you visit, phone, or email the witness?

“Residence” is just as confusing: House, apartment, mobile home, condo?
Always strive for clarity.
6. Use simple language.
“Since” is easier to understand (and write) than “inasmuch as.” “Pertaining

to” is a fancy (and time-wasting) way to write “about.”
7. Stick to observable facts.
Conclusions, guesses, hunches, and other thought processes do not belong

in a report. Stick to the facts. A statement like “He was aggressive” won’t
stand up in court. You can, however, write “Jackson clenched his fists and
kicked a chair.”
8. Write in paragraphs.
Organizing information in groups (what each witness told you, what actions
you did, what evidence you collected) has two important benefits: Your
report is more logical, and it’s easier to read and understand later on.
9. Use active voice.
A widespread (and mistaken) notion in law enforcement says that passive

voice guarantees objectivity and accuracy. False. Writing a sentence like “A
revolver was seen under the nightstand” does not guarantee that you’re
telling the truth. It’s much simpler just to write “I saw a revolver under the
nightstand.” That’s what you would say in court, isn’t it?
10. Use bullet style.
You’ve probably been writing shopping lists all your life. Use the same
format when you’re recording several pieces of related information, like
this:
Larry Holden told me:
 He and Sharon have been “fighting a lot”

 She was drunk when he came home from work
 She threw a package of frozen chicken at him
 He didn’t touch her
These 10 tips can transform your report writing, making you more
professional, more up-to-date, and more efficient. Don’t try to follow all 10
right away. Choose one or two to focus on until they become second
nature; then go on to one or two more. Keep learning and growing until
you’ve become proficient with all 10.
One more suggestion: Share what you’re learning with other officers: Your
entire agency will benefit, and you’ll be developing your leadership skills.
When report writing improves, everyone, especially you, benefits.
Source: http://yourpolicewrite.com/how-to-write-a-report/efficient-
reports/
How To Write Better Police Reports
Thorough and accurate report writing can save your career and bolster
your reputation as an honest officer.
Winning a civil rights lawsuit against a municipality or county is like winning

the lottery, at least for the plaintiffs and their attorneys. The vast majority of
these suits do not go to trial; the city or county will settle out of court
without admitting to wrongdoing.
In the back of your mind, you know what these administrators are
thinking: Our officers did nothing wrong, but we are going to pay you this
huge sum of money anyway so you will go away. Never mind the damage
it does to our officers' morale, the public's trust in our officers and the
agency; what is important is that we don't lose more money because we
don't know how to defend against these frivolous lawsuits.
Where does that leave you, the individual officer? Hopefully covered by the
settlement, but in reality, what do the people you serve think when they
learn about the settlement?
I know you feel disgusted when your agency rolls over like this and pays
some nuisance claim. What should disgust you more is that it's likely that
one of the reasons your departments and municipalities do not vigorously
fight these suits are the reports that were filed by officers detailing what
happened during the incidents.
When it doesn't matter, we seem to write reports that people praise and
use as examples in law schools and police academies. But in those cases
where force is used—and we are most likely to be sued—we seem to be
ashamed to tell the truth and admit that we hit, punched, kicked, bit,
scratched, and otherwise got nasty with some miscreant. Disregarding that
he pulled out a gun or a knife, or wanted to fight anyone in a uniform,
there still is a mindset among many administrators and risk manager types
that writing out exactly what you did and, more importantly, why you did
it, is wrong or not necessary. This is a huge mistake.
It is no longer accepted, if it ever was, in a use-of-force incident report to

use phrases like, "I physically subdued the subject." What does this tell the
uninformed reader? Your sergeant may know what happened, but what
about the prosecuting attorney or defense counsel? Will they know what
happened and why?
It may be shorter and even accurate to say you "used physical force," but
it does not tell all the facts. Consider the following statement as a way to
write a report on a use-of-force incident:
The suspect swung his fists at me. I told him to stop resisting and that he
would be sprayed with OC if he did not. He again tried to hit me, and I
sprayed him twice with my department-issued OC spray. This caused him
to back away, but he still tried to hit me. I again ordered him to, "Stop
resisting," but he continued to swing his fists at me, yelling, "Screw off,
copper." He again raised his fists and swung at me. I then struck him twice
on the left knee with my baton. He fell to the ground, saying, "I give up, I
give up." I handcuffed the now compliant suspect and drove him to the
General Hospital Emergency Room for evaluation and treatment by Dr. A.
Smith. After he was medically cleared, he was booked into county jail
without further incident.
This example is much clearer for you and the reader, and it is more
detailed. So why don't we take the time and write all of our reports with
this much detail? Probably because cops hate paperwork more than
anything else, except certain vile criminals, administrative types, and the
ACLU.
Own Worst Enemies

