What Is Reporting Writing

WHAT IS REPORTING
WRITING?
Report Writing versus Factual Reporting
The purpose of this training is not to teach you how to write a report. Everyone writes
reports differently because of preferences or requirements.
This training is to intended to refresh and improve your factual reporting skills so they can
be applied to any report you may write.
A Report:
 describes
 documents
 informs
 presents
 MOST IMPORTANTLY A REPORT COLLECTS AND DOCUMENTS
INFORMATION IN A FACTUAL AND OBJECTIVE MANNER
Objectivity in observations and report writing
 CAUTION- CAUTION- CAUTION
 There may be proper places where you can record your personal opinions or
educated guesses. FOLLOW YOUR AGENCY’S POLICY (if you don’t know-ask!)
 If you include opinions make sure they are based on factual, provable information
There are 5 characteristics of a factual and objective report:

ACCURACY:
 A factual report must be accurate.
 Its basic purpose is to describe people, events or objects.
 An inaccurate report is worthless and may even be dangerous.
 CHECK YOUR FACTS CAREFULLY!
LOGIC:
 Described events must be logically organized and correctly represent the order in
which they occurred.
 Readers should be able to easily follow the pattern of events.
 The use of a time/event line while writing the report can be very helpful.
CLARITY:
 Readers should be able to understand each word, sentence and paragraph quickly.
 Avoid the use of jargon, slang, acronyms or unclear words- think about who will
read your report.
CONSCISENESS:
 Unnecessary words can blur the reader’s understanding of what you are reporting.
 Say what you have to say in as few words as possible without sacrificing clarity.
 A concise report stands a better chance of being read completely.
COMPLETENESS:
 Put all the facts in the report- don’t make the error of deciding what’s enough or
what’s important.
 Facts should be organized, not edited.
 Failing to include all known facts in a report is at the least a poor practice, it could
be illegal.
What can cause a poor report?
Which of the following can we control?
 Lack of information
 Insufficient information
 Lack of preparation or training
 Too many cases
 Deadlines
 Poor report writing skills
Collecting and Documenting Information:
 Perfect, error-free recall is very rare.
 We collect information using our senses; sight, hearing, smell, taste and feel.
 How well we objectively and accurately describe the information is the heart of
factual reporting.
WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN, WHY AND

HOW INFORMATION
This class will examine some principles for taking comprehensive notes quickly. The Who, What, Where,
When, Why and How approach is a basic framework for good notes-taking. The Who, What, When …
approach really links the field notes process to the case or arrest report. When completing a set of field
notes, an officer should ask if he has answered all of these questions. If so, he has a good start on a top
notch report. The next step in the process is reorganizing these notes into a better presentation model.
Accurate Words, Accurate Thoughts, Logical Progressions - It is often difficult for students to
fully grasp the meaning of the “Accurate Words, Accurate Thoughts, Logical Progressions” explanations
presented after attending only this class. A student’s typical understanding of these concepts after this
class is that one should not write “stupid” things into a report. This is, of course, true but this does not begin
to cover the full extent of the subject. These concepts often become more understandable as student’s
progress through the course. By that time, many practical uses of these principles become apparent. This
class is really about picking better words to describe a situation. Which words, what phraseology and what
progression to use are all critical issues in police report writing. It is this challenge of determining what
should go into a particular report and how best to present these issues that will be the real hurdles for new
police report writers. The ability to use accurate words is, of course, important in itself, but this concept
goes well beyond just picking a barely adequate word. The concept also includes presenting information in
a manner that is psychologically appealing to the reader (see Class Hour #6). Saying that “it is a brown
camera case” is more descriptive than saying, “it was a dark in color vinyl bag.” This second description
has an element of official cadence that is often attractive to the ear of a new police report writer. It produces
a kind of lullaby melody. What is described in the Brevity lecture as “officious language” illustrates even
more completely this auditory cadence that is unfortunately often the norm with new report writers. Writing
that “I arrested Brown after he punched me” is more descriptive (and visual) than writing, “I did then and
there effect an arrest after the perpetrator became belligerent and assaultive with me.” The second
description has a somewhat more “sing-song” and “officious” appeal to the ear, but does not create a
strong visual image. Words like forthwith, wherefore, to wit, and heretofore may make the report sound
official, but these do little to give a juror a clear picture of what occurred. Even words like “did” and “got” are
more placeholder-words than conveyers of deep meanings (thus, the first homework assignment, page 13).
The Accurate Words lecture also includes a section on the concept of writing with absolute honesty. This
section demonstrates that this course is comprehensive in its philosophy. It is about more than just placing
a few barely accurate words together. It is about the concept of honesty. It is about including all of the
required legal justifications and Miranda procedures. This course goes beyond the mere writing skills and
incorporates the full package of what needs to go into an effective report. The concept of absolute honesty
is just one of these additional areas. As for logical progressions, a strict chronological format for reporting
an incident is certainly a logical approach but not the only logical approach and perhaps not the best
approach. With an ultimate goal of writing a report that is understandable to an average juror and that can
be read efficiently by a prosecutor or judge, new report writers should occasionally experiment by modifying
a strict chronological approach for purposes of creating a better report.
PREPARING A WRITTEN WITNESS

STATEMENT – PERSPECTIVE
The reality is that an officer never really constructs a witness
statement
The officer is really helping the witness construct a statement. This perspective must be kept in mind. A
witness statement should be written in first person from the witness’s perspective, not the officer’s
perspective. The officer is acting like a court transcriptionist who is recording the witness’s actual
recollections. This is not to say that the officer cannot focus the witness to what is important or use
language that is not offensive, but the reporting of the fact—as given by the witness—must be accurate.
Examples on Approaches to Constructing a Witness Statement: There are several approaches when
preparing a witness statement. One approach is to allow witnesses to construct their own statements, in
their own handwriting, without any assistance from the officer. This is a simple, fast way to construct
witness statements but has many drawbacks. One problem with this approach is that the witness may not
know the critical issues to be addressed. Few witnesses know what the elements of any particular crime
are. Likewise, a witness may write at a fifth grade level or have terrible handwriting which brings into
question his or her mental ability. The person may be an excellent witness but just cannot place two words
together in a logical manner. Similarly, a witness who uses profanity or racial epithets diminishes his or her
credibility. If witnesses are left together when using this approach, the officer will likely find that all the
statements look nearly alike. This is because a dominant personality within the group says what happened
and everyone else buys into the account whether this is accurate or not. An officer can also transcribe the
statement for the witness, as the witness gives the statement. This eliminates the profanity, handwriting
and education problems but does little else. A third approach is for the officer to interview the witness at the
police department. After the officer is clear on what the witness has to say and that the witness knows what
the critical issues are for this case, then the officer can begin transcribing the witness’s statement. A fourth
technique is to use a strict question and answer format (Q & A). The officer asks the witness a very specific
question and the officer then records the witness’s response. Veteran officers will often combine these
techniques within a single statement for maximum flexibility. Each technique has its advantages and
disadvantages. There is no absolutely correct way to construct a witness statement. The technique used
should depend on the kind of case and the individuals involved. The officer must decide which approach
will work the best for that particular case. Advantages of using a witness statement: Although an officer can
present reliable hearsay information for obtaining a warrant, the witness must present that information
directly at trial. In addition to eliminating the hearsay problem, a signed witness statement helps prevent a
witness from changing his or her account of the incident since a false statement to the police (in the form of
a witness statement) constitutes False Reporting.
SKILLS FOR THE INVESTIGATOR

OR INSPECTOR
This period of instruction will address:
 Human Relations
 Listening
 Interviewing
 Note Taking
 Factual Report Writing
Human Relations
 Human Relations skills will directly impact on a person’s ability to gather
information.
 Body language, speech, appearance, tone of voice and demeanor influence the
individual you are interviewing or working with.
 Remember that only 40% of communication is accomplished by speaking. Be aware
of what you are communicating non-verbally.
Listening
 Active listening is crucial to effective information gathering.
 Do not anticipate the answer to your question- it may limit the way you listen.
 While it is sometimes necessary, try not interrupt the person you are listening to.
 If they take a tangent- explore it. You may gain valuable information just by letting
the person talk.
Interviewing
 The goal of an interview is to obtain information.
 Ask open ended questions and don’t be afraid to use silence as a tool.
 Think about the physical set up in terms of personal space.
 Usually we try to put the subject at ease. The easier we make it for the person to
speak the more information we will obtain.
 Prepare for the interview- know the case.
Note Taking
 Note taking is a recommended practice for persons who conduct interviews.
 Check your agency’s policy with regard to the maintaining of your notes.
 Check with your agency legal counsel to determine whether your notes are
discoverable.
 If you keep notes- keep them consistently
What is the purpose of note taking?

 To make a permanent record of events.
 To organize material for a clear understanding of the entire event.
 To aid you in follow up interviews.
 To aid your memory for report writing.
Rules for Notes:
 Notes that are written as events happen or as a statement is made are given greater
weight than those prepared after the fact.
 Make taking notes a usual course of action in your investigation and be consistent.
 Your personal observations and direct knowledge should always be in your notes.
 Keep your notebook intact and complete in the event it is entered into a proceeding.
 Do not “doodle” or make unprofessional entries in your notes for the same reason.
Legal implications for Notes
 Timeliness: Notes prepared in a contemporaneous manner (as an event is observed or
reported) are given more weight than those prepared after the fact.
 Usual Course of the Investigation: If you are going to take notes be consistent- if
not, you are subject to suspicion as to why now and not then- either way there is no good
answer.
 Personal Observation/Knowledge: Notes are your personal record and as such
can be consider as original evidence (the strongest type of evidence) if taken
contemporaneously. They can represent direct personal knowledge of an event.
 Original Entries: Keep your notes intact, do not remove pages and do not erase
entries, to do otherwise invites questions that can address your credibility
The Bottom Line on Notes
 Be consistent
 Keep notes intact
 Prepare notes contemporaneously
 Keep unprofessional entries out of the notes
 Check your agency policy concerning the keeping of notes and follow it.
FACTUAL REPORT WRITING SKILLS

 Objectivity- unless your agency asks for it, leave your personal
opinions out of a report.
 Accuracy- never consider anything as a fact until you have verified it.
 Clarity- write as you would speak, avoid the use of jargon, slang and
acronyms when possible.
 Brevity- get to the point with as few words as possible.
Basics of Report Writing Skills Basics of Report

