Ifugao State University

COLLEGE OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE EDUCATION

Potia Campus, Alfonso Lista Ifugao

INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS In
TECHNICAL ENGLISH 1 (INVESTIGATIVE REPORT WRITING AND
PRESENTATION)
CHAPTER I
Technical Writing
The word Technical comes from the Greek word “techne’’ that means “skill”.
Technical writing then is a form of technical skills and is used in fields like the military,
police, computer industry, robotics, finance, consumer electronics, biotechnology and
many other fields.

Investigative Report Writing

An investigation report is a document that details the findings of an investigation
as soon as a formal complaint is filed or an incident occurs. This is where investigators
record the issues of the matter, analyze the evidence, and formulate a conclusion. It is
impartial and based on evidence, not on the opinions of an investigator or the parties
involved.
Characteristics of Technical Writing

Technical writing presents and explains a subject matter in a clear, objective, accurate,
concise, and unemotional manner.

Technical writing uses a relatively high concentration on certain complex and important
writing techniques, particularly description of a mechanism, description of process,
classification, cause and effect, comparison and contrast, analogy, and interpretation.

Technical writing highly utilizes technical vocabulary. In order to clarify and support
textual discussion, technical writing makes use of tables, graphs, and figures.
Characteristics of Technical Writing

Technical writing presents and explains a subject matter in a clear, objective, accurate,
concise, and unemotional manner.

Technical writing uses a relatively high concentration on certain complex and important
writing techniques, particularly description of a mechanism, description of process,
classification, cause and effect, comparison and contrast, analogy, and interpretation.

Technical writing highly utilizes technical vocabulary. In order to clarify and support
textual discussion, technical writing makes use of tables, graphs, and figures.

Strategies in Writing Good Report

The following are suggested strategies that a writer must adhere in writing

Technical Writing 1 (Investigative Report Writing and Presentation)

 1. Check and re-check first whether notes on gathered facts are already
complete and organized.
2. If notes on gathered facts are insufficient, go back into the process of
gathering more facts related to the situation.
3. Make an outline of the report base from the completely gathered facts.
4. Use the chronological order of writing in presenting facts and ideas in the
written report.
5. The outline of the report should basically answer the complete 5W’s and 1H.
6. Prepare a report that could either be simple, brief, complex, or in
memorandum form, depending on its required format.

Investigation Report Template

An investigation report template aims to help investigators ensure a timely,
complete, and accurate investigation of an allegation or complaint. Streamline evidence
collection and investigation reporting with the use of this template and easily perform
the following:
1. Provide general information on the subject of investigation
2. Specify the type of case and record the complaint summary
3. Document physical evidence and investigative interviews
4. Identify the disposition of the investigation and reach a conclusion
5. Complete the investigation report with digital signatures

Effective investigation report

1. The investigation report should aim to educate and persuade.
2. The report should include an introduction, background and findings and
recommendations.
3. The report should clearly explain how the conclusions have been reached.
4. Keep the report as short and as clear as possible and avoid any hint of bias.

Purpose of Technical Writing

The following are the primary purposes of technical writing:

1. To inform. Technical writing is done to make another person understand or do

something. It is designed to fulfill a need to tell and a need to know.

2. To analyze events and their implications. Technical writing aims to explain how
certain systems failed. These systems may be education, socio-economic, political,
and within the technical article, the recommended change or changes.

3. To persuade and influence decisions. Technical writing seeks to show how a

business or an industry succeeds.
Importance and Purposes of Police Report Writing
One of the basic works of an investigator is writing reports; he needs to remind
himself that in every activity that he engages himself with, there is always a
corresponding report writing that comes along with it. It is with the same reason that an
Technical Writing 1 (Investigative Report Writing and Presentation)
investigator must write good reports because it is important not only for himself, but for
the whole agency and organization as well.
Soriano (2005) stress out the following reasons why police reports are important:
Reports may serve as records for planning, directing and organizing units’ duties for
police administrators. In the prosecution of criminals, report are used as legal
documents, as a reference used by other agencies, and as basis for researches. Report
may also help local media, when they need access to public documents. And lastly,
reports could serve as a reflection of the investigator’s credibility.
An investigator can never be considered an effective writer if he does not have a
specific purpose in mind. It is essential that any report should serve its purpose to the
readers. Furthermore, Soriano (2005) added that police organization develops their
reporting systems to serve the following purpose: To account upward and outward for
their activities, in order to justify their programs. To report upward and outward for
purposes of administrative control. And lastly, to inform downward (in the organization)
concerning policies, programs, resources, procedures, and all other matters concerning
work in the police organization.

Sentence Structure and Length

Technical writing does not require a unique style. Instead, technical writing uses the
natural word order, simple sentence structure and well-written short sentences.
Although the technical subject matter requires the use of complex, technical vocabulary
and the expression of complex ideas, it would prove beneficial for the reader and his
understanding of the subject matter if the writer uses shorter words and sentences and
simple structure.
Types of Report Writers
1. A writers who without thinking are those who do not bother to gather facts and
information to support the written report. They are those who are not keen in
observing and gathering facts to supplement the written output. These are
also writers who are not conscious of their grammar errors and do not intend
to correct what is grammatically wrong. They are lazy and careless in
gathering specific information. As a whole, they are not concern whether their
readers will understand the written report or not.
2. A writers who writes and think at the same time, these are the writers who
gather information and facts and put them into writing. In addition, they review
and verify their works but they are in a hurry to write, therefore the gathered
informations are not properly documented. These kinds of writers are also
partially conscious of the grammatically of their written output, and submit
their reports with average accuracy.
3. Writers who thinks first and write afterwards. These writers are those who
gather specific data, facts, and evidence carefully before they write, and they
are very keen in observing and gathering information to back up their report.
They are also very conscious of their grammar and goes on correcting
themselves to improve their written output. Because they are diligent in

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 collecting facts, their reports are accurate complete, fair, concise, and
specific. These writers are concern about the conciseness of their report with
the purposed in mind that their reader will be able to free from biases,
prejudices, subjectively, and errors in any form, and thus, they submit reports
with 100% accuracy.

Qualities of Effective Report Writing

The Wholistic Guide to Technical Writing

For effective technical writing, the ABC’s of report writing was provided by Zall (1980) to
identify if the way of writing can be considered in-depth.

Accuracy

A report writer must be tactful in the recording of data, statement or calculating

mathematical figures. He must check every statement in its final form. An error
committed and illogical statement written can create confusion as well as doubts over
the whole text. A writer should always aim to be unders
A well written report is also a result of carefully planned and designed writing.
Good report writers undergo the process of writing, editing, and revising their works. For
a report to be considered as good, it needs to possess certain qualities, like: Accuracy,
Brevity, Clarity, Completeness, Fairness and Specificity.

Accuracy
A report writer must be tactful in the recording of data, statement or
calculating mathematical figures. He must check every statement in its final form.
An error committed and illogical statement written can create confusion as well
as doubts over the whole text. A writer should always aim to be understood.