Many times, we are our own worst enemies. One thing we do have in our
favor is that we can learn from the mistakes of others, with little or no cost
to ourselves. Who hasn't heard of some mistake by a department or officer
that has become the force of law through an adverse case decision or
winced at a judgment brought against a police officer?
More likely than not, if it was a civil trial, the judgment was due to a
perception of wrongdoing, rather than actual wrongdoing. If you do not
record the details of the event and what precipitated the use of force in
your report, it looks like you have something to hide. You did nothing
wrong, but now you are facing a jury, months or maybe years after the
fact and trying to explain why you did what you did when you did it. How
does it look to the jury that you are bringing up facts about the case that
were never in your report? Any competent defense lawyer is going to use
the lack of detail in your report against you.
Something to remember is that a jury is a group of 12 licensed drivers, all
equally fuzzy on the concept of the law, with no experience in the rigors
and subtleties of policing. Jurors are generally well meaning citizens, but
their information comes from the local news or the latest "police reality"
show, not from being students of the criminal justice system or
practitioners of law enforcement.
It is incumbent upon you to paint a word picture for the jury and others
that will read your reports. You can be the best shot, the fastest runner, an
expert at interviewing, and look like a Marine recruiting poster in uniform,
but without the ability to write a proper and factual report, it will all be for
naught.
Evidence Collection
The same can be said for evidence preservation. The evidence backs up
your report and without it, you can be in deep trouble. But for years our
evidence collection has been geared toward prosecution and not the
defense of a civil suit.
When was the last time an officer who was assaulted had to replace his
uniform and equipment? What happened to the torn uniform and broken
equipment? Were they discarded or were they kept as evidence? We may
have taken some quick photos of the damage, but that's about it. In many
departments, only in those dreaded times where an officer has been
murdered, are the uniform and equipment worn preserved as evidence.
In the interest of the best evidence available and, frankly, to protect

ourselves we need to keep as evidence the torn shirt, ripped pants,
scraped leather gear, or broken eyeglasses or sunglasses. But because of
tight uniform and equipment budgets, departments try to recycle damaged

gear that should be considered evidence.
Think about the money that could be saved in a properly defended lawsuit
due to the foresight in booking such evidence. Juries love visual aids. And
what better visual aid is there to justify your use of force than your ripped
uniform? Such evidence can make a greedy suspect and his lawyer slink
away licking their judicial wounds.
Be in the Right
Of course, no amount of report writing or evidence collection is going to
help any officer who maliciously or criminally assaults a suspect, regardless
of how justified he or she feels in doing so. No matter how much you may
want to slam some punk's head into the hood of your patrol car, you have
to be a calm professional when no one else can. Unjustified use-of-force
cases are thankfully rare, but the perception of the public is that it happens
much more often than it really does.
Thanks to cell phone videos, the Internet, and the 24-hour news cycle that
plays a supposed excessive force video over and over, the public receives a
tainted view of law enforcement use-of-force incidents, poisoning jury
pools and sometimes making necessary an out-of-court settlement.
Many times, your report doesn't seem to jibe with the video. What better
tool, if it is available, to use to help you write your report? You have your
perception of what occurred, and it is a valid perception, but viewing that
impartial video can help your recollection and aid you in writing an even
more complete and accurate report.
Fighting Back
A properly written and factual report, along with supporting
documentation, witness statements, and evidence, are your best defense
against a lawsuit. Audio and video are even better. Having all of this
documentation and evidence probably won't reduce the number of lawsuits
that are initially filed against you or your department, but it may give
plaintiff lawyers pause about taking you on if they know how well you
document and support your actions in the field.
With the advent of video recorders, both in patrol cars and in everyday life,
it is imperative that the reporting officers be as accurate and factual as
humanly possible in their reports. That doesn't mean writing longer
reports; it means writing smarter reports.
If your reputation is such that prosecuting attorneys and judges have a