Writing Skills
Activity 1. The Interview

1. Who Are You? Where were you at 3:00PM yesterday?
Compose at least 10 questions and answers (Interview conversation) with one of
your friend or a family member regarding
Note: If you are the INTERVIEWER: Talk to the Subject and write a report
answering the two questions.
SUBJECT: You can respond to the interviewer’s questions in the manner you see
fit. (You do have rights you know…)
Activity 2. Tell the Story

The requirement to rewrite an evidence log narrative is assigned (see Homework
Assignment #3) to provide practice in writing very accurate, detailed, concise
descriptions and to illustrate the differences between this type of report and a case or
arrest report. In an evidence log, a narrative approach with full, grammatically correct
sentences is not necessary but very precise detail is. This homework assignment is
really the “poster child” exercise for the Accurate Words lecture. Again, you must
determine what your goals are for this report. Then you can focus on how to accomplish
these goals. Focus then implicates CONTENT. More specifically, evidence logs
accomplish at least two important goals: 1.) They initially identify the item being
collected in sufficient detail so that the officer can honestly identify that item in court to
the exclusion of other items that look just like it. 2.) The second important goal that an
evidence log accomplishes is establishing at least the first step in the Chain of Custody.
Internet video links –

Accurate Words, Part 1: http://www.webinar.in.gov/p2eho4g9ji7/
Accurate Words, Part 2: http://www.webinar.in.gov/p2ph9c5pr32/
Module 1 helps students to learn about the different terminologies that we used in this subject.
This topic talks about the definition of report, the
Through this topic, students are able to understand and comprehend the introduction of report
writing and the importance of interview, note-taking and the usage of 5W’s &H
questions.
“Accurate Words” means more than just picking a somewhat appropriate word. “Accurate
Thoughts” means more than just avoiding factual mistakes. “Logical Progression” means more
than just plowing through every scenario using a strict timeline approach. Improving police
report writing skills means focusing on content and then deciding the best way to present this
content.
Reference:
Overview of PBL: http://www.webinar.in.gov/p31j4sb9eka/

technical-report-writing.php
I. MULTIPLE CHOICE
Direction/s: Read each statement carefully, and then ENCIRCLE THE
ANSWER that best fits the statement.
1. It is the systematic process of identifying, preserving and evaluating information

for the purpose of bringing a criminal offender to justice.
a. Criminal Investigation c. Interrogation
b. Court Presentation d. Lie Detection
2. It is the basic element of investigative process that the information relating to
crime must be recognized by the investigator.
a. Recognition c. Preservation
b. Collection d. None of the Above
3. It is the basic element of investigative process that is relevant must be collected
by the investigator for processing and presentation in court.
a. Preservation c. Recognition
b. Comparison d. Collection
4. It is the basic elements of investigative process that the evidence collected must
be preserved for future use.
a. Comparison c. Recognition
b. Collection d. Preservation
5. It is define as a logical, objective, legal inquiry involving a possible activity.
a. Criminal Investigation c. Interrogation
b. Court Presentation d. Planning
6. It is defined as the knowledge which is an investigator acquire from records and
persons.
a. Information c. Interview
b. Interrogation d. Instrumentation
7. It is the process of procuring information from a friendly subject.
a. Interrogation c. Interview
b. Information d. Instrumentation
8. It is the process of obtaining information from a hostile subject like a suspect.
a. Instrumentation c. Interrogation
b. Interview d. Information
9. It is the application of instruments and methods of physical sciences in the
investigation of crime.
a. Instrumentation c. Interrogation
b. Information d. None of the Above
10. This is one where the violation of law or regulation has just been unearthed or
discovered and the suspects or the witnesses to the case are still emotionally
affected.
a. Hot Case c. Light Offense
b. Cold Case d. All of the Above
11. This is a dormant case where a suspect or witness has the luxury or ample time
to mull over the ramifications of the case from the subjective impression of the
case.
a. Hot Case c. Light Offense
b. Cold Case d. None of the Above
12. This technique is considered the easiest and the interrogator is always almost
sure of getting all the information.
a. Going Backward c. Hot and Cold Case
b. Chronological Questioning d. General to Specific
13. This technique is the exact opposite of the chronological technique.
a. Going Backward c. Hot and Cold Case
b. Chronological Questioning d. General to Specific
14. This technique is often used mostly within one of the two above techniques.
a. Chronological Questioning c. Going Backward
b. General to Specific d. Hot and Cold Case
15. The location at which a suspected criminal offense has occurred.
a. Physical Evidence c. Crime Scene
b. Function Hall d. None of the Above
16. Any type of evidence having an objective existence, that is, anything with size,
shape and dimension.
a. Documentary Evidence c. Crime Scene
b. Testimonial Evidence d. Physical Evidence
17. The person who carries out a formal inquiry of investigation. The person who
examine the crime, problem, statement in order to find or discover the truth.
a. Criminal Investigator c. Forensic Examiner
b. Criminal Investigation d. Photographer
18. It composes of identifying the suspect, locate the suspect, effect arrest, and
recover property.
a. State Problem c. Observe and Experiment
b. Form the Hypothesis d. Draw Conclusions
19. It composes of motive, knowledge and means as the starting points of criminal
investigation.
a. State the Problem c. Form the Hypothesis
b. Interpret Data d. Draw Conclusions
20. It composes of evaluating results of hypothesis, reject hypothesis, and
experiment with another hypothesis.
a. State the Problem c. Observe and Experiment
b. Interpret Data d. Draw Conclusions
21. It is a statement or observation that can be verified by other verifiable points of
information.
a. Fact c. Conclusion
b. Opinion d. Critical thinking
22. It is merely one’s impression or personal belief.
a. Opinion c. Critical Thinking
b. Fact d. Conclusion
23. It prior to the commencement of an interview, the investigator should identify
himself to the subject by name, rank and agency.
a. Identity c. Narration
b. Rapport d. Inquiry
24. It is defined a direct acknowledgement of guilt arising from the commission of a
crime.
a. Confession c. Information
b. Admission d. Conclusion
25. It is defined as an acknowledgement of a fact or circumstance without accepting
guilt.
a. Admission c. Conclusion
b. Confession d. All of the Above
II. CREATING A FULL INVESTIGATIVE REPORT (25 points)

DIRECTION/s: Complete the Report of Affidavit of Arresting Officers by watching this link:
Internet link – Use of Headings: http://www.webinar.in.gov/p389l6l7r71/
AFFIDAVIT OF ARRESTING OFFICERS

Republic of the Philippines ) ____________, ________ )
s.s. x- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -x
JOINT AFFIDAVIT OF ARREST
We, the UNDERSIGNED Police Officers, both members of the Philippine National Police,
presently assigned at the __________________________, _________, _____________, do
hereby depose and state THAT:

01. We are among the members of the ___________________________________ who
conducted entrapment operations at _______________________ located along
________________________________, _______________;
02. Said operation stemmed from the complaint of _____________ for violation of
______________________________________ which was referred to our office by the
______________________________ against _____________________, (age), (civil status),
(nationality) and residing at No. __________________________, __________________;
03. On the complaint dated _______________, (state the act and the crime committed).
04. Upon receipt of their said complaint, our office planned out an entrapment operation against
the suspect. At about ______________ of ______________, the undersigned together with the
complainant proceeded at the prearranged pay off _________________________ located along
____________________________, __________ to give the money being asked by the
respondent;
05. Upon arrival thereat, complainants waited for the suspect to arrive while we the undersigned
seated near the table of the complainants. At about ________, suspect arrived and approached
the complainants and after few conversation, complainants handed over the marked money to the
suspect that minutes of prompted the undersigned to immediately effect arrest;
06. Seized and recovered in the possession and control of the arrested person were the following,
to wit:
a.) Marked Money, (state the denomination and serial numbers);
b.) (Name of documents promised);
c.) (type of CP and SIM Card); and
d.) Other evidence confiscated;
07. Suspect together with the seized and recovered evidence was brought to the
___________________________________, ____________, ___________ for booking and
proper disposition. Likewise, the arrested person was apprised of their rights as provided for
under the Constitution of the Philippines.
08. The report of the PNP Crime Laboratory Group Physical Identification Report No.
___________ dated __________, revealed that suspect ______________________ was
POSITIVE for the presence of Bright Yellow Ultraviolet Fluorescent powder on both palm and
right dorsal portion of the hands.
We executed this joint affidavit to attest the truthfulness of the foregoing facts and to support the
filing of Criminal Cases against _______________________________ for violations of
________________________.
AFFIANTS SAYETH NAUGHT.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, we hereunto affixed our signature this ___day of ____________ at

____________, _______________.
_______________________________ ____________________________
Affiant
Affiant
SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN to before me this ___ day of _______ at _______________. I

HEREBY CERTIFY that I have personally examined the herein affiants and I am satisfied that
they voluntarily executed and understood their given affidavit.
_____________________
Administering Officer
Principles of Investigations Principles of

Investigations and Report Writing
TOPICS TITLE TIME DURATION
Topic 1 Investigation Basics 2 hours

Topic Basic English Rules
2 2 hours
Topic 3 Notes to Sentences to Report

2 hours
Topic 4 Attitude Toward Reports 2

hours
Topic 5
Topic 6 Writing a Report 2 hours
Learning Objectives
At the end of this Module you must be able to:
 To be able to determine Facts of the Actual Incident (the law violation)
 To follow All Legal Requirements (requirements for getting evidence admitted,
for example)
 To apply Other Important Police Procedures (information not related directly to
the law violation)
 To determine the basic investigation skills
 To write a police report in proper format and procedures.
INVESTIGATION BASICS
Who is an investigator?
What is an Investigation?
When does an Investigation Begin
Basic Legal Beginning of an investigation
 Probable cause
 Probable cause means that police must have a police must have a reasonable belief
that a crime has been has been committed, committed, or is being committed, by or
is being committed, by the suspect the suspect.
 Reasonable Suspicion
 Reasonable Suspicion –an objectively justifiable suspicion that is based specific facts
or circumstances and that justifies stopping and justifies stopping and sometimes
searching a person may be involved in criminal activity.
Quality of Police Investigations Report:

“The best investigation is only as good as the report completed about it. A quality report is
an effective report, and to qualify as effective it must be:
 Complete -- Put all the facts in the report- don’t make the error of deciding what is enough and
important.
Facts should be organized, not edited.
Failing to include all known facts in a report is at the least a poor practice, it could be
illegal.
 Clear- Readers should be able to understand each word, sentence and paragraph quickly.
Avoid the use of jargon, slang, acronyms or unclear words- think about who will read your
report.
 Concise- Unnecessary words can blur the reader’s understanding of what you are reporting.
Say what you have to say in as few words as possible without sacrificing clarity.
A concise report stands a better chance of being read completely.
 Accurate- A factual report must be accurate.