Brevity
Being brief is a courtesy to the reader. The reader should find it easy to
group the main idea of the report. In the same manner, accuracy of the
statements can easily be maintained. The reader can get the essence of your
thinking in a compressed form.

Clarity
Clarity refers to the clearness of thought, style, or expression of the writer.
An effective writer must use correct English, and must directly to the written
communication to save readers from reading unnecessary words.

Completeness
Completeness refers to having all the necessary normal part, components,
and style of writing in it’s entirely. In writing a complete report the elements of the
crime should be established and the additional facts should prove those
elements. Documentation of the report should base from important statement
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 and letters, finding of other agencies, and laboratory reports. This should also
answer the 5W and 1H questions.

Fairness
Fairness in writing is having or exhibiting a disposition that is free of
favoritism, bias, impartiality, self-interest, or preference in judgment. A fair writer
should always base his report on facts, and if there are theories, these should be
verified first and be consistent with facts.

Specificity
Specificity is the quality of writing pertaining to being explicitly definite and
specific rather than general. A good writer must be precise and specific in writing
his or her report, and should avoid ideas that could mislead the readers.

BASIC ENGLISH RULE

Basic Parts of Speech

1. Nouns
A noun names a person, animal, place, thing, quality, idea, activity, or feeling. A
noun can be singular, plural, or possessive.
Noun can take on different roles in a sentence, such as a subject or an object.
o Example; Karen likes to eat candy
Noun can be classified into proper nouns and common nouns. Proper nouns are
always capitalized while common nouns are not.

2. Pronouns
A pronoun is a word that takes the place of a noun in a sentence. There are
subject pronouns and object pronouns.
 The subject pronouns are "I," "we," "he," "she," "it," "they," and "you."
 The object pronouns are "me," "us," "him," "her," "it," "them," and "you."
 It is filled with intrigue
 He beg for love.
3. Verbs
A verb shows action and can be a main verb (such as "run" or "sit") or a helping
verb (such as "were" or "has"). Verbs also indicate tense and sometimes change their
form to show past, present, or future tense. You'll also find linking verbs, which link the
subject to the rest of the sentence (such as "appear" and "seem"). For example:
 Lexi and Mark walked through the woods.
 Lexi has walked through these woods before.
 Mark appears excited to start this adventure.
4. Adjectives

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 An adjectives modifies a noun or a pronoun. Adjectives usually, although not
always, come before the noun they're modifying. It adds meaning by telling which one or
what kind, or describing it in other ways. For example:

 Lexi wore a pair of faded jeans.

 This black coffee tastes disgusting.
 Nothing beats a rainy Monday morning.

5. Adverbs
An adverbs modifies a verb and shares more information about it, including how
much, when, where, why, or how. For example:
 She gleefully skipped down the street.
 He arrived early to their first date.
 I almost missed the ball.

6. Preposition
A demonstrates a relationship between nouns or pronouns. They're often used
with a noun to indicate location, like "beside," "in," or "on." It can also show time,
direction, motion, manner, reason, or possession. Note that prepositions must always
be followed by a noun or pronoun. For example:
 The salt is beside the pepper.
 Take the gift in the living room.
 She sat on the rock.

7. Conjunction
 Conjunction connect two words, phrases, or clauses. Common conjunctions
include "and," "but," and "or." For example:
 He ate leafy greens, tomatoes, and cucumbers.
 Take the salad dressing but leave the pasta.
 Would you like the chicken or the steak?

8. Interjection
Interjections demonstrate emotion. They're typically, though not always, followed
by an exclamation point. Examples include "Wow," "Perfect," For example:
 Yay! I'm so excited you're here.
 Perfect! Did you paint this?
 Wow! You look fabulous today.

9. Articles
Articles are very useful little words. There are two kinds: indefinite articles include
"a" and "an" and refer to non-specific nouns. Meanwhile, "the" is a definite article and is
used to refer to a specific person, place, thing, or idea. For example:
 Do you have a new book to lend me?
 I would like to buy an apple.
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  Please take the new student out for a walk.

CHAPTER II
Basic Grammar Rules in English

1. Subject
The Subject is the star of the sentence; it's the person, place, animal, thing, or
idea that's being described or performing the action. Not every sentence needs a
subject. An example might be, "Run!" Still, you're going to find them in much of your
reading and writing. Here are some examples:
 Morocco boasts some of the most fabulous resorts.
 The coffee shop features the most tantalizing aromas.
 Her hair changes color every week.

2. Predicates – Express Action

Predicates expresses the action the subject is taking or shares something more
about the subject. Take a look:
 Morocco is multicultural and beautiful.
 The coffee shop bakes fresh croissants.
 Her hair appears to be purple.

3. Tenses of verb
What are verb tenses?
Verb tenses are changes or additions to verbs to show when the action took
place: in the past, present, or future. The phrase verb tense is also used for
grammatical aspects, which show how long an action occurs.

What are the different types of verb tenses?

The three main verb tenses are the past, present, and future, but there are also
four grammatical aspects: simple, continuous, perfect, and perfect continuous.
When you combine the three time periods with the four aspects, you get twelve
unique verb tenses.

Present Tenses
Simple present
The simple present is the most basic of the English tenses. It’s used for individual
actions or habitual actions in the present.
Often the simple present is just the root verb with no changes or additions. The
main exception to this is when the subject is third person and singular. In this
case you add the suffix –s. If the verb ends in o, ch, sh, th, ss, gh, or z, you add –
es. If the verb ends in a consonant and y (and the subject is third-person
singular), drop the y and add –ies.
Today I feel like a million bucks!
My brother carries the groceries while my sister stays on the couch.
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 Present perfect
[have/has] + [past participle]
Although it’s quite common, the present perfect is one of the most difficult
English verb tenses. It is used to describe a few different types of actions,
including:
• an ongoing action started in the past that is not yet completed
• the same action completed multiple times in the past and likely to be
completed again
• an action completed very recently (usually with just or now)
• an uncompleted action that is expected to be finished (in the negative)
Additionally, the present perfect can be used to emphasize the significance of a
completed action, especially one that happened over time.
We have tricked him every April Fool’s Day since we were kids.
My niece has grown so much this year!

Present continuous
[am/is/are] + [present participle]
Use the present continuous to show an action happening right now or in the near
future.
I am reading The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy for the fifth time!
We are eating pizza tonight.
Present perfect continuous
[have/has] + [been] + [present participle]
The present perfect continuous shows an ongoing action in the present that was
started in the past. It is often used to emphasize the length of time.
We have been waiting for over an hour!
The team has been practicing nonstop for the tournament.

Past Tenses
Simple past
We use the simple past to show actions completed in the past, with no extra
emphasis.
For regular verbs, you form the simple past tense by adding the suffix –ed to the
end of the verb (or just –d if the past tense verb already ends in an e).
Be careful of irregular past tense verbs, however. These don’t follow the normal
rules and use their own unique forms for the past tense. For example, the past
tense of the irregular verb go is went.
Regular verbs: I picked up the glass, but it dropped from my hand.
Irregular verbs: This morning I went to the store, but I forgot the milk.

