A.

Police Report Definition

A Police Report is a chronological or step-by-step account of an incident
that transpired in a given time.
B. Important Uses
1. Serve as records for police administrators in planning, directing and
organizing the unit’s duties.
2. Can be used as legal documents in the prosecution of criminals.
3. Can be used by other agencies.
4. Can be useful to local media
5. Can be a basis for research purposes
6. Reports improve the personality of the writer
B. Classification of Police Reports
1. INFORMAL REPORTS. Most police reports may be placed under this
category. It is usually a letter or memorandum, or any one of the many
prescribed in day-to-day police operations.
2. FORMAL REPORTS. It suggests the full-dress treatment, including the cover
title, title page, letter of transmittal, summary sheet, text, appendices, and
perhaps an index and bibliography
perhaps an index and bibliography.
C. According to Purpose
1. PERFORMANCE REPORT. It contains information to the status of an activity
or operation.
2. FACT-FINDING REPORT. It involves the gathering and presentation of new
data in logical order, without attempt to draw conclusions.
3. TECHNICAL REPORT. It presents data on a specialized subject.
4. PROBLEM- DETERMINING REPORT. It attempts to find out the causes of the
problem or to find out whether or not a problem really exists.
5. PROBLEM-SOLUTION REPORT. It analyzes the thought process that lies
behind the solution of a particular problem.
D. Categories of Police Reports
1. OPERATIONAL REPORTS. It includes those relating to reporting police
incidents, investigations, arrests, identification of persons, and miscellaneous
reports necessary to the conduct of routine operations.
2. INTERNAL REPORTS. Those relating to the reporting of necessary to the
management of the police organization.
3. TECHNICAL REPORTS. Present data on any specialized subject, but usually
related to completed staff work, and add to the specific knowledge necessary
to proper police management.
4. SUMMARY-OF-INFORMATION. Furnish intelligence information necessary
to the solution of crimes, accidents, and police administrative problems.