How to Write a Police Report

If you're a police officer or security guard, knowing how to write up a detailed and accurate report is
important. A well written incident report gives a thorough account of what happened and sticks to the
facts. If you're trying to write a police report, or are curious about how the police put together their
reports, learning what to include and how to format the report is helpful.

Part
1
Following Protocol

Step 1 Get the correct forms from your department.

Get the correct forms from your department. Each police department has a different protocol in place
for dealing with an incident and filing a report. You may be responsible for filling out a form issued by
your department, or you may be asked to type or write up the report by hand.
Try to do your write-up using word processing software. It will look neater and you'll be able to use
spellcheck to polish it when you're finished. If you write your report by hand, print clearly instead of
using cursive.

EXPERT TIP

Saul Jaeger, MSSAUL JAEGER, MS

Police Captain, Mountain View Police Department
Did You Know? If you call 911, a police report may or may not be generated, depending on the
outcome of the call. If a police report isn't generated and you want to file one later, you can call the
non-emergency number, and an officer will come out and take the report. However, if you're ever in
need of emergency services, call 911.

Step 2 Start the report as soon as possible.

Start the report as soon as possible. Right after the incident, reflect on what happened and jot down
some notes about it. If possible, write your report the same day as the incident because waiting will
make it harder to remember details. At the least, do your report write-up within the first 24 hours after
the incident.
If you can’t write the report on the day that the incident happened, record some notes about what
happened to help you when you do write the report.

Step 3 Focus on the facts.

Focus on the facts. Your form may have blank spaces for you to fill out with information about the
incident. Fill in these spaces, or include the following information if you do not have a form:
The time, date and location of the incident (Be specific. Write the exact street address, etc.).
Your name and ID number
Names of other officers who were present
Step 4 Include a line about the nature of the incident.

Include a line about the nature of the incident. Describe what brought to you to the scene of the
incident. If you got a call, describe the call and note what time you received it. Write an objective,
sentence describing what happened. Don't write what you think might have happened. Stick to the facts
and be objective.[5] [6]
For example, a report might say: On 8/23/10 at approximately 2340, officer was assigned to 17 Dist.
response vehicle. Officer was notified via radio by central dispatch of a 911 call at 123 Maple Street.
Officer was also informed by central dispatch that this 911 call may be domestic in nature

Part 2
Describing What Happened

Step 1 Write in the first-person.

Write in the first-person. Include a detailed chronological narrative of what happened when you
reported to the scene and tell the story from your perspective. Use “I” to explain the who, what, when,
where, and why of the incident.
For example, an officer's report could say: Upon arrival, I observed a 40 year old white male, known as
Johnny Doe, screaming and yelling at a 35 year old white female, known as Jane Doe, in the front lawn
of 123 Maple Street. I separated both parties involved and conducted field interviews. I was told by Mr.
Johnny that he had come home from work and discovered that dinner was not ready. He then stated that
he became upset at his wife Mrs. Jane for not having the dinner ready for him.

Step 2 Include rich detail in your report.

Include rich detail in your report. If possible, make sure to include direct quotes from witnesses and
other people involved in the incident. 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. Follow your department's protocol with regard to reporting on
witnesses and evidence.
Use specific descriptions. For example, instead of saying "I found him inside and detained him," write
something like, "I arrived at 2005 Everest Hill at 12:05. I walked to the house and knocked on the door.
I tried the knob and found it to be unlocked..."

Step 3 Use diagrams.

Use diagrams. Draw a picture or diagram in your report if it is difficult to explain certain information in
words. You may also want to use a picture or diagram to show what the scene of the incident looked
like.
Police officers often have to write reports about auto accidents. It can be much clearer to illustrate with
a picture or a diagram how the accident occurred. You can draw a picture of the street and use arrows to
show how where each car was headed when they hit each other.
Step 4 Make a thorough report.

Make a thorough report. Write as much as possible and include as many details as you can remember.
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, his face was red, and he seemed angry.” The second example is better than
the first because there are multiple reasons someone’s face is red, not just that they are angry.

Step 5 Include accurate details and leave out the rest.

Include accurate details and leave out the rest. If you did not see something happen, make sure that you
don't report that you did. If a witness tells you something that you did not see, whatever the witness
says is considered “hearsay.” Hearsay is something you hear that you cannot substantiate by personal
knowledge. Report hearsay as hearsay, not as something you personally saw.
Even though it is hearsay, make sure to write down what each individual at the scene said to you. It
may be important, even if he or she is lying. Include any information about the witness’ demeanor, in
case what he or she told you becomes controversial.

Step 6 Use clear language.

Use clear language. Don't use flowery, confusing language to describe what happened. Your writing
should be clear and concise. Don't use legal or technical words. Use short, to-the-point, fact-oriented
sentences that don't leave room for interpretation.
Use the party’s name when possible, so you can avoid confusion when talking about multiple people.
Also, spell out abbreviations. For example, say “personal vehicle” instead of “P.O.V.” (personally
owned vehicle), and “scene of the crime” instead of “code 11,” which is a police term for “on the
scene.”

Step 7 Be honest.

Be honest. Even if you're not proud of how you handled the situation, it's critical 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 the institution you represent by telling the truth.

Part
3
Editing Your Report

Step 1 Check your report for accuracy.

Check your report for accuracy. Double check all of the facts, including spellings of names, dates,
times, addresses, license plate numbers, and so on. 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.
For example, if you forget to include the one party's reason why the argument started, then that would
leave a gap.

Step 2 Proofread your report.

Proofread your report. Read through your report one more time to make sure it's easy to understand.
Check it for typos, spelling errors, and grammar errors that might make the report confusing. Remove
any words that could be seen as subjective, like words describing feelings and emotions.
For example, if you included phrases that start with "I feel" or "I believe," then you would want to
remove these to eliminate any bias in your report.

Step 3 Submit your incident report.

Submit your incident report. Find out the name of the person or department to whom your report must
be sent. If you can, submit your incident report in person. Make yourself available to answer further
questions or provide clarification as needed.
If you have to mail or email your report, follow up with a phone call within a 10 day period. Do this to
make sure your report was received.

Tips
Ask your department for any templates or forms that they use, in order to make sure the report is in the
proper format. Add to the report, if new information comes to light. Add an addendum that reports the
new information, rather than deleting information from your original report. That information may also
be important. Keep a copy of the report for your records. You may need to refer back to it in the future.

https://www.wikihow.com/Write-a-Police-Report