Past perfect
[had] + [past participle]

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 What if you’re talking about two different actions in the past and want to show
that one happened before the other? The past perfect, also known as the
pluperfect, shows that one past action happened earlier than another one.
She had arrived at the office before she realized it was Sunday.
I ran to my car when I noticed my wife had left already.
Past continuous
[was/were] + [present participle]
Use the past continuous to show an ongoing action in the past, especially if the
action was interrupted by another action. It’s also used for habitual actions that
occurred in the past but not in the present. It’s usually used with adverbs like
always or adverb phrases like all the time.
My dog was whimpering in his sleep when the TV woke him up.
As kids, my friends and I were always getting into trouble.

Past perfect continuous

[had] + [been] + [present participle]
The past perfect continuous tense is used just like the past perfect tense, except
it describes ongoing actions that happened in the past instead of a one-time
occurrence. It’s often used with the words when, until, and before to connect it to
another past action.
Before he got his first job as a writer, he had been working as a proofreader.
I had been living on my friend’s couch for a year until they kicked me out.

Future Tenses
Simple future
Use the simple future for actions that have not happened yet but will later. To
form the simple future, just place the modal verb will before the root form of the
main verb. (Note that if the action will happen in the near future, you can use the
present continuous instead.)
She will be president one day.
I will not go to the wedding without a date!

Future perfect
[will] + [have] + [past participle]
The future perfect shows an action that will be completed in the future by a
specified time. Because it depends on another time, the future perfect is often
used with words like by, before, at, or when.
By the time you read this, I will have already left.
She will have eaten lunch before her sister even wakes up.

Future continuous
[will] + [be] + [present participle]

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 Use the future continuous tense for future actions happening over a period of
time, especially when a specific time is mentioned. The future continuous tense
also shows more certainty and likelihood than the simple future.
By this time tomorrow, I will be drinking margaritas on the beach.
We will be attending a meeting from noon until 3 p.m.

Future perfect continuous

[will] + [have] + [been] + [present participle]
The future perfect continuous depicts future ongoing actions that continue up
until a certain point. Like the future perfect and future continuous, it’s used with a
specified time.
In ten minutes, my parents will have been waiting in traffic for four hours.
I will have been eating healthy for a whole year by September.

4. Sentence – Structure
Some of the most basic and important English grammar rules relate directly
to sentence structure. These rules specify that:
 A singular subject needs a singular predicate.
 A sentence needs to express a complete thought.

Another term for a sentence is an independent clause:

 Clauses, like any sentence, have a subject and predicate too. If a group of words
does not have a subject and predicate, it's merely a phrase.
 If a clause can stand alone and make a complete thought, then it is independent
and can be considered a sentence.
 If clauses do not express a complete thought, they are called dependent clauses.
An example of a dependent clause, which is not a sentence, is "...when I finish
my work." A dependent clause needs an independent clause to make it whole.

5. Multiple Parts of Speech May Be Used

As we can see, a single sentence can be filled with many different parts of
speech. But, at its core, a basic positive sentence in English will generally adhere
to the following formulas:
 subject + predicate
 subject + verb + direct object

Types of sentences:
 Interrogative Sentences - These sentences ask a question. For example:
Where did she walk?
- Usually start with WHO, WHOM, WHOSE, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE,
WHY, WHICH, HOW, DO, DID, IS, ARE, WAS, WERE, COULD,
WOULD.
- End with Question mark (?).
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 - Focused on facts and not emotions behind it.
 Declarative Sentences - These questions make a statement. For example:
She walked down the runway.
- Sentences that relay information.
- End with period
 Imperative Sentences - These sentences make a strong command. For
example: Go follow her down the runway!
- Sentences that give instructions
- Ends with a period (.) or exclamation (!)
- Can be simple request or forceful demand
 Exclamatory Sentences - These sentences express strong emotion. For
example: What an incredible trip!
- Express strong emotion, surprise, or excitement
- Ends with an exclamation point (!)

Punctuation Rules

1. Capitalization Is Key
Capitalization is important. All sentences must start with a capital, or upper-case,
letter. Titles of people, books, magazines, movies, and specific places are
considered proper nouns and are typically capitalized. Organizations and company
names are also capitalized. For example:
 Mary went to the library to read her favorite magazine, Writers' Haven.
 Did you read the new Sherlock Holmes book?
 Let's board a jet and fly to Italy.
2. Terminal Punctuation Is Required
Every sentence needs a terminal punctuation mark at the end of it. These include
a period, exclamation mark, or question mark. For example:
 Give me your money.
 I told you to run!
 Can you believe the nerve of that man?

3. Colons Indicate Separation

Colons are used to separate a sentence from a list of items, to introduce a long,
direct quote, or to separate two clauses when the second one further explains the
first. For example:
 In my duffel bag, I have: t-shirts, blue jeans, hiking boots, and a bar of soap.
 According to Goodreads, Nora Roberts once said: "Magic exists. Who can
doubt it, when there are rainbows and wildflowers, the music of the wind and
the silence of the stars?"
 She saw everything she needed: a pocketful of sunshine.

4. Semicolons Separate Related Ideas

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 Semicolons can take the place of a conjunction and are often placed before
introductory words like "therefore" or "however." As a general rule, it's best to
reserve semicolons for two independent clauses. That is, two clauses that could
standalone as sentences. Semicolons are also used to separate a list of things if
there are commas within one or more units in the list. For example:
 I brought my duffel bag; however, I wish I also brought my backpack.
 This is crazy; I'm not going back.
 I've visited Santa Fe, NM; Denver, CO; Austin, TX; and New Orleans, LA.

5. Commas Are for Pausing

There are a lot of rules for commas. The basic ones are that commas separate
items in a series and they go wherever there is a pause in the sentence. They
surround the name of a person being addressed, separate the day of the month from
the year in a date, and separate a town from the state. For example:
 I was scared to leave, despite the fact that I needed to, but I resolved to
be brave.
 If you take all my money, then I will make you pay.
 For Christmas, she'd like a new pair of Nikes, a laptop, and a corkboard
for all her college memories.

6. Parentheses Add Information

Parentheses enclose words that clarify other words. They contain information
that's not essential to the main point, making them full of supplementary (if not
interesting) information. For example:
 I was scared to leave (despite the fact that I needed to) but I resolved to be
brave.
 If you take all my money (whether you mean to or not), I will make you pay.
 For Christmas, she'd like a new pair of Nikes (which she really doesn't need),
a laptop (a MacBook, no less), and a corkboard (for all her college
memories).

7. Apostrophes Indicate Missing Letters and Possession

Apostrophes are used in contractions to take the place of one or more letters. To
show possession, an apostrophe and "s" is added if the noun is singular and an
apostrophe alone is added if the noun is plural. For example:
 This is the writers' haven; it's also Melissa's favorite place on Earth.
 Don't steal Melissa's dream.
 You're beautiful inside and out.