Its basic purpose is to describe people, events or objects.
An inaccurate report is worthless and may even be dangerous.
NOTE TAKING
Purpose:
 Record storage
 Building Blocks
 Aid to Memory
 Mechanics of Note Taking
 Readable
 Accurate
 Concise
NOTES TO SENTENCES
 0700 rec’d call, 459 now, 123 N. Main Street.

 0710 arrvd scene
 0711 PR R. Foster (3-16-59) arrvd busins, 0645, frnt door open.
Write in First Person Write in First Person

To make reports easier to read and to understand, most department
ask officers to write in the FIRST PERSON.
 The writer of the report refers to himself/herself as as I, and uses the first person
pronouns me, my, and mine.
 The more formal third person this officer, reporting officer (R/O reporting officer (R/O )
or this writer reference is old-fashioned and unacceptable in modern law enforcement.
Missing Information
Missing information can be used to infer that you are:
 Not very professional  Not Thorough  Donot have certain expertise  Not Truthful
Write in Chronological Order

 Chronological order is order by time. Your report should tell what happened in the order that
the events took place
 Get all the facts and then list them in the order in which they happened. It is much order in
which they happened. It is much easier to understand what happened if the details are written in
chronological order, even if the people involved do not tell you the information in chronological
order.
Write in the Past Tense Write in the Past Tense

 Everything you write in your report has already happened, so use the past tense.
 In present tense, you would write: The suspect lives at 1010 Swanson Court. A defense
attorney might ask: “Does the suspect still live there?” It’s likely you will have to say that you do
not know. If It’s likely you will have to say that you do not know. If you have to say, “I don’t
know” many times, you will you have to say, “you will destroy your credibility. If you write in
past tense, you can say that what is in the report was correct at the time you wrote the report.
Past Tense
Do not use the emphatic form (the word did) in combination with other action words
(verbs). This form implies that something else happened.
Incorrect: I did issue a citation. (But it was ignored.)
Correct: I issued a citation.
Incorrect: Markly did say that Norman had a gun. (But later he changed his statement.)
Correct: Markly said that Norman had a gun.
Pronoun Antecedent Agreement

The same rules that apply to subject/verb agreement also apply to pronoun agreement also
apply to pronoun antecedent agreement
The female child held her pencil in her closed fist.

Attorney Jim Spartus was asked to bring his estimates on the damage to his client’s boat to
court on Wednesday. The three suspects asked for their lawyers.
Ambiguous Pronouns
 When a sentence is written in such a way that the reader does not know who or
what not know who or what the pronoun refers to, the sentence has an ambiguous
pronoun.
 Each pronoun in a sentence should refer to only one antecedent.
Incorrect: Officer Swanson saw the man carrying a television set, and he began to run. Who does
he refer to– Officer Swanson or the man?
Correct: Officer Swanson saw the man carrying a television set, and the man began
to run.
WHAT IS JARGON? AND, WHY SHOULD WE AVOID IT?
Avoid Wordiness
Good police reports can avoid wordiness by doing the following:
 Use simple words
 Use active voice
 Avoid wordy phrases
 Avoid redundancy
Examples:
Incorrect: In subsequent endeavors to ascertain her whereabouts on July 28, I questioned the suspected
perpetrator as she exited the premises of her employment.
Correct: I later questioned the suspect as she left work to learn where she had been on July 28.
Avoid Wordy Phrases

 Each and every Each
 Red in color Red
Due to the fact that Because
 If this should prove to be the If
 Paced back and forth Paced
 Members of the gang Gang Members
Avoid Redundancy
 Past experience Experience
 True facts Facts
 Future plans Plans
 Meet together Meet
 Reduce down Reduce
 Final result The Result
 Join together Join
 Basic fundamentals Basic/Fundamental
Report Facts, Not Opinions

 How do you know?
 See
 Hear
 Taste
 Touch
 Smell
 Report facts, not your opinions
Opinion: Peterson is a violent person. Peterson is a violent person.
Fact: Peterson has been arrested twice for domestic abuse.
 Be sure to cite the source of your information.
The victim entered the garage at approximately 2311 hours.
(How do you know? Were you there?)
The victim said she entered the garage at approximately 2311 hours.
Use Specific Words

 Accuracy involves detail, so be sure your sentences are specific enough to give the reader a
clear picture.
The suspect was driving recklessly.

The suspect did not stop the vehicle before it struck the child on the sled.
Attitude Toward Reports

 Defense Attorney:
“If it isn’t on paper, it didn’t happen.”
Defense attorneys always check to see who was the arresting officer. Every officer earns
a reputation for the quality of reports that he or she writes.
Activity 1: Field Notes

Take you Field Notes for the Superette Robbery case and convert these into a more usable format
for writing your case report by using a Mind Mapping (or Webbing) technique (as described in
class). Turn this Mind Mapping outline in with your other homework assignments.
Internet video link - Mind Mapping and Webbing: http://www.webinar.in.gov/p77h08ugyz1/
The Mind Mapping and Webbing techniques explained in this class are merely a method for
organizing a long, complex report quickly (like the Superette robbery). These can also be used to
easily provide a sequence for writing the report. The most difficult part of these techniques is
convincing new report writers—who typically do not want to spend any more time behind the
computer than is necessary—that these techniques are a worthwhile time saver. Although several
of these techniques are not intuitive, they are easy to master.
Purpose – To give students practice in taking field notes and reorganizing these notes into a more
usable product
Activity 2:
Instructions: The evidence log below was written for the items confiscated from Gary
Rennick’s vehicle (from the final exam Superette robbery video/case). This narrative portion of
the Evidence Log may not be written in the best way. Rewrite the description of these evidence
items. You may (and should) consult with others in determining how to word a better, more
detailed, honest description.
Evidence Log
Item #1:
Item #2:
Item #3:
Item #4:
Item #5:

Reference:
 Police Special Investigation

 Basic Report Writing Course © 2017
 Nano, Maria Cristina Bajado (2014), Technical Report Writing 2 : For Criminology
Students
MULTIPLE-CHOICE
DIRECTION/S: Read each statement carefully, and then ENCIRCLE THE ANSWER that best fits the statement.
1. It means that police must have a police must have a reasonable belief that a crime has
been has been committed, or is being committed, by the suspect the suspect.
a. Probable Cause c. Concise
b. Reasonable Suspicion d. Aid to Memory
2. It is an objectively justifiable suspicion that is based specific facts or circumstances and
that justifies stopping and justifies stopping and sometimes searching a person may be
involved in criminal activity.
a. Concise c. Reasonable Suspicion
b. Probable Cause d. None of the Above
3. Do not use the emphatic form (the word did) in combination with other action words
(verbs). This form implies that something else happened.
a. Past tense c. Jargon
b. Antecedent Pronouns d. Ambiguous Pronoun
4. The same rules that apply to subject/verb agreement also apply to pronoun agreement
also apply to pronoun antecedent agreement.
a. Antecedent Pronoun c. Past Tense
b. Ambiguous Pronoun d. Jargon
5. Accuracy involves detail, so be sure your sentences are specific enough to give the reader
a clear picture.
a. Specific Words c. Wordiness
b. Past Tense d. Jargon
6. When a sentence is written in such a way that the reader does not know who or what not
know who or what the pronoun refers to, the sentence has an ambiguous pronoun.
a. Specific Words c. Ambiguous Pronoun
b. Jargon d. Past Tense
7. To make reports easier to read and to understand
a. Write in First Person c. Write in Past Tense
b. Write in Chronological Order d. None of the Above
8. Everything you write in your report has already happened
a. Write in Chronological Order c. Write in First Person
b. Write in Past Tense d. All of the Above
9. Your report should tell what happened in the order that the events took place
a. Write in Past Tense c. Write in Chronological Order
b. Write in First Person d. None of the Above

10. Put all the facts in the report- don’t make the error of deciding what is enough and
important. Facts should be organized, not edited.
a. Complete c. Concise
b. Accurate d. Clear
11. Readers should be able to understand each word, sentence and paragraph quickly. Avoid
the use of jargon, slang, acronyms or unclear words- think about who will read your
report.
a. Clear c. Accurate
b. Concise d. Complete
12. A factual report must be accurate. Its basic purpose is to describe people, events or
objects.
a. Accurate c. Complete
b. Clear d. Accurate
13. They are the human five senses except_______.
a. See c. Touch e.
singing
b. Smell d. Hear f. Taste
14. Purpose of note taking except__________.
a. Building Blocks c. Write in Past Tense
b. Aid to Memory d. Record Storage
15. It refers to a person who carries out a formal inquiry or investigation.
a. Investigator c. Teacher
b. Detective d. Intelligence
ESSAY
Direction/s: Read the question carefully and write the correct answer. (10 points each)
1. What is jargon? Why should we avoid it?
2. Good police reports can avoid wordiness by doing?
3. What are the purposes of Note-taking?
4. Elaborate the qualities of Police Investigations Report.