high regard for your integrity and honesty, your report writing ability, and
your courtroom demeanor, then plaintiffs' attorneys won't want to mess
with you. If, on the other hand, your reputation is suspect in any way,
word will get around and you can bet next month's pay that some lawyer,
somewhere, will take on that lawsuit that might be frivolous but still
profitable.
Your reputation can shield you, and it can bury you. A decision by the U.S.
Supreme Court in 1963's Brady v. Maryland requires any adverse
disciplinary information about officers' integrity or honesty to be turned
over to the defense by the agency. This decision has caused many
California district attorneys to tell chiefs and sheriffs they will not use an
officer's reports or testimony if he or she has been disciplined for not being
truthful. Do you want to have something like that hanging over your head?
I know of one young former officer who was involved in a use-of-force

incident and wrote a report on it. His report was lacking, not due to
deception, but rather haste. Another officer had witnessed the use of force
and reported it to his sergeant who in turn initiated an investigation after
the written report was filed.
The report did not mesh with what was reported by the witness officer and
other witnesses. The officer who was involved in the use of force lost his
job because the agency believed he had falsified his report. He has applied
for other police positions at many different agencies, but not one has given
him a second look. This is a good officer who sunk his career through
haste and lack of detail in a report. This tragedy could have been avoided if
he had reviewed the facts and made sure all known information was
included. The information was there; he just failed to gather it and use it,
torpedoing his career.
It is a fact of life in law enforcement that force, including deadly force, will
have to be used. It is how you apply that force and, just as importantly,
how you document it that will reduce the filing of frivolous lawsuits as well
as preserve our careers. As with any other officer safety training, surviving
a legal challenge to legal and proper actions is worth the time it takes to
record and document the events and evidence. Your survival in a civil or
criminal trial is only as good as your report.
Make your report writing better and you'll survive any courtroom challenge.
Read reports written by fellow officers who have a reputation for being
thorough and accurate. Talk with other officers about their experiences.
Talk with the prosecuting attorney. Talk with defense attorneys about bad
reports they've seen. Take an English refresher course if necessary. If your
department doesn't have a good report writing manual, find a department
that does and use theirs as a model for your department.
You use that pen, paper, and computer a lot more than you use your OC,
baton, or sidearm, and they are just as important to your survival. If you
don't practice with the weapons you are issued, when the time comes to
use them it could be dangerous to you. The same goes for report writing.
Practice, learn, and protect yourself.
Source: http://www.policemag.com/channel/careers-
training/articles/2013/07/the-power-of-the-pen.aspx
How to Master Report Writing

The secret is a straight-forward style that accurately communicates the
important points in a logical sequence.
Whenever anyone talks about report writing, images of my academy class

and the boring report writing segment always comes to mind. What I didn't
know then, but know now, is just how important report writing really is.
As first responders, we consistently spend more time writing reports than
on any other single task in law enforcement. The only thing that beats it is
probably driving around patrolling our zones. And yet, beyond the
academy, we get very little training in writing, period. We are just

supposed to fumble through and learn other aspects of technical writing on
our own. Because of this, we need to find a way of writing reports that will
serve us well throughout our entire career.
As a report writing instructor, I am motivated by a school seal that belongs
to the Philips Academy, better known as Andover. Andover is a prep school
that was established during the American Revolution and is one of the
oldest boarding schools in the country. The school seal was crafted by Paul
Revere and includes the Latin phrase, "Finis Origine Pendet," which
translates to the end depends on the beginning. The beginning is the focus
of this commentary and it will cover the process of report writing.
Question of Style
We tend to write police reports for economy. "Detailed yet concise"
becomes the battle cry for supervisors and at the same time creates a
nexus for officers. In reality we write quickly so we can get to the next call
only to write again. It's a convoluted method that demands a great deal
but also tends to ignore some of the more technical aspects of writing.
There is a middle ground, however, where technical writing and economy
can meet to serve the greater good.
Experienced instructors know they can't teach report writing. By the time
people come into law enforcement they either know how to write or they
don't. You can't cram 12 years of school into a 40-hour block of instruction
no matter how good you are. But what instructors can teach is a particular
style of writing.
Style becomes the structure that helps form a quality report. If you focus
elsewhere, and replace it with something more restrictive like an outline,
then you miss the point altogether. For example, an outline is too rigid. It
restricts your ability to maneuver. Combining elements or sections becomes
more difficult. If you have ever worked a busy shift where your reports
start to stack up, you understand the need to write in as tight a package as
possible.
The problem is it's very hard to write concisely. Thomas Jefferson allegedly
wrote a friend once and advised he was sorry for the length of his letter, as
he did not have time to write a short one. You no doubt know this to be
true from experience. We therefore have to strike a balance between