Proofreading
Proofreading means examining your text carefully to find and correct
typographical errors and mistakes in grammar, style, and spelling

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 Before You Proofread
 Be sure you’ve revised the larger aspects of your text. Don’t make
corrections at the sentence and word level if you still need to work on the focus,
organization, and development of the whole paper, of sections, or of paragraphs.
 Set your text aside for a while (15 minutes, a day, a week) between writing
and proofing. Some distance from the text will help you see mistakes more
easily.
 Eliminate unnecessary words before looking for mistakes. See the writing
center handout how to write clear, concise, direct sentences.
 Know what to look for. From the comments of your professors or a writing
center instructor on past papers, make a list of mistakes you need to watch for.
When You Proofread
 Work from a printout, not the computer screen. (But see below for computer
functions that can help you find some kinds of mistakes.)
 Read out loud. This is especially helpful for spotting run-on sentences, but you’ll
also hear other problems that you may not see when reading silently.
 Use a blank sheet of paper to cover up the lines below the one you’re
reading. This technique keeps you from skipping ahead of possible mistakes.
 Use the search function of the computer to find mistakes you’re likely to
make. Search for “it,” for instance, if you confuse “its” and “it’s;” for “-ing” if
dangling modifiers are a problem; for opening parentheses or quote marks if you
tend to leave out the closing ones.
 If you tend to make many mistakes, check separately for each kind of error,
moving from the most to the least important, and following whatever
technique works best for you to identify that kind of mistake.
For instance, read through once (backwards, sentence by sentence) to check for
fragments; read through again (forward) to be sure subjects and verbs agree,
and again (perhaps using a computer search for “this,” “it,” and “they”) to trace
pronouns to antecedents.
 End with a spelling check, using a computer spelling checker or reading
backwards word by word.
But remember that a spelling checker won’t catch mistakes with homonyms (e.g.,
“they’re,” “their,” “there”) or certain typos (like “he” for “the”).

Jargon
Jargon is terminology only understood by people in a certain group. Most words
in the English language are a part of common, everyday speech, understood by
almost anyone who speaks the language. However, jargon is like a type of
shorthand between members of a particular group of people, often involving words
that are meaningless outside of a certain context.

 Example: 10-4 - radio jargon meaning, “Okay” or “I understand”

 assumed room temperature - an individual has died
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  beat - an officer’s parole area
 berries and cherries - the lights on top of a police car
 code eight - term that means officer needs help immediately
 code eleven - a code that means the individual is at the scene of the crime
 mirandize - to read someone their rights
 Sam Browne - a police belt
 suspect - s person whom the police think may have committed a crime
 wolf pack - A group of patrol cars traveling together

Slang
Slang is very informal language or specific words used by a particular group of
people. You'll usually hear slang spoken more often than you'll see it put in writing,
though emails and texts often contain many conversational slang words.

 BAE: A term of endearment, meaning "before anyone else," used between

romantic partners that can also be used between close friends.
"Bae, you're the best."
 Coin: Another way to refer to money.
"She's about to earn some major coin."
 Epic: If somewhat was "epic," it was highly enjoyable.
"His latest novel was epic."
 Fierce: Usually attributed to Beyonce, "fierce" signifies a strong, independent
person.
"I love her to death. She's so fierce!"
 Low key: If someone or something is "low key," it means it's being done under
the radar or they don't want anyone to know.
"I low key love Imagine Dragons, but don't tell anyone!"
 Savage: Someone who "roasts" people nonstop and doesn't care what others
will say. "Jimmy Kimmel's monologue on Donald Trump last night was savage."
 YOLO: An acronym for "you only live once," encouraging people to seize the
day.
"Of course you should go on that trip to Dublin! YOLO!

CHAPTER III
Formal/Official Communication Etiquette

Formal/Official Communication – is any communication that is offered in the

official capacity of the professionals involved. All conversation, whether written or
verbal, should be professional. This means that proper grammar, sentence structure
and punctuation should always be used in emails, instant message and other written
forms of communication.

Email Etiquette Rules

1. Include a clear, direct subject line.
Examples of a good subject line include, "Meeting date changed," "Quick
question about your presentation," or "Suggestions for the proposal."

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 "People often decide whether to open an email based on the subject line,"
Pachter says. "Choose one that lets readers know you are addressing their
concerns or business issues."

2. Use a professional email address.

If you work for a company, you should use your company email address. But if
you use a personal email account--whether you are self-employed or just like
using it occasionally for work-related correspondences--you should be careful
when choosing that address, Pachter says.

3. Think twice before hitting "Reply all."

No one wants to read emails from 20 people that have nothing to do with them.
Ignoring the emails can be difficult, with many people getting notifications of new
messages on their smartphones or distracting pop-up messages on their
computer screens. Refrain from hitting "Reply All" unless you really think
everyone on the list needs to receive the email, Pachter says.

4. Include a signature block.

Provide your reader with some information about you, Pachter suggests.
"Generally, this would state your full name, title, the company name, and your
contact information, including a phone number. You also can add a little publicity
for yourself, but don't go overboard with any sayings or artwork."
Use the same font, type size, and color as the rest of the email, she says. 

5. Use professional salutations.

Don't use laid-back, colloquial expressions like, "Hey you guys," "Yo," or "Hi
folks."
"The relaxed nature of our writings should not affect the salutation in an email,"
she says. "Hey is a very informal salutation and generally it should not be used in
the workplace. And Yo is not okay either. Use Hi or Hello instead."
She also advises against shortening anyone's name. Say, "Hi Michael," unless
you're certain he prefers to be called "Mike."

6. Use exclamation points sparingly.

If you choose to use an exclamation point, use only one to convey excitement,
Pachter says.
"People sometimes get carried away and put a number of exclamation points at
the end of their sentences. The result can appear too emotional or immature,"
she writes. "Exclamation points should be used sparingly in writing." 

7. Be cautious with humor.

Humor can easily get lost in translation without the right tone or facial
expressions. In a professional exchange, it's better to leave humor out of emails
unless you know the recipient well. Also, something that you think is funny might
not be funny to someone else.
Pachter says: "Something perceived as funny when spoken may come across
very differently when written. When in doubt, leave it out."
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 8. Reply to your emails--even if the email wasn't intended for you.
It's difficult to reply to every email message ever sent to you, but you should try
to, Pachter says. This includes when the email was accidentally sent to
you, especially if the sender is expecting a reply. A reply isn't necessary but
serves as good email etiquette, especially if this person works in the same
company or industry as you.
Here's an example reply: "I know you're very busy, but I don't think you meant to
send this email to me. And I wanted to let you know so you can send it to the
correct person."

9. Proofread every message.

Your mistakes won't go unnoticed by the recipients of your email. "And,
depending upon the recipient, you may be judged for making them,"
Pachter says.

10. Add the email address last.

"You don't want to send an email accidentally before you have finished writing
and proofing the message," Pachter says. "Even when you are replying to a
message, it's a good precaution to delete the recipient's address and insert it
only when you are sure the message is ready to be sent."

11. Double-check that you've selected the correct recipient.

Pachter says to pay careful attention when typing a name from your address
book on the email's "to" line. "It's easy to select the wrong name, which can be
embarrassing to you and to the person who receives the email by mistake."

