Investigative Reports

Definition of Terms
Investigative Report – is an objective statement of
the investigator’s findings, it is an official record of
information relevant to the investigation which the
investigator submits to his/her superior.
Communication – the use of language, spoken or
written to exchange ideas or transfer information.
The transfer of information or ideas from one person
to another includes the transmission and receipt of
message to affect some type of action or change.
Report – is a detailed account of an event, situation,
etc. usually based on observation or inquiry
Definition of Terms
Report Writing – is a communication that lends itself to a
useful tool for people in a free society to express their
thoughts and ideas and to obtain what they need or want.
Reporting – is knowingly passing along information to
someone else.
Fact – is anything which either through careful
observation or investigation, has been proven to exist as
to have happened.
Note taking – is defined as a brief notation concerning
specific events that are recorded while fresh in your mind
and used to prepare a report.
Chronological Order – is the arrangement of events
and/or actions in order by the time of their occurrence.
Importance of Investigative
Reporting
Itserve as records for police administrators in
planning, directing and organizing the unit’s duties
Reports can be used as legal documents in the
prosecution of criminals.
Reports can be used by other agencies.
Reports can be useful to local media which need
access to public documents.
The author of the report should also consider that
his/her (written) work is reflective of his personality.
Reports can be a basis for research.
Preparations Needed in Report
Writing
Review and organize notes
Draw an outline in chronological
sequence – should answer the 5W’s
and 1H
Review for completeness
Actual writing of the report
Criteria
It must be grammatically correct.
Abbreviation must be used appropriately
and correctly.
The report should avoid slang,
colloquialism or unnecessary technical
terms .
Requisites of a Good
Investigation Report
 Accuracy – The report should be a true representation
of the facts to the best of the investigator’s ability.
Information both favorable and unfavorable to the
suspect should be included. Information should be
verified by statements of other witnesses and by
reference to official records or to other reliable sources.

 Completeness – The question of “when, who, what,

where, why and how?” should be answered. The
elements of the crime should be established, and the
additional facts developed should tend to prove these
elements. The report should be documented by
appending important statements/letters, findings of
other agencies and laboratory reports.
Requisites of a Good Investigation
Report
Brevity – Irrelevant or unnecessary materials should be
omitted.
 Fairness – The investigator should take the facts as he
finds them, and if ever he has theories, it must be
consistent with these facts.

Form and Style – The arrangement of the materials

presented should be in a manner which will make the
report easy to read. Form includes proper paragraphing,
underscoring, capitalization and heading. The report
should be written in the third person, the investigator
referring to him/her self as “the investigator.”
Requisites of a Good Investigation
Report
Clarity – The language and format of a
report are simple and to the point.

Specific – Use of specific words that

bring the reader close to firsthand
experience.

Timeliness – Completion of a report

promptly.
Types of Report Writers
Those who write without thinking.
Those who write and think at the same
time.
Those who think first and write
afterwards.
Supervision of Reports
Assure good reports.
The Chief must sincerely want good
reports.
Standards of good reporting must be set
up so that all will know what is expected
of them.
Systems of spot-checking must be set up
to make sure that corrections are being
made and to assure uniformity.
Supervision of Reports
Protect and reputation of the department
and its officers.
Good reports reflect favorably on the
officers preparing them and on the
department they represent.
Good reports help refute false charges
against officers and the department they
represent.
Methods of Supervision.
Tickler system – this system assures a regular
check on each pending case and is filed behind
the officer’s name in the card index box.
Assignment record – this should show the
cases assigned to each officer, and should
include a record of reports submitted.
All reports should be read and signed by the
supervisory official – it is best to have a rule
that no report can be filed until approved by
the supervisor.
Different Types of Report
Police Blotter - is a record or log of daily
events occurring within the
territories/jurisdiction of a given police unit
or command. It contains material details
concerning the event for legal and statistical
purposes, it is also where all types of
operations and undercover dispatched shall
be recorded containing the five W’s (WHO,
WHAT, WHERE, WHEN and WHY) and
one H (HOW) of an information.
Different Types of Report
Spot Report – this refers to an immediate initial
investigative or incident report addressed to Higher
Headquarters pertaining to the commission of the crime,
occurrence of natural or man-made disaster or unusual
incidents involving loss of lives and damage of properties.

Progress Report – It is an accounting of the actions or series

of actions undertaken in relation to an ongoing investigation
of a case. It includes updates and or recently discovered
facts, data, evidence recovered, results of forensic
examinations which would shed further light into the case
and determine the next courses of action to be taken.
Different Types of Report
Special Report – Special reports are done either because
one feels he has some reporting to do or a lower police
unit or office is obligated based on the directives or an
instruction from the higher police offices.

Final Report – Is a thorough, in –depth and lengthy

account regarding an investigation into an incident or
case as mandated by higher authorities to establish a
determination of the truth and or how far it could be
determined based on the facts and circumstances with
the appropriate recommendation for the proper course/s
of action/s to be made.
Different Types of Report
 Investigation report – is considered internal
communication, and it should be addressed to the chief
or head of a police office. Investigation report is
complete when it answers the six interrogatives of
police report writing the 5W’s and 1H. It also provides
in brief, the sworn statements executed by the
individuals having an interest in the case being
investigated.

 Flash Alarm – Is an account relative to the commission

of a crime or incident filed by a complaining witness or
victim to the Police citing the date, time, place possible
motive of the commission/occurrence, how it was
perpetrated and other details relative to incident.
Different Types of Report
Investigator’s Notes – Recording Note: The data of the
investigation should be recorded in a complete, accurate and
legible fashion so that in the event another investigator is
required to assume responsibility for the investigation, he
can make intelligent use of the notebook.

Case referral report – it serves as endorsement to the

Prosecutors Office of the case being brought by the
investigating officer before their (Prosecutor) attention for
appropriate action (either for inquest or regular filing).
When the particular case is already referred to the
Prosecutor the investigation of the case terminates and the
jurisdiction over the case already resides with the prosecutor
in-charged.
Different Types of Report
Referral Notes – Recording Note: Used to
inscribe incidents, cases and other important
events that transpire during his/her tour of duty.

Coordination report – a report which is used as

a means of formal coordination to be made by
the investigating agency with the police unit or
military unit having operational jurisdiction
over the place where a police case operation
shall be conducted.
Different Types of Report
Turn Over of Crime Scene – procedure
done by first respondents to the
investigator/s in charge.

Turn Over of the Physical Evidence –

procedure done by investigator/s on case
to the SOCO team.

After Case Hearing Report (during trial)

Different Types of Report
After Case Hearing Report (during
promulgation)

Case Folder – complete copy of

investigative documents in a particular case.

Special Report in Civilian Letter Format

 
Forensic request Format
Application
◦ Practical exercises on how to make an
investigative report.

Instruction: the participants will write

sample of the different types of reports
drawn from their own given scenario from
referral notes, spot report, progress report,
special report to final investigation report
including annexes of a case folder.