5. Give the correct sentence of this Ambiguous pronoun:
Officer Swanson saw the man carrying a television set, and he began to run.
Who does he refer to– Officer Swanson or the man?
THE IMPORTANCE OF PROFESSIONAL WRITING SKILLS

IN LAW ENFORCEMENT
TOPIC TITLE TIME DURATION

S
Topic 1 Common Types of Law Enforcement Reports 2
hours

Topic 2 Characteristics of a Quality Police Report 2
hours
Topic 3 Importance of Effective, Well-Written Reports 2 hours
Topic 4 Written Statements 2 hours

Topic 5 Standard Operating Procedures 2 hours
Learning Objectives
 Write an effective and legally sufficient narrative for an evidence log
 Take sufficient, accurate field notes for a major felony violation
 Identify what types of information should go into field notes and why
 Satisfactorily address all the legal requirements when writing for that
particular type of case
Accurate and intelligent reporting and documentation is crucial to Law

Enforcement. Police officers spend a significant amount of time completing
paperwork necessary for the criminal justice process. An officer is most often the
first point of contact in a criminal situation, and having professional writing
skills is imperative to creating a thorough, well-written report.
LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THE

CRAFT OF WRITING
Common Types of Law Enforcement Reports
Law enforcement reporting encompasses a wide spectrum of information. Some of these reports
include:
 Arrest Report: Written at the time of an arrest, including the probable cause, arrest, and the
temperament of the suspected person.
 Evidence Collection Report: Launches the chain of evidence, such as who discovered the
evidence, when and where it was located, who collected it, and its disposition.
 Crime Report: Written after a crime has occurred, including all aspects of the crime
(location, date and time, evidence taken, loss or injuries, and suspect depiction).
 Event or Incident Report: Used to document events that are not measured as criminal, such
as emergency medical calls or civil disputes.
 Narcotic, Drunk Driving, Intoxication Report: A report describing a suspect’s condition at
the time of the crime, including the influence of substances, be it alcohol or drugs.
 Clearance Report: States the outcome of a case, and could include the arrest, the recovery
of property or the filing of a complaint. This report serves as the conclusion of a case.
Importance of Effective, Well-Written Reports

A written report is often the first impression an officer makes on commanding officers, lawyers,
or judges – and a poorly written report can cause an inaccurate portrayal of competence level.
Additionally, it can also mean the difference between a rightful conviction and an erroneous
release of a guilty person. On the other hand, an accurate and intelligent report can make a
positive first impression, and has the ability to lead to new opportunities for the future.
A well-written report can also serve the following purposes

for an Officer of the Law:
 Time saver: Accurate organization of the material and repetition elimination can cut hours
out of an officer’s reporting time.
 Better court preparation: A well-written report can prove more efficient in a court of law,
speaking more logically and correctly to lawyers and judges.
 Possible avoidance of court: A report that leaves little material for questioning could help an
officer avoid having to attend court at all. If the report is written clearly and leaves little room
for questions, counsel may have no reason to call the officer into the court.
 Respect from superiors and fellow officers: If a report is written well the first time, an
officer’s superior has little revision to make, saving time and energy, and earning the officer
respect in the eyes of his/her superior.
 A gateway to a Criminal Justice writing career: Crime and punishment has always been a
topic of interest for the general public, and writing about criminal justice experiences is an
option for those who polish their professional writing skills.
The Criminal Justice field requires individuals with the skills to not only prevent and apprehend
crime, but to precisely report those apprehensions as well. Accurate reporting is more than just
including all necessary facts and information; it is effectively demonstrating cognitive and
technical skills as well. A Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice can arm a Law Enforcement
officer with these valuable writing skills. With courses such as “Professional Writing for Law
Enforcement,” officers will learn the craft of writing, thus learning the techniques and skills of
effective communication in the law enforcement workplace.
A good Police Administrative Report should have the

following qualities:
 It must be complete.
 Accurate - Accuracy is very important as such check time, names of persons and
places.
 Brief - brevity but not lengthy. Avoid superfluous.
 Clear - Clarity is most important. ...
 Courteous - Polite in choice of wards.
What Are the Characteristics of a Quality

Police Report?
Police report writing is a part of required training for police candidates. A large number of police
agencies have transitioned to computer electronic reports rather than using paper forms. The
electronic reports are designed as templates with fillable information, making it user-friendly
when writing a report. While the computer offers some ease, the officer should take
consideration in writing a quality police report.
1. Crime Classification
Classification of the offense needs to be accurately reported and placed under the proper
crime category. Statistical data of these offenses is collected from all law enforcement
agencies to analyze and gauge the types of crimes that occur throughout the country.
The police officer is responsible for knowing the different types of crimes and applying
the applicable crimes in the report.
2Basic Information
Police report forms contain checklists and fields for the police officers to fill in
information. Each item and area has to be thoroughly completed, even if it is non-
applicable. Several of these fields are completed by the police officer using the victim or
alleged suspect's government-issued identification card. Contact information and phone
numbers are important to follow up or obtain additional information from the victim or
alleged suspect.
3Incident Information
Date, time and location of the incident are critical components in a police report. When an
offense or incident is not reported on the actual date or time of occurrence, the details
become important should the case go to trial. The police officer should enter the actual
date and time of the initial offense. Sometimes, the location of the incident occurs in
several different areas. Indicate the first location on the police report; all other locations
can be provided in the narrative.
4Suspect Information
A vital part of the police report is getting a detailed description of the suspects. Obtaining a
good physical description from the victim may be difficult during a traumatic experience.
The best way is to ask several questions, which produces an effective and thorough
report, especially if the report is necessary for court cases. Important physical details
should include race, eye color, hair color, complexion, approximate age, height, weight,
tattoos, scars and clothing.
5Report Narrative
The report narrative needs to be well written, accurate, direct, concise and complete.
Refrain from repeating information previously entered in the data fields and use it as a
second reference in the narrative, such as Victim Smith or Suspect 1. Gather all
information and interviews by being proactive, since people are sometimes reluctant to
volunteer information. Write the report in chronological order with facts from the
interview and investigation. Details, such as contradictions, may be pertinent to the
report. Do not overlook any details, such as conversations and verbal exchanges.
WRITING IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM
The following five steps work up from the simplest techniques through progressively more
involved techniques. None of these steps, however, involve difficult concepts or long learning
curves. Individual officers and departments can easily implement these techniques.
Five Steps to Better Reports: We suggest implementing one of these steps each month. At the
conclusion of the five month period, we think most departments will notice that their officers are
producing substantially better reports
1. Using a Lead-in Sentence. The use of a lead-in sentence is one of the easiest ways
to get officers to think about what they are going to put into a report before they actually
begin typing the report. This technique lends itself to constructing better incident, case,
investigative and arrest reports as well as probable cause affidavits. These sentences
announce, up front, what the case is about so that supervisors, prosecutors and judges
know what to expect from the report. The use of a lead-in sentence also forces the writer
to think about what the focus of the report should be. A lead-in sentence can be used for a
report generally, but it can also be used to introduce each section of a report. Some
writers even encourage using a lead-in sentence for each paragraph. Lead-in sentences
often feel awkward to construct the first few times they are attempted but will flow
naturally after a little practice. To construct a lead-in sentence for an arrest report, for
example, distill what the desired result should be for the stop or investigation. Here are a
few samples of lead-in sentences for an arrest report:
I (or Officer Smith) arrested Otto B. Recker for Driving Under the Influence after Recker drove a
borrowed vehicle into a house and injured two people in the living room. Tactical Officer C.
Crimes arrested Willie Steal on a warrant that I obtained for the burglary of 1235 Second Street
in which five guns were stolen.
Here are two lead-in sentences for a simple incident report:

I was dispatched to 234 Avenue B on a disturbance complaint. After talking with the neighbors, I
found the complaint was unfounded.
[or]
I was dispatched to 234 Avenue B on a disturbance complaint and found the complaint to be
unfounded after talking with the neighbors.
2. Subdividing a Report with Headings. This is another very simple technique that
requires very little training, extra work or thought and results in a much better looking
report. The technique makes finding information in a report easier, and it is much more
reader friendly. Unfortunately, many new (and a few veteran) police report writers tend
to generate three page paragraphs which are difficult to read and make finding a
particular fact very tedious. Subdividing a report into sections forces police report writers
to think about grouping like items of information. Although this will sometimes result in
a report that is not written in a strict chronological format, the final result is generally
much better. Subdividing a report is even better when really good descriptive headings
are used. The number of ways to subdivide a report and the number of potential headings
to identify these subdivisions are nearly unlimited. Here are several common headings
used by advanced report writers:
Complaint
Preliminary Information
Officer Actions and Observations
Incident Summary
Victim/Complainant Statements
Abstract of Witness Statements
Witness List
Suspect Statements
Investigation at Scene
Physical Evidence Summary
Officers on Scene
M.O. (Modus Operandi)
Lab Results
Follow Up and Supplemental Reports
Statute Violations
Disposition
These are just a few of the potential subdivisions. Officers (or a department) could opt to use
only a couple of these for all reports but then expand the number depending on the complexity of
the case and the length of the report. Answering a disturbance call, for example, typically
requires much less effort than an armed robbery complaint with shots fired and a subsequent
pursuit.
3. Use of a Bullet Style Format. With our progression through increasingly more
sophisticated report techniques, a next logical step should probably be to examine ways
to quickly pick out information from within a subdivision. Using bullet style writing is
such a technique. Bullet or list style writing is worthwhile when several similar items
need to be identified or included. Providing a few examples probably demonstrates this
technique better than trying to explain it further.
Examples:
… and Smith was charged with:
• Disorderly Conduct, IC 35-45-1-3

• Resisting Law Enforcement, IC 35-44-3-3
• Public Intoxication, IC 7.1-5-1-3
• Possession of Marijuana, IC 35-48-4-11
… so I administered three sobriety tests. These were:
• The Finger to Nose test