writing a novel like "War and Peace" and Dave Smith persona Buck
Savage's infamous short report "Saw drunk arrested same."
Journalistic Approach
We write to inform, not to impress. The first step involves using the
journalistic approach. You need to answer who, what, when, where, why,
and how. It sounds counterintuitive, but it's where police officers fail the
most. And it's not because we don't have the information but because we
haven't organized the information we do have to our advantage.
A highly effective report writing structure goes like this: how the officer got
the call, what the complainant/witness/victim said, what the officer
observed, and what the officer did. Adhering to this structure allows any
first responder to tackle any initial investigation with ease.
Source:
http://www.policemag.com/channel/patrol/articles/2010/11/report-
writing.aspx
How to Master Report Writing

The secret is a straight-forward style that accurately
communicates the important points in a logical sequence.
How You Got the Call
We take for granted the numbers of ways we can get a call for service. We
can be dispatched or flagged down. It can be a walk-up, or a follow-up. It's
important to state how you got the call even if the investigation proves it
to be something else. If it's in progress, you would put that information
here as well, up until the situation was under control. Once calmed down,
you go on to the next section. For example, if you drive up to find two
males fighting, you can't begin your interviews until they get separated,
calmed down, and checked for injuries.
What They Said
The next portion involves interviewing any witnesses, victims,
complainants, and possible suspects. You summarize and paraphrase each
of their testimonies. You should use quotes when they directly apply to the
crime or violation. Don't be shy about vulgar language either. If they said
it, you can quote it. You are just documenting their version and not
necessarily what actually happened.
What You Observed
After your interviews, then write down what you observed. If the house
has been ransacked, describe the scene in detail. If your victim has been
hit, describe the injuries. If the victim swears someone kicked in the front
door but you find no evidence to support the claim, you need to write that
down too: "I found no evidence to corroborate that the door was kicked
in."
What You Did
The last portion covers what you did while investigating the incident. This
includes processing the scene, conducting a neighborhood canvass, or any
other action material to the investigation. Minor things like handing out an
incident number needn't be documented unless your agency's policies
require it. Since this constitutes the last portion, also include a closing
statement to let the reader know you are done. It can be as simple as,
"The report was forwarded for further review."
General Tips
Don't answer a question and by doing so create a new one. A very
common mistake occurs when someone writes, "I processed the scene
with negative results." It begs the question, "Where and what did you
process?"
If you have multiple witnesses, combine the like testimony and discuss the
differences. For example, "Mr. Jones, Mr. Hernandez, and Mr. Smith all
agreed that the vehicle was a brown compact. However, Mr. Johnson
stated it was a green mid-sized car." This saves you from writing the same
thing over and over again.
Work on sentence structure and cut out excessive words whenever
possible. Never use seven when five will do. For example, "The victim had
no suspect information and desired prosecution," is short and sweet.
You should also convert elements of the crime into sentences. Your report
has to prove what you labeled it. "The victim stated that someone without
consent entered her home and stole $500 worth of her property." In
Florida that describes burglary, without having added any extra fluff.
Putting it All Together
Since style creates structure without locking you into an outline, you can
easily combine any section. Here is a simple illustration: "I was dispatched
to a burglary over with. Upon my arrival, I met with the victim, Mrs. Jones.
She stated someone without consent broke into her home and stole $6,000
worth of jewelry." You have easily combined how you got the call and the
elements of the crime, and set yourself up for the next part of the report,
which is what the victim said. You even informed the reader that it was
forced entry without writing a separate sentence.
Sometimes you'll write a long narrative and a reader can get lost in the
details. Using a short summary paragraph at the end helps tie things up
nicely. It highlights the totality of the situation and the outcome.
This type of structure helps new officers remove some of their anxiety. For
first responders, the length of our reports works in reverse; the more
complicated the call the easier the report. For example, most recruits are
afraid of handling a homicide. In reality it's one of the easiest reports to
write. You arrive, you secure, you contain, and then you call out
detectives. Upon their arrival you turn everything over to them (assuming
your agency works that way). Your biggest role becomes securing the
scene. Your report is very short while a detective's may near book length.
On the flip side, a simple incident like someone hitting someone else might
seem like it takes forever to write. This is especially true if you have
multiple witnesses and victims on both sides. I have seen prosecution
packets of this nature almost an inch thick.
Closing Thoughts
Report writing is relatively simple when you follow the structure of how you
got the call, what people said, what you observed, and what you did. This
particular style of report writing allows you to tackle any incident as a first
responder. If you're a supervisor, don't tell your officers what to write or
even how to write. Instead, show them what your agency needs and
create a writing style. Give them some structure and let them fill in the
blanks. They may just surprise you.
Source:
http://www.policemag.com/channel/patrol/articles/2010/11/report-
writing/page/2.aspx

