Characteristics of Good Police Report
A Police Report is a chronological 5. Timeliness
account of an incident that happened at any
given time and place. It could also be defined as
an account of an investigation, or an official
statement of facts. The following are
characteristics of police reports:
1. Accuracy
Police communication should conform
exactly to the truth or to a standard. They
should be written without error, precise,
exact, and correct. Accuracy has something
to do on how the sentences in the
paragraph are written.
2. Clarity
The writer is duty-bound to serve his
readers by letting them understand easily
what he is trying to get across. If the writer
is misunderstood, he expects to receive a
different response or answer. Hence, he
has to use clear and appropriate words.
3. Brevity
It refers to saying much in fewer words.
Avoid redundancies like controversial
issue, future plans, reason why, protest
against or qualified expert. Avoid also
unnecessary sentence openers like For
your information, Permit me to say, We
are taking this opportunity, Last but not
the least.
4. Specificity
Giving life to a sentence by using
particulars that call up shape, texture,
color and movement. Concretize abstract
words. For example, in your report you
stated ”Jun Tamad stoned Culassa Perto to
death”. You must describe the kind of
stone, the size, weight, color and texture
of the stone. Persons also should be
described.
Police report must be submitted on time in
order to serve its purpose. In police
organization, punctuality is very important
that is why compliances to police
correspondence usually have target dates
for submission. It should be submitted with
in twenty-four hours.
6. Security
Most police reports are either classified as
Restricted, Confidential or Top Secret. The
purpose is to secure the given information
from unauthorized access, hence, the
security classification of the document
should be placed on top and below of the
document and police personnel are
prohibited from divulging classified
information to unauthorized people.
7. Impartiality
The report should be based on facts and not
the opinions of the writer. The writer should
then be always objective and avoid bias in
presenting his report.
8. Completeness
The writer should use at least the 5 Ws and 1
H. The writer should be aware that the readers,
after reading the report should have no
question hanging in their mind because all the
necessary information they need to know are
provided in the report.
9. Routine Details
Every report should contain the routine details
like the period of time of preparing report, the
period covered in the report, date of
presentation of report, the units of information,
the name of the person preparing and
presenting it, names of persons to whom it is
being submitted. etc.
.10. Good Form and Content actions.
The following points are to be considered while
drafting a report. 3. Court Preparation
▪ A report is prepared in well classified Police reports assist officers prior to or during
paragraph with suitable heading and sub- court appearances by refreshing the officer’s
heading if possible. memory before testifying, or preparing to
▪ The title of the report explains the purpose for provide hearsay testimony at preliminary
hearings.
which the report is prepared and the period
covered by the report..
4. Civil Liability Assessment
▪ The title also enables to point out the persons
Police reports are essential for risk managers,
who need the report. ▪ If statistical figures are to
insurance companies, and civil litigation
be given only significant figures given in the attorneys for use in determining potential civil
body of the report and other detailed figures liability by documenting events such as
should be given in appendix. ▪ The reports accidents or injuries
should contain facts and not opinions. The on city, county, or state property, workman’s
opinions are given if necessary. compensation type injuries, as well as to
▪ The report must contain the date of its presenting justification for an officer’s behavior
or actions in a civil complaint or lawsuit against
preparation and date of submission.
the officer.
▪ A report is prepared to satisfy only one
purpose. Separate reports be prepared for
5. Statistical Analysis
different subjects. Police reports assist police and civilian
▪ The contents of the report should be in a administrators as well as the campus
logical sequence. community by
providing statistical information for analysis of
USES OF POLICE REPORTS crime trends, equipment needs, manpower
issues, continued professional training
requirements, and assist in the evaluation of
Police reports have many different uses, both officer performance.
within the criminal justice system and beyond:
1. Identification of Criminals
Police reports assist with the identification,
apprehension and prosecution of criminals by
serving as a source document for filing criminal
complaints, by providing a record of all
investigations, and providing a basis for
additionx1al follow up investigations.

2. Investigative Record
Police reports aid prosecutors, defense
attorneys, and other law enforcement agencies
by providing records of all investigations and
serving as source documents for criminal
prosecution, as well as documenting agency