12. Keep your fonts classic.

Purple Comic Sans has a time and a place (maybe?). But for business
correspondence, keep your fonts, colors, and sizes classic.
The cardinal rule: Your emails should be easy for other people to read.
"Generally, it is best to use 10- or 12-point type and an easy-to-read font such as
Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman," Pachter advises. As for color, black is the
safest choice. 

13. Nothing is confidential--so write accordingly.

Always remember what former CIA chief General David Petraeus apparently
forgot, warns Pachter: Every electronic message leaves a trail.
"A basic guideline is to assume that others will see what you write," she says, "so
don't write anything you wouldn't want everyone to see." A more liberal
interpretation: Don't write anything that would be ruinous to you or hurtful to
others. After all, email is dangerously easy to forward, and it's better to be safe
than sorry.

Homographs: - words spelled the same but not necessarily pronounced the same and
having different meanings and origins.
Example: Lead & Lead, Bass & Bass
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Homophones - words having the same pronunciation but different meanings, origins,
or spelling, for example new and knew, Their & There,
Homonyms: - words having the same spelling or pronunciation but different
meanings and origins. Example: Lie & Lie, Train & Train,

CIVILIAN LETTER

In the business world, a business man writes business letters for communication;
whereas, in the civilian – parliamentary realm a police makes use of the civilian letters.

The term civilian refers to a person who is not a member of the armed forces.
According to Soriano (2005) the police belong to the armed forces, though in character,
the police is civilian – parliamentary, still the police utilizes the civilian letter in
communicating with those outside the parameters of the organization.

Specifically, civilian letters are used when a law enforcer is communication with
the President of the country, the Chief of Staff, Department Secretaries, Governors,
Mayors, managers, School Heads, and the like.

The Basic parts of a Civilian Letter

1. Heading – this is the first part of a civilian letter containing the letterhead and
the dateline.
 Letterhead – this is type or printed on the upper center of the paper
compromising the name of the police office or unit, address, telephone
number, ZIP Code or the office seal or slogan are sometimes included.
Refer to the example below:
 Dateline – this is written few spaces below the letterhead signifying the
date when the letter is written. Months of the year should not be
abbreviated and methods used in military should also be avoided.

2. Inside Address – this part should occupy at least 3 lines, and not less. The
first line should contain the name of the addressee, position. This is
separated by a comma; if the name is too long, the position/designation may
appear below the name. The next line contains the name of the agency or
company of the addressee; and the last line the address of the agency or
company.

3. Salutation – this refers to the greetings, and this could either be formal,
informal, cordial, or personal. The first letters of the first and the last words
are capitalized.

4. Body of the Letter – this is considered as the “body and soul” of the entire
letter because this contains the message of the writer. This is written two
spaces below the salutation, comprising of two or more paragraphs. The first
paragraph contains the detailed explanation of the letter. In most cases,
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 single space is used for lengthy letters, and double space is used for short
letters.

5. Complimentary Close – this is a word that closes a letter, followed by

comma and written two lines below the last line of the body of the letter. The
first word starts with a capital letter, and the second word with a small letter.
The tone in the complimentary close should match with the salutation.

6. Signature Block - this part comprises the name of the writer of the letter, or
in some instances, the name of the company. This appears above the
signature, and place four spaces below the complimentary close.

Special parts of a Civilian Letter

This special part of civilian letter may include the File Reference, Attention
Line, Subject Line, Reference Initials, Enclosure, Carbon Copy Notation and
Postscript.

1. File Reference - This is an optional part of a civilian letter, this is used

depending upon the directive of the chief or head of office, and this is written
at the left margin two spaces below the letterhead.

2. Attention Line – this may be written before or after the salutation and it is
centered. This is used when the letters addressed to an office or company
but the sender of the letter wants a specific person to read it.

3. Subject Line - this is written after the salutation and is properly centered.
This informs the reader about the subject or what the letter is about.

4. Reference Initials – for administrative purposes, the initials of the signatory,

secretary, or encoder may be included. These initials appear at the left side
of aligned with the left margin of the letter.

5. Enclosure - this is placed directly below the initials. This signifies that in the
same envelop with the letter something is included. The number of
enclosures, the specific kinds of materials enclosed, or the word “a/s” (as
stated) are the information to be included in the enclosure.

6. Carbon Copy Notation – this is written below the initials followed by the
name of the person who will receive the carbon copies. “Cc” is written if
carbon copies of the letter are to be sent to other parties aside from the
reader.

7. Postscript – this is written two spaces below the last line of the reference
initials. This is intended to attract attention as well as to emphasize as in
sales gimmick. The letters “P.S.” precede the postscript.
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Arrangement Styles of Civilian Letters

Soriano (2005) reiterated that the Blocked Letter and Semi – Blocked Letter are
the two arrangement styles chosen by the Study Committee on Police Correspondence
and Issuances, under the Directorate for Plans of the General Headquarters of the
Philippine national Police. The Semi-blocked letter may be used if the body of the letter
is made up of nine lines, and the Blocked Letter may be used if the body of the letter is
more than nine lines. Refer to the examples of these two letter formats in the next
pages.

Rules on Margin and Spacing of Civilian Letters

Soriano (2005) discussed the basic rules on margin and spacing to be followed in
writing civilian letters, some of these rules are written below:

1. Whether a letter is handwritten or computerized, left margin should always be

straight.

2. For computerized letter, justify the page to avoid a ragged appearance.

3. Margin should increase for short letters to accommodate the content in the
middle of the page.

4. Double spacing should be used for an average letter of 100 – 150 words.

5. Single spacing should be used for 200 -300 words.

6. Use the same margins for letters with second page.

7. The top margin of the continuation page should be one inch, typing the first line
on the 7th line.

Types of Civilian Letters

1) Application Letter - A letter of application, also known as a cover letter, is a
document sent with your resume to provide additional information on your skills
and experience.

A letter of application typically provides detailed information on why are

you are qualified for the job you are applying for. Effective application letters
explain the reasons for your interest in the specific organization and identify your
most relevant skills or experiences.

Your application letter should let the employer know what position you are
applying for, why the employer should select you for an interview, and how you
will follow-up.

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 When writing an application letter you should include:

o First Paragraph: Why you are writing - mention the job you are applying for
and where you found the listing.
o Middle Paragraph(s): What you have to offer the employer - mention why
your skills and experience are a good fit for the job.
o Last Paragraph: Say thank you to the hiring manager for considering you
and note how you will follow up.

2) Resume - A resume is a formal document that provides an overview of your

professional qualifications, including your relevant work experience, skills,
education, and notable accomplishments. Usually paired with a cover letter, a
resume helps you demonstrate your abilities and convince employers you’re
qualified and hireable.

3) Letter of Invitation - Invitation Letter is a type of letter written to an organization

or an individual for their participation or presence in an event or an occasion. The
occasion can be official or personal. An invitation letter is a type of request letter.

4) Letter of Inquiry - A letter of inquiry is a request for information that the writer
believes the reader can provide. Regardless of its subject, the objective is to get
the reader to respond with an action that satisfies the inquiry.