• The Divided Attention test
• The Heel to Toe test
… The timeline was:
1. 3:45 a.m. Company alarm activated
2. 3:53 a.m. Officer Smith arrives on scene
3. 3:55 a.m. Shots fired
4. 4:05 a.m. EMS called
Bullet or list style writing makes information faster to find and easier to write.
4. Using Mind Mapping or Webbing. These and similar techniques have been used
for years to quickly organize and sequence information. Although not particularly
productive for very short reports, these techniques are very good for constructing longer
reports. These techniques identify in a barebones fashion the important information and
how the writer is going to progress through his or her report. Typically, the toughest thing
about using these techniques is getting officers to buy into their use. Officers who do not
like writing reports view these techniques as requiring additional time that must be
devoted to this unpleasant task. The truth is that a couple of minutes devoted to
constructing a Webbing diagram makes typing the report much fast. It also organizes the
report better and reduces the amount of information unintentionally omitted.
The information from a case is jotted down (similar to bullet style writing) in an outline form (for
Mind Mapping) or in a spider web design (for Webbing) as demonstrated below:
5. Use the K.I.S.S. Principles. This acronym simply means, Keep It Simple Sir. This
concept focuses on brevity techniques for writing a report. Ironically, students are told
generally to avoid the use of slang, clichés, police jargon, legalese, labels, acronyms and
abbreviations in their reports unless these are so common that everybody knows their
meanings, e.g., Mr. Sgt. Capt., etc. Nevertheless, basic student are shown (during their
basic course “Brevity” lecture) that legal labels and acronyms can be used if explained or
identified the first time they appear in a report. This is an effective technique for making
a report shorter and faster to type. An example would be if an officer conducted a Terry
Stop search (pat-down) on a subject. Of course, a member of the general public, i.e., a
juror, does not know what a Terry Stop search is. However, if a short reference is made in
the narrative to “ … the Terry Stop which allows a pat down of the outer clothing for
weapon under certain conditions …,” then the term Terry Stop can be used repeatedly
throughout the report to again reference that particular search, a particular time in the
case or discovered evidence. The same is true with terms like S.W.A.T., V.I.N. plates,
ICE officers and the like.
Along the same line, other brevity techniques within the K.I.S.S. concepts encompass different
approaches to making reports shorter or more understandable. Most basic course students would
recognize the K.I.S.S. concept to mean that paragraphs and sentences should typically be short
and that they should use the first person “I” and past tense with a Subject, Verb, and Object
approach to writing. Beyond this, K.I.S.S. means finding ways to make a report brief without
sacrificing critical information.
Officers in the basic class were encouraged to think along the lines of writing “dense” reports.
Some techniques that can be practiced to accomplish this are described below:
Avoiding Duplication. With more involved cases, evidence is often confiscated and logged
and witness statements prepared. If a detailed description is completed in the evidence log, why
repeat this information in the case report? The inclusion of highly descriptive detail for all items
of evidence makes a case report difficult for jurors to read and understand. So long as a witness
statement, evidence log or other accompanying document is attached to the case report, there is
generally no need to repeat this detailed information in each document. A simple reference to
“the gun” or to “the money” is sufficient.
Avoiding “Officious” Language. We defined “Officious” language in class as that language

which inserts “hollow” or placeholder words as well as terms that are often seen in “legal”
documents that have very little meaning in modern English. Such words as got, did, to wit, did
then and there, forthwith, hereunto and the like, consume considerable space, take time to type
and add little to the report. The inclusion of these words often makes the report sound “official”
and sometimes produces a nice singsong cadence to the report, but does little to provide much
information.
Using “Dense” Words and Sentences. The next step beyond avoiding Officious words is
actually thinking about cramming more meaningful words into the report. At this point in the
writer’s development, writers should be considering their report construction in enough detail
that word choices can naturally become a part of this process. For instance, the following
modifications can be made to the below sentences:
Original: It was a dark in color vinyl bag. Better: It was a brown

camera case.
Original: I did then and there effect an arrest Better: I arrested Brown after
he punched me.
after the perpetrator became assaultive with me.
Original: The documents were prepared by Better: I prepared the arrest
and search warrant
Officer A. Stoot, to wit: the search warrant affidavits.
affidavit and the arrest affidavit.
Focusing on the Critical Elements. This is perhaps one of the most important but
overlooked skills in report writing. We routinely see new report writer go on for pages about
detail that is not important for the prosecution of the case while forgetting to include crucial
information. These reports look to be well done simply because of their length, but often provide
little information on critical issues. Asking officers to think about what the focus of a particular
report should be is the first step in getting them to include detailed information for important
issues while deemphasizing the not-so-important information. If there is an armed robbery which
then leads to a substantial vehicle chase which then leads into a foot pursuit, officers will often
spend pages detailing every motor vehicle violation of the chase as well as many small details in
the foot pursuit and apprehension when most prosecutors are only interested in charging the
offender with two or three of the most serious crimes, e.g., Robbery, Felony Battery, Resisting
Law Enforcement. In those cases, detailing 30 motor vehicle misdemeanors and infractions is
wasted effort.
Officers typically find that once they master creating quality reports, they will experience that –
“The pen is
mightier than the
sword” – Edward Bulwer-
Lytton
STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES

INVESTIGATION PROCEDURES
RULE 15. INVESTIGATION BY THE TERRITORIAL POLICE UNIT
AFTER AN ARMED CONFRONTATION
15.1 Responsibility of the Territorial Police Unit

The Police Unit that has territorial jurisdiction over the area where the armed confrontation
occurred shall secure the scene and immediately undertake the necessary investigation.
15.2 Scene of the Crime Operation (SOCO) Team to Process the Crime Scene
The concerned Police Unit shall immediately request the Scene of the Crime Operation (SOCO)
Team to conduct crime scene processing. (PNP Standard Operating Procedure No. ODIDM-
2011-008 “Conduct of Crime Scene Investigation”)
15.3 Mandatory Examination of Firearm Seized/Confiscated during Police

Operation
a. All fi rearms, cartridges and slugs seized, captured or recovered during checkpoints or pursuit
operations or in any other police operations including those seized during the service of warrants
and, more importantly, those recovered from the crime scene shall immediately be submitted to
the local Crime Laboratory (CLO) which shall in turn process it for capturing and cross-
matching through the Integrated Ballistics Identification System (IBIS);
b. The field investigator or investigator-on-case (IOC) shall submit the photo of the fi rearm and
the receipt issued by the local Crime Laboratory Office for the said firearm/cartridges/slugs to
the prosecutor or the court;
c. Should the prosecutor eventually require the physical submission of the fi rearm, the
investigator-on-case shall manifest with the prosecutor or court that a subpoena be issued for the
Crime Laboratory which issued the receipt to present the said fi rearm; and
d. It is also imperative that the chain of custody be strictly observed and documented and
therefore, as much as practicable, it shall be the investigator-on-case (IOC) who shall personally
submit the recovered fi rearms/ shells/slugs to the local Crime Laboratory
15.4 Inquest Proceeding Necessary When the Suspect Dies

In cases of armed confrontation wherein the suspect dies, the Team Leader of the operating unit
shall submit the incident for inquest before the duty Inquest Prosecutor prior to the removal of
the body from the scene, except in areas where there are no Inquest Prosecutors. In which case,
the territorial police unit can proceed with the investigation.
RULE 17. MAINTENANCE OF POLICE BLOTTER
17.1 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 “Ws” (who, what, where, when
and why) and one “H” (how) of an information. A Police blotter is a logbook that contains the
daily registry of all crime incident reports, official summaries of arrest, and other significant
events reported in a police station.
17.2 Police Blotter for Cases involving Women and Children
A separate Police Blotter, however, shall be maintained for crime incident reports involving
violence against women and children and those cases involving a child in conflict with the law to
protect their privacy pursuant to Republic Act (RA) 9262 (Anti-Violence Against Women and
Children Act of 2004) and RA 9344 (Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006), respectively.
17.3 Crime Incident Reporting System (CIRS)

Each PNP operating unit shall also maintain and utilize the PNP Crime Incident Reporting
System (CIRS), an electronic reporting system that facilitates crime documentation, modernizes
data storage and provides quick and reliable transmission of crime information from lower units
and NOSUs of the PNP to the National Headquarters at Camp Crame, Quezon City.
17.4 Blotter Procedure

Before entry into the blotter book, the Duty Officer (DO) should first evaluate if the report is a
crime incident, arrest or event/activity, which is for records purposes only. If the report is a crime
incident, the DO shall first accomplish the Incident Record Form (IRF) from which the entry in
the blotter book and IRS shall be extracted. All other reports shall be recorded directly to the
blotter book. (PNP SOP No. 2012-001 “Incident Recording System”)
RULE 18. UNIT CRIME PERIODIC REPORT (UCPER)
18.1 Purpose
To promote consistency in the recording of crime incidence, the PNP adopts a uniform procedure
in reporting and collecting crime data including cases reported to other law enforcement agencies
that are part of the Criminal Justice System.
18.2 Execution and Procedures

The Chief of Police is primarily responsible for the maintenance of accurate crime data.
Accuracy and integrity of crime recording processes must be ensured by the Chief of
Investigation Section and Crime Registrar. The Chief of Police shall likewise ensure that crime
data are gathered from all sources, such as: Barangay, NBI, PDEA, BFAR, DENR, DSWD,
BOC, BI and other agencies with law enforcement functions in the locality.
Unit Commanders shall appoint a Crime Registrar who shall be responsible in consolidating and
maintaining crime data files of each unit to ensure consistency and continuity.
18.3 Recording
a. Incident Reports
All crime incidents whether reported by the victims, witnesses or third parties must be recorded
in the police
blotter, even under the following circumstances.
(1) When the offender is ill and is unlikely to recover or is too senile or too mentally disturbed
for proceedings to take place;
(2) When the complainant or an essential witness is dead and the proceedings cannot be pursued;
(3) When the victim or an essential witness refuses, or is permanently unable to stand as a
witness; and
(4) The victim or complainant or witness is a minor.
b. Reporting Jurisdiction
The police unit with the territorial jurisdiction where the crime was committed shall have the
primary responsibility to record and report the same. If a continuing crime is committed in
various areas of responsibilities, it should be recorded and reported as a single crime by the unit
taking cognizance of the crime
afterwards extinguished for once it

has been started, the
consummation of the crime of
arson does not depend upon the
extent of the damage caused.
♣ Setting fire to the contents of a
building constitutes the
consummated crime of setting
fire to a building even if no part of
the building was burned.
Basis of Liability in Arson:
1. Kind and character of the
building, whether of public or
private ownership.
2. Its location, whether in an
uninhabited place or in a populated
place.
3. Extent of damage caused; and
4. The fact of its being inhabited or
not.

