Module 7

Police Investigative Report Writing SCI 1 with

Legal Medicine

7
A report is defined as a story of action performed by men. In

Module
Police Investigation
Report Writing
Introduction:
This module is Police investigation Report Writing. As you read
this material, you will be able to know the Uses and Purposes of Reports.
Likewise, you will know more about the Police Writing. Major principles
will also be part of this module so that your ideas on proper in police
writing. After the content discussion, you are given exercises to work on.
Towards the end of this module, you are tasked to give your own
reflections. All these activities will deepen and strengthen your
understanding about the lesson presented. Do the task honestly coupled with
high interest so that you can benefit the most of it.
investigative report writing a police report writing a police report is a
chronological or step by step account of an incident that took place at a
given time. A police report is a chronological step by step account of an
incident that took place at a given time. Traditionally, police report is a
narrative but you have to write after completing an investigation. But
actually, repots come in many different forms.
Uses and Purposes of Reports: Police reports are written at the scene of
many events and as a result, used for a wide variety of reasons. To wit:
1) Criminal Investigation
2) Newspaper and the Media
3) Reference Material
4) Statistical Data for Crime Analysis
5) Documentation
6) Officer’s Evaluation
7) Statistical Reporting

Two General Types of Police Reports:

1. Basic or Informal Report- this account deals with the ordinary,
Learning miscellaneous, usual, memorandum, letter or form accomplished by any
member of a unit, section, bureau or division within a department in
Outcomes  Can make an output about the different accordance with prescribed regulation. Usually, this report contains the
Investigative Report Writing following items:
• The heading of the letterhead of the organization, office or section
where the writer is assigned
• The person or office to whom it is addressed or submitted
• The text paper
• the name of the writer or the source of the report