5) Letter of Reply - a reply letter answer letter written in response to the inquiry
letter. The reply letter should be written as early as possible.

6) Letter of Order - An order letter, also known as a purchase order or PO, begins
the paper trail of a specific purchase. The objective is to provide the vendor with
detailed instructions for fulfilling an order. It also serves as a legal record of the
transaction and, consequently, should be written with care.

7) Letter of Complaint - A Complaint Letter is a type of letter written to address

any type wrong doing, offence, grievance, resentment arising out of a product,
service etc. Complaint Letters are used to raise your concerns about unfair things
and seek a productive outcome. 

8) Letter of Adjustment - An adjustment letter is a response to a written complaint.

The objective is to inform the reader that their complaint has been received. It is
also a legal document recording what decisions were made and what actions
have or will be taken.

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CHAPTER IV
CLASSES, CATEGORIES, AND TYPES OF POLICE REPORTS

What is Police Report?

According to Dr. Oscar Soriano, report is basically a story of fractions performed
by man. A police report is chronological or step-by-step account of an accident that
transpired in a given time, at a given place. It is also defined as an account of an
investigation, of an official statement of facts. Police reports result from the fact that
someone has asked for them and needs them for immediate of future use. In any event,
police reporting has become one of the most significant processes in modern police
operations.

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The Basic Requirements of Police Writing
In police report writing the WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, WHEN, WHY and
HOW are the most important questions that an investigator must take into
consideration. These questions basically cover the essentials of the whole process of
police report writing.

WHO? - This question answers all about the persons involve in the investigation,
their complete and correct names, and their exact addresses and contact
numbers. Examples
 Who is the culprit?
 Who is the victim?
 Who is aggravated party?
 Who is the witness?
 Who are the suspects?
 Who are the complainants?
WHAT? – This question answer about what offenses, what are possible motives
of the crime.
 What offenses are committed?
 What kind of evidence was retrieved?
 What properties are stolen or burglarized?
WHERE? – This question answers about the geographical location of the crime
scene, property, or the evidence that are related to the incident.
 Where was the crime committed?
 Where did the crime take place?
 Where was the victim found?
WHEN? – This question answers about the exact time and date when the
offenses was committed, the properties found, and the suspects apprehended.
 When was the exact time that the crime was committed?
 When did the crime happened?
 When did the police arrived?
WHY? – This question answers about the objects or desire which motivated the
offense or the crime. For crime against persons, the possible object of the attack
might be: Revenge, ransom, sexual pleasure, or hatred.
 Why did the suspect commit the crime?
 Why did witnesses report the crime?
 Why did the suspect attack the victim?
HOW? - This question answer the general manner in which the crime was
committed.
 How was the offense or the crime committed?
 How did the policemen respond?
 How did the suspect react to the authorities?

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Classes of Reports
In every activities that a law enforcers engages, himself in, it is expected that
there will always be a corresponding report. Therefore, it is expected that he is an
expert in writing and utilizing any of the reports classes, categories and types of police
reports. Reports are classified into the following:
1. Technical Reports – These are written reports dealing with technical and
specialized subjects.
2. Problem Determining Reports – These are written reports identifying the
existence and causes of certain problems. Examples of these are case
reports on Causes of Juvenile Delinquency, Causes of Drug Addiction, and
Causes of Human Trafficking.
3. Problem Solution Reports – These are written reports identifying the
processes and solutions of certain problems. Examples of these are case
studies on preventive measures against Juvenile Delinquency, and Drug
Addiction.
4. Fact – Finding Reports – These are written reports on the method of logical
gathering and presentation of data. Examples of these are reports about
Terrorism, Drug Trafficking, Human Trafficking, etc.
5. Performance Reports – These are written reports referring to information on
the status of an activity or operation within a unit or organization.

Categories of Reports
Foronda (2009) enumerated that reports are categorized according to whether
they are Operational. Intemal Business, Or Summary reports. BeIow are the
descriptions of these reports:
1. Operational/ Reports-these are written reports about police incidents, investigations,
arrests, identification of persons, and other miscellaneous reports for routine operations
of poIice organization.
2. Internal Business Reports- these are written reports on financial, personneI,
purchase, equipment, property maintenance, and generaI correspondence which are
important in the agency or organization’s management.
3. Summary Reports- these are reports that are furnished for the necessity of the
solution of crime accident, and other poIice administrative-reIated probIems.

Two General Types of Reports

There are two general types of police reports as stated by Guevarra, et.aI.
(2008), these are the Basic or Informal reports, and the Investigative or Formal Reports.
These two types are elaborated below:

1. Basic or Informal Report - these are reports that are mostly related with ordinary,
miscellaneous incidents, usually in letter or memorandum form. These are
accomplished by any member of a unit, section, bureau, or division within a department
in accordance with prescribed regulations. Basically, these reports contain the generic
formal like the heading, the person or office to whom it is addressed or submitted, the
text or the body, and the name of the writer or the source of the report.

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2. Investigative or Formal Reports - these are reports that cover aII the exact and
exhaustive narration of facts. These reports are classified as lnitial or Advance,
Progress or Follow-up, and FinaI or Closing Reports. (Each of these reports will be
discussed in details on the topic about Specific Types of PoIice Report).

Specific Types of Police Reports

The world of police work is always confronted with tons of writing
requirements to be submitted to superiors. In preparation for this police work, it is
important that a criminoIogy student will be familiar with all the format,
description, styles and conventions of the different types of police reports. Some
examples of police reports are: Spot Report, Special Report, Beat inspection,
Report, Situation Report, Miscellaneous Incident Report, Traffic Accident Report
and Investigative Report.

1) Spot Report
This is a verbal or written report done within twenty-four hours after an important
incident. This report is written to inform an immediate chief or those in higher position of
particular occurrences in his command of responsibility. This report should be acted
upon within 24 hours. In some cases, a spot report may be in the form of a radiographic
message if the reporting unit is far from the receiving office. The following are indicated
in a radiographic message: Originating office, Addressee, Cite numbers, Precedence
actions, Precedence info, Date-time group, Text written in capital letters.

2) Special Report
This is written by a police unit or office based from a directive or instruction from
higher police officers. This type of report follows the memorandum format of
correspondence. The commander or chief signs this report, or an authorized person
signs if the commander is not around. This report should contain the ′rationale′ and the
′action′. The rationale is the specifications and detaiIs reIated to the problem, and the
action is the expected action or response the receiver or reader will do after reading the
report.

3) Arrest Report
This is a report that documents aIl the events in arresting a suspect including
personal information, jail bookings, information about controI and release of prisoners,
and court proceedings. This report is based on information received, ensuring probable
cause for a warrant/warrantIess arrest.

4) Beat Inspection Report/After Patrol Reports

This is one of the widely practiced written forms of communication in a station.
This is a routine report because the duty beat supervisor submits this report daily; those
assigned on beat inspection do their routine check on foot, whiIe those on patroI sectors
use patrol cars. The Beat inspection and after patrol reports use the memorandum
format.