Some of the Arson Evidence that
the Investigator should seek at the
Fire scene are the
following:
1. Unusually rapid spread of the
fire.
2. Where it originated?
3. Separate fires – when two or
more separate fires break-out
within a building, the fire is
certainly suspicious.
4. Unusual odors – the odor of
gasoline, alcohol, kerosene and
other inflammable liquids
are indicated by their
characteristics and oftentimes,
arsonists are trapped because of
this tell tale signs.
5. Objects that appear to be
foreign to the scene such as
cans, candles, matches,
explosives, electrical appliances
such as irons, heating
elements, clocks, radios,
flammables, trailers, etc.
6. Charring pattern may
indicate fire characteristics.
The fact that the fire feeds
on
combustible while propagating
itself, indicates that the char will
generally be deepest
from where the fire originates.
When a fire is extinguished
quickly, the charring is only
slightly below the surface. Fire
burning for a longer period of time
will indicate a char that
is deep and pronounced. These
facts are most apparent in the
charring of wood as a fire
burns. The charring from fire
on woods looks like the hide of
a black alligator. Fire
extinguished quickly on wood will
show a large alligatoring pattern
that has not penetrate
the wood to any extent. Fire
burning for a long period of time
on wood will show small
alligatoring pattern but the char
will go deep into the wood. The
direction of fire can also
be taken into consideration with
charring. The exposed side of
combustible will have a
deeper char than the unexposed
side.
7. Evidence of forcible entry
or lack of same may be
important depending on the
circumstances at the time of the
fire. If the investigator determines
there was no forcible
entry and finds that the
building was secured prior to
discovery of the fire, he can
reasonably suspect there is
possibility that the person who
sets the fire entered the
building with a key. Doors and
windows showing signs of forced
entry may point to
arson preceded by burglary or
arson by someone without a key to
the premises.
Motives of Arson
Motive
♣ Motive is the moving cause
which induces a person to commit
a crime.
Is Motive Necessary to be Proven
in Criminal Proceedings?
♣ No. motive is not necessary to
be proven in criminal proceedings
but once motive is
shown, then intent can easily
established.
♣ In the crime of arson, the
distinction between motive and
intent is clearly defined.
INTENT is a material element of
arson while motive is not.
INTENT is the purpose of
design with which the act is done
and involves the will while
MOTIVE is what induces the
criminal
private ownership.
place.
not.

Fire scene are the
following:
fire.
on
side.
entry may point to
the premises.
Motives of Arson
Motive
a crime.
but once motive is
established.
criminal.
private ownership.
place.
not.

Fire scene are the
following:
fire.
on
side.
entry may point to
the premises.
Motives of Arson
Motive
a crime.
but once motive is
established.
c
Activity 1: Writing in Chronological Order
An Armed Robbery and Murder Report EXAMPLE #1
While on routine patrol, I was dispatched to the Show ‘em or Tell ‘em Video Store, 3 Strikes
Street, Nowheretogo, IN, 47666, at 2300 hours on April 1, 20xx, regarding a possible robbery.
When I arrived, I met with Vicki Timm, 4 Ascare, Gunsight, IN, 47111. She told me that she
and her son, Tiny Timm, had come to the video store to rent a travel video when two men
entered the store and robbed the store owner, Willie B. (Bob) Dunn, 4 Heavens Way,
Higherthan, IN, 43210. Mrs. Timm said that one of these men, she described as a white male, in
his late 20s to early 30s, 5-9, 160 lbs, with a goatee said he was going to take her to the back
room for a few minutes. At that moment, Mr. Dunn then shouted “No” and lunged towards the
man with the goatee. The man with the goatee then shot Mr. Dunn two Thymes in the head
according to Mrs. Timm. Mrs. Timm then said that there was a bunch of yelling between the
two men and the second man described by Timm as white male, in his late 20s to early 30s, 5-9,
160 lbs, wearing a uniform baseball shirt grabbed the money from the cash register. Both men
then ran from the store. Timm said that she then called the police using the store telephone.
Upon arrival, I notified dispatch to send an ambulance for the store clerk. Dispatch related that
an ambulance was already in route. Just as I was arriving, Officer Leif Savir also arrived on
scene who is an EMT. He immediately began treatment on the store clerk. It was apparent to
this officer that Mrs. Timm was very upset, and it took some time before I could obtain any
useful information to relate to dispatch for broadcast to other units. During this time, I was able
to determine from another witness, Justin Thyme, 234 Walkway Street, Thistown, IN 46350,
who was walking past the store at the time that both men got into a late model Oldsmobile with a
broken right taillight and a Illinois license plate. Upon finally obtaining this information, an all
points bulletin was made which resulted, within two minutes, of a traffic stop on a suspect
vehicle approximately five blocks from the scene by officers Ima Kopp, badge #777, and Willie
Chase, badge #013. They reported to me that the passenger who was wearing a uniform baseball
shirt fled from the vehicle but was caught by Officer Chase after a very short foot pursuit. The
vehicle and suspect descriptions all matched what I had given dispatch. Officer Kopp radioed
me that he had done a Carroll search of the vehicle and found a small bag containing assorted
U.S. currency of different denominations and two handguns, one Smith & Wesson semi-
automatic pistol, serial number 123456789, and one Smith and Wesson revolver, serial number
987654321. Officer confiscated both of these guns as evidence as well as the bag of money and,
after searching the rest of the vehicle with negative results called Merritt’s Towing to impound
the vehicle. The vehicle will be taken to the 3rd Street police impoundment lot. The Carroll
County Ambulance service arrived on scene and paramedics, Smith and Jones, stated that Mr.
Dunn was deceased and they were calling the coroner. I then secured the scene and called for
the detectives. Detective Sergeant Betty Getsems and Lt. Ivan A. Klue arrived on scene a short
time later. They said that they would also get with Officers Chase and Kopp to secure the
evidence. I introduced the detectives to Mrs. Timm and they began to interview her. They also
took command of the scene. I then cleared the scene at 2350 hours and proceeded to the J. Edgar
Security Complex and jail. There, I discovered that the man with the goatee was Bobbie
“Gunner” Down, no known address, and the man wearing the baseball shirt was Rob A. Stooge,
2 Singsing, Penalton, IN. Both men were charged with Robbery and Murder.
Instructions: This example uses a strict chronological approach with few other attributes.
The above sample does not paragraph information, or use short sentences, subdivide information
or present facts in any logical fashion other than a strict chronological order, and it does not
attempt any technique which would make it more concise.
Activity 2 Writing an Affidavit to establish a Probable Cause
Republic of the Philippines)

____________, ________ ) s.s. SS: AFFIDAVIT TO
ESTABLISH PROBABLE CAUSE
x- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -x
Being duly sworn, the affiant, _________________________, says that:
I swear or affirm under the penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true.
_____
__________
__________
___
S
ignat
ure of
Affia
nt
Reference:
 Basic Report Writing Course, Student Manual © 2017
MULTIPLE CHOICE
DIRECTION/S: Read each statement carefully, and then ENCIRCLE THE LETTER of your answer that
best fits the statement.
1. It is a clandestine or secret means of obtaining information.

a. Covert Method c. Analysis
b. Overt Method d. Integration
2. It is the collection of information in the open by means of Government records, census and
statistics, residential, commercial and business listings, other printed materials available to
the public, internet and interview.
a. Covert Method c. Analysis
b. Overt Method d. None of the Above
3. It is a gradual penetration into enemy domain and territory.
a. Infiltration c. Elicitation
b. Surveillance d. Analysis
4. It is by utilizing satellite, photo, audio electronic gadgets and advance communications
systems.
a. Infiltration c. Surveillance
b. Analysis d. Elicitation
5. It is made through interview, interrogation and instrumentation.
a. Elicitation c. Surveillance
b. Analysis d. Infiltration
6. It is a kind of covert equipment that is usually hidden in a brief case, attached to the agent’s
clothing or disguised as a cigarette case, a ball pen, any ordinary functional item or package
and the likes.
a. Tracking Device c. Covert Packages
b. Surveillance Vans d. Body Wire/Voice Transmitter
7. It is attached to a vehicle, the subject or the undercover agent which transmit signal to a
receiver and specifically indicates location.
a. Tracking Device c. Body Wire
b. Surveillance Vans d. Covert Packages
8. It is expensive t operate due to the number of equipment installed and necessary for
operations such as several power outlets, air conditioning and heating systems, portable
toilet, carbon monoxide sensor and alarm and other items necessary in setting up a mobile
nerve center.
a. Surveillance Vans c. Audio Electronic Device
b. Covert Packages d. Photography Equipment
9. It is normally attached to weapons, videos, camera, and hand held light intensifiers which
allows footages to be taken in extreme lighting conditions particularly in complete darkness
without alarming the attention of the subject.
a. Covert Packages c. Audio Electronic Devices
b. Low Light Photography d. None of the Above
10. It is installed with photographic, audio visual equipment concealed and disguised to hide its
true purpose.
a. Covert Packages c. Photography Equipment
b. Tracking Device d. All of the Above
11. These are devices like buried mikes, aero bat, micro eye TV camera, parabolic and shotgun
microphone.
a. Covert Packages c. Photography Equipment
b. Audio Electronic Device d. Tracking Device
12. The informant often takes matters into his own hands that may result in the compromise of
the case and may endanger the life or safety of the intelligence agent. This informant is
primarily motivated by greed.
a. Revenge c. Vanity
b. Fear d. Civic Mindedness
13. This altruism, they are motivated by unselfish regard for or devotion to the welfare of others.
a. Fear c. Vanity
b. Civic Mindedness d. Revenge
14. It is an informant who anticipates danger to himself or his family cooperates with law
enforcement officers to keep him away from harm.
a. Repentance c. Revenge
b. Renumeration d. Fear
15. It is a strong motive which causes one individual aligning against his closest and most
intimate association. It is usually characterized by hatred.
a. Repentance c. Fear
b. Revenge d. None of the Above
FINAL PROCESS OF POLICE REPORT WRITING

TOPIC TITLE TIME DURATION
S
Topic 1 How to write an Incident Report 2 hours
Topic 2 Crime Scene Investigation 2

hours
Topic 3 Documentation 2

hours

Topic 4 Report Writing Critical Case Checklist 2
hours
Learning Objectives
 Incorporate a number of format and writing techniques that make reading a

report and finding facts easier, e.g., subdividing a report, using headings,
incorporating a lead-in sentence, etc.,
 Use an accepted technique for organizing and sequencing a complex arrest
report
 Identify several important reasons for creating high quality reports
 Assist a witness in producing a written statement using a format and
approach that maximizes the effectiveness of that statement
HOW TO WRITE AN
INCIDENT REPORT
If you're a security guard or police officer deployed to the scene of an incident, writing up a
detailed and accurate report is an important part of doing your job correctly. A good incident
report gives a thorough account of what happened without glossing over unsavory information
or leaving out important facts. It's crucial to follow the appropriate protocol, describe the incident
clearly, and submit a polished report
FOLLOWING PROTOCOL
1 Obtain the proper forms from your institution. Each institution has a different
protocol in place for dealing with an incident and filing a report.
 Follow any instructions that accompany the forms. Each organization uses a different
format, so pay attention to the guidelines.
 In some cases you're responsible for filling out a form issued by your institution. In other
cases you'll be asked to type or write up the report on your own.
Tip: If possible, 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. Don't leave people guessing whether your 7s are
actually 1s.
2 Provide the basic facts. Your form may have blanks 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 members of your organization who were present