How to Write an Effective Police Report

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Law Enforcement Report Writing Research

How to Write a Police Report

Part 1 of 4: Following Protocol

 Try to do your write-up using word processing software. It will look

 Start the report as soon as possible. Start by thinking

 Include a line about the basic nature of the incident.

 For example, a report might say: On 8/23/10 at approximately 2340

 Include a line about the basic nature of the incident.

o For example, a report might say: On 8/23/10 at approximately

Part 2 of 4: Describing What Happened

 Write in the first-person telling what happened. This

o For example, an officer's report could say: Upon arrival, I

 Include rich detail in your report. If possible, make sure to

protocol with regard to reporting on witnesses and evidence. [9]

o Use specific descriptions. For example, instead of saying "I

 Use diagrams. Draw a picture or diagram in your report if it is

 Be thorough. Write as much as you can remember and

o For example, instead of saying “when I arrived, his face was

is better than the first because there are multiple reasons

 Be accurate. If you did not see something happen, make sure

o Even though it is hearsay, make sure to write down what each

 Be clear. Don't use flowery, confusing language to describe

o Use the party’s name when possible, so you can avoid

 Be honest. Even if you're not proud of how you handled the

your job in jeopardy and causing problems for the people

o Preserve your integrity and that of the institution you represent

Part 3 of 4: Editing Your Report

o Check it one more time for spelling and grammar errors.

 Submit your incident report. Find out the name of the

o If you have to mail or email your report, follow up with a phone

Part 4 of 4: Checklist of what to include in your

 Existing witness reports

2. Chronological narrative (include each of the following, if

2. Add to the report, if new information comes to light. Add an

Sample Police Report

Incident Type: Robbery

Address of Occurrence: 557 Maple Street, Manchester, NH 03104

On August 13, 2013, at approximately 17:38, two unidentified males

Deputy Jones arrived on the scene at around 18:15, responding to

2 secrets to good report writing: Organization and

What is the secret to good report writing? The answer is twofold —

When we say chronological order — meaning true chronological order —

Many reports begin this way:

While on patrol, (date and time) I received a call to (location). Upon

The problems in clarity occur when there are multiple principals, a

Telling the Story Backward

I, (name), on (date and time) received a call to (location) reference to

Setting the Scene

Approximately 2020 hours the suspect walked in the front door.

Each of the following sentences is merely a statement of what happened

• The suspect walked around the store in a counter clockwise

This makes it easy to describe the action when it starts.

• Evidence collected

A simple way to improve your report writing

Well, it is probably ugly.

Back to our reports. What is it that the supervisor is subconsciously picking

How often does that happen? Right... rarely!

“On date and time, I Officer Name, responded to location reference to

Remember, you are not writing a statement (what happened to you) or an

This is an admittedly simplistic example. However, it is an example of

So I say to you, organize it first and write it right.

Ten Tips for Writing Reports Efficiently

In the past some officers were taught that impersonal terminology