5) Wanted Report
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 Using the notice on Wanted Person, this report is about those persons who are
wanted by the police. lnformation of wanted persons are flashed on local and national
television, as weII as posted in conspicuous areas as a notice to the pubIic. This report
is done in four (4) copies to be submitted to the following: To the PNP Provincial
Director, or to the PNP Chief in Camp Crame if the province is not under the provincial
commander, to the Department concerned which will have the original copy in the ′
′Persons Wanted FiIe′′, to the National Bureau of Investigation which will have one copy
and the Rogues′ Gallery wiIl have the fourth copγ.

6) Crime Report
These are reports written after the conclusion from the preliminary investigation
that a crime truly happened. This report aIso include important factors Iike corpus deIicti
(elements of the crime), suspect descriptions, properties taken, evidences collected,
property damages, victims’ injuries, and suspects′ modus operandi.

7) Situation Report (SITREP)

AIso known as SITREP, this is similar to patrol report which is submitted every
eight hours but on a need-only basis.

It is important when reporting on a situation to higher authorities, to present the

information in a way that is concise, easily transmitted on unreliable radio or telephone
systems, easily read and which covers key areas. Normally, they are sent to some
central control authority at set times of the day or week, to provide a 'snapshot' of the
situation as it develops. This aIso helps to cut down the pressure on communications
that may themselves be disrupted or reduced. The value of the SITREP is to help both
the area affected, and the Local government authorities to deal with the disaster and
ongoing developments in it.

The importance of a SITREP:

 CompIeting the SITREP covers all key aspects of community survival.
 A structured message is easier to carry as a document or to send over radio or
the telephone.
 The SITREP can be copied to organizations with different responsibilities, to
initiate action and ensure that action is coordinated.
 SITREPs from various parts of an affected area can be used to detect variations
in generaI need and so assist in allocating resources most effectively.
 SITREPS form a record for the future of the actual situation and the results of
action to deaI with

8) Miscellaneous Incident Report

Also known as MI Report, This is used to document any incident, situation, or
circumstances that are not crimes, or may not be designated by a particular title.
The purpose of this report is simply to maintain the integrity of the department’s
reporting systems.

9) The Traffic Accident Report

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 This Report is written by the officer who investigates the accident. This
types of report documents all the facts and information about any vehicular
accident whether it is fatal or non-fatal. This also examines the nature of the
damage of any property, the location of the accident and its causes. Included in
this type of report are statements of witnesses, diagrams, and photographs.

Delizo (2008) pointed out that the officer of the case should do these:
Follow uniform traffic accident reporting system, prepare the traffic
accident report from evidences, diagram, sketches, and sworn statements
of witnesses. The traffic investigation report will be accomplished in five
copies to be submitted to: The court or Prosecutor’s office, TRAFCOM
(TMG) or Traffic Division, the investigator, the Insurance Company for the
party involved #1, and the Insurance Company for party involved #2.

10)Investigative Report-
An investigation report is written to investigation a particular case or crime.
This is an internal form of communication that requires the addressee, the
officer-on-case, and the chief of investigation section. The addressee of
investigation report is the chief or head of a police unit, the officer –on-
case will write and sign the report, and it will be noted by the chief of
investigation section. An investigation report is important in court
proceeding, the prosecutor’s office can use this in filing appropriates
cases, while the court can use this for minor offenses and for determining
whether the accused is guilty or innocent.

Classification of Investigation Report:

a. Initial or Advance Report – this is an advance information on a new or
fresh case assigned to an investigator; the data in this report is not yet
complete, but it is written and immediately submitted after the preliminary
investigation of the case.

Points to remember:
1. Paragraph No.1 is the introductory paragraph of an initial report.
2. The objective of the introductory paragraph is to point out to the
reader the statement of the objective, and the subject of the report.
3. After presenting the introductory paragraph, the report writer will
proceed with paragraph No.2, narrating the facts gathered in the
course of the ongoing investigation.
b. Progress Report – tis is a written narration of facts developed by the
investigator in the course of the follow-up investigation. This is a report on
subsequent details which are very vital to the case but have not been
incorporated in the initial report has been submitted, and consequently a
month report thereafter.

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 Points to remember:
1. In this progress Report, the statement of the objective or subject of
the reports is changed.
2. The opening statement of the introductory paragraph is also
changed from Initial report to progress report.
3. For administrative purpose, the case number is not mention, an
original number is assigned to every new fresh cases throughout
the investigation until it is solved.
4. The report progresses through the follow-up investigation done by
the investigator.
c. Final Report – a complete written narration of facts based from a
thorough investigation of the case. This is a result of evaluation,
summation, and analysis of all facts and circumstances of the case, and
the complete accumulation and collection of data.

Points to remember:
1. The final report bears the mark ‘CASE SOLVED/CLOSED”.
2. The heading has the name letterhead, case number, date, nature of
the crime. The introductory paragraph present original facts of the
case.
3. The body has the main contents of the report and related facts
about the crime and the final sequence of events are unfolded here.
4. The ending has the usual administrative data like the signature of
the reports writer, the official endorsement of the section, and the
department offices.

Parts of the Investigation Report

1. Authority – this is the part where the investigator cites the authority for
making the report, and he states briefly the date, the place, and the
person by whom the investigation is made.
2. Matters Investigated – This is the part where the investigator writes
the purpose of his report by generally stating what the investigation is
all about. Included in this part are the complaints, and the allegations
of committed crimes.
3. Facts of the case – this part is the coherent presentation of all the
importance facts supported by evidences involving the whole
investigation.
4. Discussion – this is the part indicating all the factual information
related to the investigation. The investigator discusses all the
circumstances to give the reader a clear picture of the whole
investigation in order to establish the conclusion and recommendation
of the report.

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 5. Conclusion – this is the part indicating the summary of the result of
the whole investigation process. The summary should be supported by
facts basing from the other order of statement of allegations.
6. Recommendation - this is the last part which is consistent with the
conclusion. This is where the investigator writes his judgment and the
practical suggestions for appropriate actions to be taken, for proper
disposition of the case, for remedy of unsatisfactory situation, and for a
recommendation that the case is closed.

Steps in writing an Investigation Report

In order for an investigator to write a good and complete report, he needs
to follow certain steps, and these steps are discussed below:

1. Initial preparation – this is the first step of writing the investigation report
where the investigation his purposes and objectives in writing the report. He
then gathers the facts and circumstances related to the case.
2. Final Organization – of the collected data – using chronological order, all the
gathered facts, and evidence related to the case should be sequentially
presented.
3. Preparation of the first draft - just like the second step, the first draft should
also follow the chronological order of presentation. The draft should be based
from the outline and should be presented in a clear manner with the use of
appropriate transitions to maintain the coherent flow of ideas.
4. Rewriting and polishing the report – this is the step where the investigator
will recheck, edit, and review the rough draft to check and correct the errors,
and goes on rewriting to improve the whole report.
5. Finalized the report – this is the last step where the investigator prepares
the final report base from the rewrite and corrected draft.