3 Include a line about the general nature of the incident. Describe what brought to you
at the scene of the incident. If you received a call, describe the call and note what time
you received it. Write an objective, factual sentence describing what occurred.
 For example, you could write that you were called to a certain address after a person was
reported for being drunk and disorderly.
 Not

e that you should not write what you think might have happened. Stick to the facts, and
be objective.
DESCRIBING WHAT HAPPENED
1 Write a first person narrative telling what happened. Write a chronological narrative

of exactly what happened when you reported to the scene.
 Use the full names of each person included in the report. Identify all persons the first time
they are cited in your report by listing: first, middle, and last names; date of birth, race,
gender, and reference a government issued identification number. In subsequent sentences,
you can then refer to them using just their first and last names: "Doe, John" or "John Doe".
Start a new paragraph to describe each person's actions separately. Answer the who, what,
when, where, and why of what happened.
 For example, when the police officer mentioned above arrives at the residence where he got
the call, he could say: "Upon arrival the officer observed a male white, now known as Doe,
John Edwin; date of birth: 03/15/1998; California Driver's License 00789142536, screaming
and yelling at a female white known as, Doe, Jane, in the front lawn of the above location
(the address given earlier). The officer separated both parties involved and conducted field
interviews. The officer was told by Mr. John Doe 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 Doe for not having the dinner ready for him."
 If possible, make sure to include direct quotes from witnesses and other people involved in
the incident. For example, in the above scenario, the officer could write “Jane said to me
‘Johnny was mad because I didn’t have dinner ready right on time.'”
 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
2 Be thorough. Write as much as you can remember - the more details, the better.
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.
 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 for someone’s face
to be red, not just that they are angry.
 Or, instead of saying “after I arrived at the scene, he charged towards me,” you should
say “when I arrived at the scene I demanded that both parties stop fighting. After
taking a breath and looking at me, he began to run quickly towards me and held his
hand up like he was about to strike me.”
3 Be accurate. Do not write something in the report that you aren't sure actually happened.
Report hearsay as hearsay, not as fact.
 For example, if a witness told you he saw someone leap over a fence and run away, clearly
indicate that your report of the incident was based upon a witness account; it is not yet a proven
fact.
 Additionally, if you are reporting what the witness told you, you should write down anything that
you remember about the witness's demeanor. If their statement's cause controversy later, your
report can prove useful. For example, it would be helpful to know that a witness appeared
excited while telling you what happened, or if they seemed very calm and evenhanded.
4 Be clear. Don't use flowery, confusing language to describe what occurred. Your

writing should be clear and concise. Use short, to-the-point, fact-oriented sentences that
don't leave room for interpretation.
 Keep your writing clear and concise.
 Additionally, do not use legal or technical words: For example, say “personal vehicle”
instead of “P.O.V.” (personally owned vehicle), and “scene of the crime” instead of
the typical numbered code that police typically use to notify others of their arrival.
 Use short, to-the-point sentences that emphasize facts and that don't leave room for
interpretation. Instead of writing "I think the suspect wanted to get back at his wife,
because he seemed to have ill intentions when he walked up to her and grabbed her,"
write "The suspect [insert name] walked over to his wife [name] and forcefully
grabbed her by the wrist."
5 Be honest. Even if you're not proud of how you handled the situation, it's imperative
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. Preserve your integrity and that of the institution you represent by telling the
truth.
POLISHING THE REPORT
1 Double check the basic facts. Checked to make sure the basic information (spellings of
names, the dates, times, and addresses, the license plate numbers, etc.) match those you listed
in your report.
 Do not try to make sure that statements in your report match those of your colleagues.
Individually filed reports guarantee that more than one account of an incident survives. Incident
reports can appear later in a court of law. If you alter the facts of your report to match those of
another, you can be penalized.
2 Edit and proofread your report. Read through it to make sure it's coherent and easy to
understand. 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.
 Check it one more time for spelling and grammar errors.
 Remove any words that could be seen as subjective or judgmental, like words describing feelings
and emotions.
3 Submit your incident report. Find out the name of the person or department to
whom your report must be sent. When possible, submit an incident report in person and
make yourself available to answer further questions or provide clarification. In situations
where an incident report must be mailed or e-mailed, follow up with a phone call within a
10 day period to ensure that your report was received.
CONDUCT OF CRIME SCENE

INVESTIGATION
The Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) starts from the arrival of the PNP First Responders
(FRs) to the arrival of the Duty Investigator/IOC and the SOCO Team until the lifting of
the security cordon and release of the crime scene. (Standard Operating Procedure
No.ODIDM-2011-008 “Conduct of Crime Scene Investigation)
Specific Functions, Responsibilities and Procedures of the

First Responder, Investigation-On-Case (IOC) and SOCO
The following are the functions and responsibilities of the investigators during the crime
scene investigation, as well as the procedures to be observed:
First Responder (FR)

 The first Police Officers to arrive at the crime scene are the FRs who were
dispatched by the local police station/unit concerned after receipt of incident/flash/
alarm report;
 Immediately, the FR shall conduct a preliminary evaluation of the crime scene. This
evaluation should include the scope of the incident, emergency services required,
scene safety concerns, administration of life-saving measures, and establishment of
security and control of the scene;
 The FR is mandated to save and preserve life by giving the necessary first-aid
measures to the injured and their medical evacuation as necessary. The FR shall
likewise secure and preserve the crime scene by cordoning off the area to prevent
unauthorized entry of persons;
 The FR shall take the dying declaration of severely injured person/s, if any.
Requisites of a “Dying Declaration” are:
 That death is imminent and the declarant is conscious of that fact;

 That the declaration refers to the cause and surrounding circumstances of such death;
 That the declaration relates to facts which the victim is competent to testify to; and
 That the declaration is offered in a case where in the declarant’s death is the subject of the
inquiry. (Annex “R” – Dying Declaration)
 The FR shall make the initial assessment on whether a crime has actually been committed
and shall conduct the preliminary interview of witnesses to determine what and how the
crime was committed;
 If and when there is a suspect present in the area, the first responder shall arrest, detain
and remove the suspect from the area;
 The FR, upon the arrival of the IOC, shall turnover the crime scene to the duty
investigator/IOC after the former has briefed the investigator of the situation. The FR shall
prepare and submit the CSI Form “1” - First Responders Report to the IOC and be
prepared to assist the IOC in the investigation (Annex “S”- First Responder’s Form); and
 The FR shall stay in the crime scene to assist the IOC in the maintenance of security, crowd
control, preservation of evidence and custody of witness/suspect until such time the
investigation is completed and temporarily turned over to the local Chief of Police (COP)
for the continuance of crime scene security.
Investigator-on-Case (IOC) /Duty Investigator

 Upon arrival at the crime scene, the IOC shall request for a briefi ng from the
FR and make a quick assessment of the crime;
 At this stage, the IOC shall assume full responsibility over the crime scene and
shall conduct a thorough assessment of the scene and inquiry into the incident. If
necessary the IOC may conduct crime scene search outside the area where the
incident happened, employing any of the various search methods;
 Based on the assessment, if the IOC determines that a SOCO team is required,
he shall report the matter to his COP and request for a SOCO, otherwise, the
IOC shall proceed with the CSI without the SOCO team and shall utilize CSI
Form
 The IOC may by himself if the situation so demands, conduct CSI if, there is no
Provincial Crime Laboratory Offi ce/Regional Crime Laboratory Offi ce in the
province. The IOC must, however, ensure that the correct procedures in the
collection of evidence are observed to ensure the admissibility of the evidence;
 The Police Station Operation Center, upon directive of the COP, shall make the
request for the SOCO team through the Provincial/City Operations Center;
 It shall be the responsibility of the Provincial/City Operations Center to
facilitate the request for the SOCO Team;
 Upon the arrival of the SOCO Team, the IOC shall accomplish CSI Form “2”
and submit the same to the SOCO Team Leader. The SOCO team shall not
enter the crime scene unless the IOC makes the offi cial written request wherein
he assures the SOCO team of his presence and support
 The IOC shall brief the SOCO Team upon their arrival at the crime scene and
shall jointly conduct the preliminary crime scene survey.
SOCO Team
 The SOCO Team shall not join any operations conducted by the local police or
accompany the FRs or the IOC in going to the crime scene. They will only respond
upon request through the Operations Center and after the IOC has already made
the proper assessment of the crime scene
 Upon receipt of the Request for Conduct of SOCO, the SOCO Team shall then
conduct the scene of the crime operations which include among others the narrative
description of the crime scene, photography, videography, crime scene search, crime
scene sketch, crime scene location sketch, physical evidence recording and
collection, and other procedures necessary;
 In case the SOCO Team needs to temporarily suspend the processing, the Chief of
Police shall be primarily responsible and accountable for securing the crime scene
and ensuring its integrity until the return of SOCO Team and the conclusion of the
CSI;
 After the termination of the SOCO, the SOCO Team Leader shall brief the IOC on
the initial results and thereafter conduct the fi nal crime scene survey together with
the IOC; and
 The SOCO Team shall accomplish the CSI Form “4” - SOCO Report Forms and
furnish the IOC of copies of the same before leaving the crime scene
Policy Guidelines on Processing of Persons Present at the
Crime Scene
These policy guidelines prescribe the operational procedures in processing and handling
persons present at the crime scene; be they the suspects, victims or witnesses. The aim is to
clearly define police courses of actions in dealing with persons who, for any reason and
personal circumstance, are at the crime scene during the conduct of police operation.
Documentation of the Crime