2. Investigative or Formal Report- this covers an exact and exhaustive

narration of facts. This report may be classified as Initial or Advance
1. Can Analyze the Uses and Purposes of Learning Report, Progress or Follow-Up Report and Final or Closing Report.
Reports Objective a) Initial or Advance Report- it is an advance account regarding a new
case assigned to an investigator. It is written and submitted without delay
2. Can enumerate and discuss the types of
after having conducted the initial investigation of the case.
administrative issuance. b) Progress or Follow-Up Report- it contains the result of the follow-up
Police Investigative Report Writing investigation of a recent case. It is accomplished whenever any
 Module 7
Police Investigative Report Writing
Legal Medicine
development relevant to the case is discovered. It serves as a gauge or
yardstick for the detective’s efficiency.
c) Final or Closing Report-it is a comprehensive narration of facts and
details based on a thorough inquiry of the case by the detective who initially
started the investigation covering all the facts and circumstances
surrounding the case. It forms a clear picture of the crime committed in the
minds of the readers for prosecutorial and judicial actions. This final or
closing report is undertaken whenever the case is solved and considered as
closed, signifying that the offender has been arrested, the evidence against
him is complete to warrant prosecution, and witnesses are located to testify
for the trial.
Qualities of a Good Report
Accuracy- Precision is one of the essential qualities of report writing.
Literally it means in exact conformity to the facts and free from errors.
Being accurate is being exacting. All facts must be objectively verified. The
identification of facts is imperative to establish the corpus delicti or body of
the crime in your report. You must accurately report the conditions of the
scene as you have found them.
An investigator is a fact finder. Therefore, all the contents of his report
must be based on facts- facts which are known through the use of any or all
of his five senses. Consequently, the marshals of investigation as to who,
what, where, why, when and how must be satisfied.
Brevity- It refers to the consciences of expression. It is also a means
of checking the development of your own ideas and the accuracy of your
expression. Consciences relates to the elimination of unnecessary words.
Suggestion to help you write concise reports include using active voice,
avoiding wordiness eliminating unnecessary prepositional phrases, and
using ordinary and commonly understand words.
Clarity- It means plain, precision and clearness. The format and
language used in police reports must be simple and direct as possible.
Types of Report Writing
a. Investigation Report
b. Progress Report
c. Spot Report
d. Beat Inspection/ After Patrol Report
e. Situation Report
f. Formal Report
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g. Arrest Report
h. Clearance Report
i. Crime Report
j. Daily Activity Report
k. Evidence Report
l. Incident Report
Types of Administrative Issuance:
a) Circulars- Admin instruction which are directory, advisory or
informative in nature, more or less permanent in duration. They usually deal
with subject such as delegation of authority to be known by field personnel,
implementing instructions or regulations.
b) General Circulars- It contains administrative instructions which are
directory, advisory, or informative in nature, more or less general in
application, permanent in duration and requiring compliance by or
observance from or information of employees and general in public.
c) Memorandum Circulars- It deals with subject such as explanation or
classification of certain rules and regulations which are complied with or
executed by subordinates.
d) Office Circulars- They pertain to communication informing the
majority in a particular directorate or office only, not intended for those on
the field.
e) Office Orders- They are purely internal, instructions, which are
regulatory in nature, mandatory in character, and requiring definite
compliance by personnel.
f) Special Orders- It refers to communications which are directives
affecting the status of the individual, such as appointment, transfer,
promotions, relief from duty, separation and leave of absence.
g) Letter Directives- It contains routine directives by which subordinate
headquarters/ office are given instructions. Advice or information, its
validity is for two years unless sooner rescinded or superseded.
h) Letter Orders- it pertains to instruction sent in the form of a letter to
the persons concerned. Assignments, details, designation, and other related
matters belong to this category.
i) Standard Operating Procedures- They are set of instructions
regarding the procedures to be followed on a regular basis desired by the
chief of the director. Submissions of reports, maintenance of motor vehicle,
attendance and similar activities are reflected in SOP’s.
 Module 7
Police Investigative Report Writing
Legal Medicine
The Purpose of Reports
A police report serves five major purposes:
1. Provide the official departmental permanent record of the who, what,
when, where, why and how of a matter coming to the attention of the
police;
2. Provide a critical source of information for officers conducting follow-
up or continuing investigations
3. Supply the judicial process factual information with which to make
decisions relevant to arrest, search-and-seizure warrants and criminal
prosecution.
4. Equip management with information needed to plan for the future.
(e.g., reports from the basis for crime analysis of offender modus operandi,
personnel evaluations, proactive staffing assignments, etc.) and
5. Provide information for local, state and national computer databases to
process, coordinate and share, allowing immediate interagency access to
everything from wanted persons and criminal records to crime mapping
statistics.
Police Blotter
Each PNP operating unit shall maintain an official police blotter where
all types of operational and undercover dispatches shall be recorded
containing the five “W’s” and one “H” of information.
A police blotter refers to the record of daily events occurring with the
area of responsibility/territory/jurisdiction of a given police command or
unit. It contains material facts and details concerning the event for legal and
statistical purpose. It is an informal record book that is useful for
investigation, evidentiary or referral purposes.
The contents of the entry
a) The entry in the police blotter should answer the following: Who,
What, Why, Where, When, How along with the disposition of the case.
b) In answering the cardinals of investigation and the case disposition, all
such material details pertaining to the event, including the names of the
suspect/s; the victim/s; the witness/es; if any; the nature of the offense or
action; the possible motive; the place; the date; and time of occurrence;
significant circumstances surrounding the case; the identity of the officer to
whom the case is assigned; and the status of the case.
c) The following transactions or incidents are entered in police blotter:
1) Violations of ordinances and laws reported and / or discovered
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2) All calls in which any member of the PNP is dispatched or takes
official action.
3) All fire alarms, reports and information received by the stations.
4) Movement of detention prisoners with corresponding notations on the
authority for such movement.
5) Vehicular and other types of incidents which require police action.
6) All injuries, bodies discovered, and suicides.
7) Damage to property.
8) All cases to which a member of the PNP is involved.
9) All arrests and returns made.
10) Miscellaneous cases, general and special orders, violations of the rules
and regulations, and any other reportable incident that the substation/station
commander or higher authorities requires to be recorded.
Procedures in making the entries:
1) All entries in the police blotter shall be handwritten in a clear, concise
and simple manner.
2) Only facts not opinions are entered into the blotter.
3) No erasures shall be made in the entries. Corrections are made y
drawing one horizontal line over such word or phrases and the actual entry
initiated by the police officer making the correction.
4) A pen with a lack or blue ink is used in making the entries.
5) Falsification in the blotter or any attempt to suppress any information
therein is criminally and administratively punishable.
6) The entries must be legibly written in long hand and consecutively
numbered.
7) Every page of the blotter shall be uninterruptedly and chronologically
filled up. No line or space shall be left blank between two entries.
8) Any development of the case to be reflected in the blotter should be a
new entry at a time and day it was reported. A reference to the previous
entry number of the case shall be made.
9) In every shift, the Duty Sergeant, under the supervision of the Duty
Officer or Complaint Desk Officer shall make the actual entries in the
blotter and at the end of his tour of duty, they shall sign the blotter.
 Module 7
Police Investigative Report Writing SCI 1 with
Legal Medicine
1. Explain the uses and Purpose of Reports.

Try
These!
2. Enumerate and discuss the types of administrative issuance.
 Module 7
Police Investigative Report Writing SCI 1 with
Legal Medicine

3. What are the different types of Report writing and what will be the
qualities of report writing.

Let’s
apply
 Module 7
Police Investigative Report Writing SCI 1 with
Legal Medicine

1. Create the different types of Report Writing and types of administrative Reflective Analysis
issuances and police blotter?
 Module 7
Police Investigative Report Writing SCI 1 with
Legal Medicine