Lateral and Vertical Report

A vertical report is meant to go upward or downward the hierarchy, for example,
a management report. While a lateral report assists in organization and
communication between groups that are at the same level of the hierarchy, such
as the financial and marketing departments.
Lateral reports coordinate knowledge transfer between different departments in
an organization. Example: A marketing plan detailing budget information such as
marketing spend and expected incoming revenue sent to the finance team.

Periodic or Evaluation Report

Periodic Reports is a feature to periodically perform data aggregation on app
data and log the aggregate result. This feature aggregates app data hourly, daily,
monthly, or at certain intervals, and logs the aggregate results.

Technical Writing 1 (Investigative Report Writing and Presentation)

 What is the example of periodic report?
Periodic reports are reports issued at regular intervals. They're often presented
as project deliverables and help with decision-making (i.e., an agency sends a
digital marketing report to a client every month). You can have yearly, monthly,
quarterly or weekly reports for example.

After Incident Report

What is the meaning of incident report?
An incident report is thorough documentation of the incident, including all relevant
details that caused it and any outcomes that stemmed from it. The key to a good
incident report is completeness and accuracy, and that means documenting as
much information as possible: Date of incident. Time of incident

What is the purpose of incident report?

The purpose of an incident report is to state the cause of the problem along with
corrective actions that can be taken to minimize the risk of a future occurrence.
The forms can also be used as safety documents, outlining potential safety
hazards around the workplace

Post Operation Report

After operation report - it is a report that may be. rendered after any successful
police operation that. leads to the arrest of any member or some members
of. syndicated crime group.

Status Report
A status report is a report that summarizes a particular situation as of a stated
period of time. A court while considering a question before it may order any
concerned party to file a status report before it, so that the court can consider the
report while arriving at a decision on any issue before it.

CHAPTER V
POLICE BLOTTER
The general headquarters of PNP issued cir.no. 05 on December 10, 1992
entitled “prescribing a uniform Police Blotter or the PNP”. This circular mandated
the different police offices and units in the country to follow the said form and
usage of police blotter. In addition, standard Operating Procedure (SOP) no.
2012-001 dated march 26,2012 also gives additional information on procedures
for all police stations and all offices of the National Operational Support Units. In
line with the quality service lane program of the pnp, this helps to enhance the
police frontline services to satisfy the needs and expectations of the citizenry.

Technical Writing 1 (Investigative Report Writing and Presentation)

 What is a Police Blotter?
The PNP manual (revised 2010) defines police blotter as 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. At present, the
pnp maintains an e-blotter, to facilitate a more efficient electronic blotter system
for recording crime incidents across the country. It does not only facilitate crime
documentation and modernize data storage but also presents accuracy in crime
data documentation. This ensures reliability in storage for quick reference, and
hassle-free transmission of data to the end recipient of all police reports at the
PNP Headquarters.
In reference to pnp circular. No. 05, police blotter is defined as a daily
record of events within the territories of a police unit; it contains daily material
concerning events for legal and statistical purposes. The police blotter is a
hardbound book measuring 12 inches by 16 inches. Printed in the front cover is
the name or designation of the police district or station, the number or book
number, the series number, and the period covered.
The contents of the police blotter entry should answer the 5Ws and 1H
and the disposition of the case. The following are possible incidents or
transactions in a police blotter:
 Violations of laws and ordinance reported or recorded
 All calls in which any member of the PNP is dispatched or takes official
actions
 All fire alarms, report and information received by the station
 Movements of prisoners with corresponding notations on the authority for
such movements
 Cases of missing and found persons, animals, and property
 Vehicular and other types of accidents which require police action
 All personnel injuries, bodies found, and suicides
 Damage to property
 all cases in which a police member is involved
 All arrest and returns made; and
 Miscellaneous cases.

PROCEDURES FOR MAKING BLOTTER ENTRIES

1. All entries in the police blotter shall be handwritten in a clear, concise, and
simple manner but must answer as far as practicable, the 5Ws and 1H.
clarity should not be sacrificed for brevity.
2. Only facts, not opinions are entered in the blotter.
3. No erasures shall be made on entries. Corrections are made by drawing a
horizontal line over such words or phrases and the actual entry initiated by
the police officer making the correction.
4. A ball pen with blue or black ink is used for making entries.
5. Misinterpretation of the blotter or any attempt to suppress any information
is punishable criminally and administratively.
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 6. All entries must be legibly written in longhand and consecutively
numbered.
7. Every page of the blotter shall consecutively or chronologically be filled in.
No line or space shall be left blank between two entries.
8. Any development of a case reflected in the blotter should be new entry at
the time and day it was reported. A reference to the previous entry number
of the case, however, should be made.
9. During every shift, the duty sergeant, under the supervision of the duty
officer or complaint desk officer, shall make the actual entries on the
blotter and at the end of their tour of duty, both the duty sergeant and duty
complaint desk officer shall sign the blotter.

Units Required and Supply Accountability of Police Blotter

Sample of Police Blotter
1. A police blotter should be maintained by a police station
2. All PNP operating Units or Divisions in the Metropolitan Police District,
together with the stations and substations, should maintain a separate
blotter.
3. The General Headquarters, Philippine National Police should supply
police blotters to each PNP command reflecting the same as accountable
items on their property books.
4. It is the responsibility of the PNP unit commander to properly maintain,
use, safe keep, and account the police blotter.
5. Police forces shall continue to use the present blotter, provided the
forms and rules should be followed.

Sample police blotter

CHAPTER VI
ADMINISTRATIVE ISSUANCE

OBJECTIVES:
1. Define administrative issuance;
2. Identify what are administrative issuances;
3. Create samples of administrative issuances.

Administrative Issuances
are orders, instructions, or directive written by a person in authority
to his subordinates. These provide objectives, programs, and policies
prescribing methods and procedures that in turn affect the organization.
Some of the most common issuances are:
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 1. Memorandum,
2. Memorandum Circular,
3. Circular, Office Order,
4. Special Order, and
5. Standard Operating Procedure.

Memorandum
The national headquarters of PNP issued letter directive order no. 95-09-
26 dated October 27, 1996 on the format and use of memorandum and
police radio message. The purposes of this directive is to prescribe the basic
guidelines and standard regarding the preparation of written communication
particularly memoranda and letters. This also prescribes the formats for PNP
written communications to be consistent with current standards of
acceptability.

Memorandum is an inter- office communication dealing with official

matters in the police organization, its message is written in the fewest
possible words. A

Parts of Memorandum
1. Heading – Contains the date, subject, thru channels, and addressee.
 Letterhead – every police unit or police office has its own letterhead
where it is usually it is usually printed in the first page.
Republic of the Philippines
NATIONAL POLICE COMMISION
PHILIPPINE NATIONAL POLICE
IFUGAO POLICE PROVINCIAL OFFICE
Camp Da_______

2. Addressee – the words “MEMORANDUM FOR’’ is used if sends to a

superior office or “MEMORANDUM TO” if sends to a subordinate.

MEMORANDUM

FOR : Regional Chief

PNP Regional Crime laboratory Office 7
Camp Sotero Cabahug
Gorordo Ave., Cebu City
MEMORANDUM

TO :All Chief of Police/GD,703rd MPG CO

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