Scene
Videotaping the Crime Scene
If available, a video camera is the first step to documenting a crime scene. Videotape
can provide a perspective on the crime scene layout which cannot be as easily
perceived in photographs and sketches. It is a more natural viewing medium to which
people can readily relate, especially in demonstrating the structure of the crime scene
and how the evidence relates to the crime. The video camera should have a fully
charged battery as well as date and time videotape display functions. A title generator
and "shake free" operations are also nice options. If a title generator is not available,
then about 15 seconds at the beginning of the tape should be left blank. This will allow
the addition of a title card with any pertinent information to the beginning of the crime
scene tape. The condition of the scene should remain unaltered with the exception of
markers placed by the investigators and any lights turned on during the walk through.
These alterations can be noted on the audio portion of the tape. Before taping, the
camera range should be cleared of all personnel. Any people in the area should be
forewarned that taping is about to commence and they should remain silent for the
duration of the tape. This prevents recording any potentially embarrassing statements.
Once the video camera begins recording, it should not be stopped until the taping is
complete. The key to good videotaping is slow camera movement. A person can never
move too slowly when videotaping, yet it is all too easy to move the camera fast without
realizing it. This is why videotaping is not ideal for viewing detail. People have a
tendency to pan past objects in a manner that does not allow the camera to properly
capture the object. This is why slow panning of an area is necessary and it should be
panned twice in order to prevent unnecessary rewinding of the tape when viewing.
The taping should begin with a general overview of the scene and surrounding area.
The taping should continue throughout the crime scene using wide angle, close up, and
even macro (extreme close up) shots to demonstrate the layout of the evidence and its
relevance to the crime scene. If videotaping in a residence, the camera can show how
the pertinent rooms are laid out in relation to each other and how they can be accessed.
This is sometimes lost in photographs and sketches. After the taping is complete, it is
wise to leave about 15 seconds of blank tape to prevent the crime scene tape from
running into anything else previously recorded on the tape. The tape should then be
transferred to a high quality master tape. The recording tabs should be removed from
the master tape after transferring the crime scene tape and the master should be stored
in a safe place. This is to prevent accidental erasure of the crime scene tape. Copies
can then be made from the master tape.
Photography
Whether a video camera is available or not, it is absolutely essential that still
photographs be taken to document the crime scene. If a video camera is available, then
photographs will be the second step in recording the crime scene. If video is not
available, then still photography will be the first step. Photographs can demonstrate the
same type of things that the videotape does, but photographs from the crime scene can
also be used in direct comparison situations. For example, actual size photographs
(also known as one-to-one photos) can be used to compare fingerprint and shoeprints
photographed at the crime scene to known fingerprints or shoes from a suspect. This is
the advantage of photographs over videotape.
Almost any type of camera with interchangeable lenses and a format of 35mm or larger
will do in crime scene photography. The lenses should include a 28mm wide angle lens,
a normal 55mm lens, and a lens with macro capabilities (1:4 or better). The flash unit
used with the camera should be one that is not fixed to the camera. It should be able to
function at various angles and distances from the camera. This is to allow lighting of
certain areas to provide maximum contrast, place the flash in hard to reach areas, and
reduce flash wash out which can render the item photographed invisible. Print and/or
slide color film (25-400 ISO) should be used. A tripod, a level, and a small ruler should
also be available for one-to-one photography. It may be of help to the investigation to
have a Polaroid camera handy for instant photographs. For example, an instant
photograph of a shoeprint found at a crime scene can be provided to investigators who
are running a search warrant on a suspect's residence. The photo will tell them the type
of shoe for which they are searching.
The photography of the crime scene should begin with wide angle photos of the crime
scene and surrounding areas. When shooting the general overall scene, the photos
should show the layout of the crime scene and the overall spatial relationships of the
various pieces of evidence to each other. A good technique to use indoors is to shoot
from all four corners of a room to show its overall arrangement. The next set of photos
should be medium range to show the relationships of individual pieces of evidence to
other pieces of evidence or structures in the crime scene. Finally, close up photos
should be taken of key pieces of evidence. A ruler should be photographed with items
where relative size is important or on items which need to have one-to-one comparison
photographs. The object should first be photographed as is, then photographed with the
ruler. It is important that when doing one-to-one photography that the ruler is on the
same plane as the object being photographed and the film plane is parallel to the ruler.
This is why a level and a tripod are necessary. Notes should also be taken as to what
the investigator is photographing or wishes to demonstrate in each photograph. This is
to prevent the investigator from getting the picture back at a later date and trying to
figure out what he or she was trying to accomplish with the photo. The same areas
should be photographed in the same sequence as mentioned above in the paragraphs
on videotaping.
Crime Scene Sketching

The final phase in documenting the scene is making a crime scene sketch. The
drawback of photographs is that they are two-dimensional representations of three-
dimensional objects. As a result, most photographs can distort the spatial relationships
of the photographed objects causing items to appear closer together or farther apart
than they actually are. If spatial relationships of the evidence are important or if
something needs to have proportional measurements included in it for calculations
(such as bullet trajectory angles, accident reconstructions, etc.) then a sketch must be
made of the crime scene.
A sketch is usually made of the scene as if one is looking straight down (overhead
sketch) or straight ahead (elevation sketch) at a crime scene. A rough sketch at the
scene is usually made first on graph paper in pencil with so many squares representing
so many square feet or inches. Directionality of the overhead view is determined by
using a compass. Using a tape measure or other measuring devices, measurements
are taken at crime scene of the distances between objects and/or structures at the
crime scene. These measurements are proportionally reduced on the rough sketch and
the objects are drawn in. Two measurements taken at right angles to each other or from
two reference points will usually suffice in placing the objects where they belong in a
sketch. Double measurements should also be taken to make sure they are correct. This
is especially true where calculations will later be used. A final sketch can be made later
using inks, paper, and ruler, or a computer. The original rough sketch should be
retained and preserved in case it is needed at a later date. Once the scene has been
thoroughly documented then the evidence collection can commence.
Report Writing Critical Case

Checklist
 Think about what the important issues are. What do you want to
accomplish?
 This should give you your focus for this report. Now you can plan content.
 Diagram your report from your notes. Use a Webbing or Mind Mapping
technique.
 Create a Lead-in sentence for your report.
 Decide what your subdivisions and heading will be for your report.
 Use your Webbing/Mind Mapping diagram and start typing information
under your first heading.
 Repeat for all headings.
 Proofread your report on the computer. Make corrections, move
subdivisions, etc.
 Print your report. Now it is time to slow down. Think about using better
(denser) words, eliminating duplication, ambiguous references and the like.
 Give your report to someone else to proofread
Reference:
Technical Report Writing.pdf
Miller, Larry (et al) (2015), Report Writing for Criminal Justice Professionals 5 Edition
th
EXIT ASSESSMENT:
Make a scrapbook on an actual role play of a crime scene investigation and
documentation.
ESSAY WRITING
Direction/s: Explain the statement, before you begin writing, read the passage carefully and plan
what you will write.
1. Expand the safeguarding of the identity of informants (10 points)

2. Elaborate the treatment of informants(10 points)
3. Explain the interpretation procedures in order to draw conclusion (10 points)
Miller, Larry (et al) (2015), Report Writing for Criminal Justice Professionals 5th Edition
Nano, Maria Cristina Bajado (2014), Technical Report Writing 2 : For Criminology Students
Technical Report Writing.pdf
www.pnp.gov.ph/
www.slideshare.com
Prepared By:
Alona Grita M. Facilitator February 12,
Asoy 2022
Reviewed By: Rene B. Tablate Program Chair February 21,

2022
Recommending Emily K. Sarte Dean/ Director February 21,

Approval: 2022
Noted by: Surfina Caluang Chief Librarian
Approved by: Jo-Anne J Vice President for Academic

Bernardo Affairs

What Is Reporting Writing

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What Is Reporting Writing

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WHAT IS REPORTING

There are 5 characteristics of a factual and objective report:

WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN, WHY AND

PREPARING A WRITTEN WITNESS

SKILLS FOR THE INVESTIGATOR

What is the purpose of note taking?

FACTUAL REPORT WRITING SKILLS

Basics of Report Writing Skills Basics of Report

Activity 1. The Interview

Activity 2. Tell the Story

Internet video links –

Overview of PBL: http://www.webinar.in.gov/p31j4sb9eka/

1. It is the systematic process of identifying, preserving and evaluating information

II. CREATING A FULL INVESTIGATIVE REPORT (25 points)

AFFIDAVIT OF ARRESTING OFFICERS

JOINT AFFIDAVIT OF ARREST

AFFIANTS SAYETH NAUGHT.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, we hereunto affixed our signature this ___day of ____________ at

SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN to before me this ___ day of _______ at _______________. I

Principles of Investigations Principles of

Topic 3 Notes to Sentences to Report

Topic 4 Attitude Toward Reports 2

Quality of Police Investigations Report:

 Accurate- A factual report must be accurate.

 0700 rec’d call, 459 now, 123 N. Main Street.

Write in First Person Write in First Person

Write in Chronological Order

Write in the Past Tense Write in the Past Tense

Pronoun Antecedent Agreement

The female child held her pencil in her closed fist.

WHAT IS JARGON? AND, WHY SHOULD WE AVOID IT?

Avoid Wordy Phrases

Report Facts, Not Opinions

Use Specific Words

The suspect was driving recklessly.

Attitude Toward Reports

Activity 1: Field Notes

Internet video link - Mind Mapping and Webbing: http://www.webinar.in.gov/p77h08ugyz1/

 Police Special Investigation

b. Write in First Person d. None of the Above

1. What is jargon? Why should we avoid it?

2. Good police reports can avoid wordiness by doing?

3. What are the purposes of Note-taking?

4. Elaborate the qualities of Police Investigations Report.

THE IMPORTANCE OF PROFESSIONAL WRITING SKILLS

TOPIC TITLE TIME DURATION

Topic 3 Importance of Effective, Well-Written Reports 2 hours

Topic 4 Written Statements 2 hours

Accurate and intelligent reporting and documentation is crucial to Law

LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THE

Importance of Effective, Well-Written Reports

A well-written report can also serve the following purposes

A good Police Administrative Report should have the

What Are the Characteristics of a Quality

Here are two lead-in sentences for a simple incident report:

• Disorderly Conduct, IC 35-45-1-3

… so I administered three sobriety tests. These were:

• The Finger to Nose test

Avoiding “Officious” Language. We defined “Officious” language in class as that language

Original: It was a dark in color vinyl bag. Better: It was a brown

STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES

15.1 Responsibility of the Territorial Police Unit

15.3 Mandatory Examination of Firearm Seized/Confiscated during Police

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, we hereunto affixed our signature this _day of __________ at

SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN to before me this _ day of _ at ___________. I