Writing an effective police report is a specialized skill. Whether you’re a new recruit or an experienced officer looking to brush up on your skills, you’ll find helpful tips and useful information here.
1. If I am a sworn police officer, why can’t I include my professional opinion in my reports?
Rest assured, no one questions your judgment or training! The problem is that opinions cannot be verified in court. A statement that a victim was frightened, a suspect was belligerent, or a witness was uncooperative cannot hold up in court. Descriptions (“Farrell’s hands trembled,” “Patel clenched his fists and raised them to my face,” “Linton responded to my questions with silence and tight-lipped lips”) are far more convincing than generalizations.
2. Why is brevity important in a police report?
Unnecessary repetition slows down the report writing process. The problem comes back if you have to review your report for a brief appearance later.
For example, you don’t have to write: “I asked Mason if she knew the color of the car. She said the car was blue.” It’s more efficient to simply write: “Mason told me the car was blue.” Similarly, “September” is more concise than “the month of September”, and often doesn’t need words like respective, individualand at the moment.
3. Should I avoid police jargon in my reports?
Yes, most of the time. It’s okay to write expressions like BOLO for “watch out” and APB for “all points bulletin” if your supervisor approves of their use. But problems can arise when outsiders (government officials, lawyers, media reporters, family members) read your reports and have trouble understanding the jargon. And time-worn police expressions can make you look dated and unprofessional. When was the last time you heard “I made sure” in normal conversation, and what does it really mean? “I heard” or “I saw” is easier to write and understand and sounds more professional. Similarly, “advise” does not mean to say: it means to give advice.
4. What does “clarity” mean in a police report?
Clarity means saying clearly what you saw, heard, smelled, or felt with your sense of touch. Specific details (“I saw his right hand move slowly toward his back pocket”) are much more likely than generalizations (“She was acting suspicious and I knew she was in danger”).
5. Do the passive voice and writing in the third person guarantee the objectivity of a report?
No. And you can verify it yourself. Remember a time when someone you know (or maybe you) told a lie. Now turn that lie into a passive voice sentence and use the third person (“This six-year-old didn’t eat a piece of chocolate cake”). Does the statement change from false to true? Of course not. Honesty and fairness are character traits that we all have to develop with training and effort. Sentencing tricks will not turn a rogue officer into a professional.
6. Do I have to study grammar?
No. Grammar (the terminology and structure of a language) is not the same as usage (the conventions of what most people consider good sentence structure and effective word choices). Labeling parts of speech and similar grammar-related tasks aren’t very useful for working writers. A good way to improve its use is to establish relationships with people who speak and write well. Ask them for comments, suggestions, and corrections. If possible, ask someone you respect to read everything you write before you send it. You will learn a lot very quickly.
7. What are the most common errors officers make in their reports?
- describe an investigation (“I checked the front and back doors for signs of forced entry”) without stating what was found (“I found no scratches, wood chips, or broken glass on the front or back doors”)
- end sentences with commas instead of periods
- opinions, conjectures, statements, or hunches rather than sticking to observable facts
- write long, tangled sentences instead of short, direct sentences
- jumping back and forth between events and people instead of carefully organizing relevant information
- make spelling and word choice errors (such as writing there rather they are, his rather are, Well rather Alright)
8. How can I make sure that I am writing effective and professional sentences?
Begin each award with a person, place, or thing and end it with a point. Direct sentences are the easiest to punctuate, a boon for busy officers. Remember that “it” is a thing and means a new sentence with a period and a capital letter: “I examined the baseball bat on the shelf in the hall closet. It was covered in dust.”
9. Do I have to use the real names of witnesses, victims and suspects in my reports?
Yes. Remember that cheats (“victim 1”, “suspect mentioned above”) do not guarantee honesty and accuracy. Using real names also helps avoid confusion so that later on, if you have to prepare for a court hearing, it will be much easier for you to review the facts of the case.
10. How can I avoid misspellings in my reports?
If you’re writing on a computer, always use spell check before submitting your report, no matter how pressed for time you are. If you don’t have a spell checker, keep a pocket dictionary handy. A good long-term project is to buy a pocket notebook, label a page for each letter of the alphabet, and write down the words that give you trouble. Study the notebook whenever you have a free moment.
And there you have it. With practice and patience, any officer can learn to write accurate, efficient, and professional reports. The information in this article can help you identify the areas you need to work on. Resolve to start today!