Chapter 2 - Police Report

Module

TECHNICAL ENGLISH 1 (Investigative Report Writing and Presentation) CHAPTER II Police Report

At the end of this module, the learner should be able to: ▪ ▪

Recall a definition of Police Report Understand the techniques given for a good Police Report

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

NARRATIVE TECHNIQUES OF POLICE REPORT AND TONE OF POLICE REPORTS Among the techniques of composition, narration is effective in writing police reports. Police reports are most effective when they have an objective tone. The use of “I,” or “We,” “Me,” or “My,” make writing subjective and opinionated. Administrative decisions cannot effectively be based on subjective opinion.

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TECHNICAL ENGLISH 1 (Investigative Report Writing and Presentation)

CRITERIA FOR GOOD POLICE REPORTS ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

Clarity Accuracy Brevity Specificity Completeness Timeliness Security Impartiality

THE 5W’S AND 1H OF POLICE REPORTS The police officer need not be a literary genius to write a good police report. If the officer knows his 5W’s and 1H, i.e., WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN, WHY and HOW, his report will complete even though it might not be a literary masterpiece. The 5W’s and 1H can be useful guide to report writers, especially the beginners. ✓ Who? Is a question that will contain the facts relating to any person who directly or indirectly associated with the incident. Here will shows up, the names that include within the scope of the news that is discussed. ✓ What? Is a question that will answer what happened and will encourage reporters to gather facts related to the things done by the offender and the victim in an incident. ✓ Why? Will answer the background or the cause of the incident. Although rare, why can be used to open a news or the lead story. ✓ Where Regarding the scene. Can be written detailed scene or just outline only. Typically, when the news comes from a famous place, then the writing is not too detailed. ✓ When Concerning the time of the incident. Time stamp is not limited to date, but can be written days, hours, even minutes when an incident takes place. ✓ How Will provide facts about the incident are given. Could tell the atmosphere even when the flow of events reported an ongoing incident.

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TECHNICAL ENGLISH 1 (Investigative Report Writing and Presentation)

PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE 5W’S AND 1H Generally, the “who”, “when”, and “where” will appear at the beginning of the report. The reader needs to know the persons involved, the date and time the incident happened, and the location in which it took place. “What” happened is usually unfolded throughout the report. The “how” is closely related to the “what”, the “why” belongs before or after the “what”, depending on the situation. These six questions cover the essentials of many typical police reports. A police report is written because a crime is committed, and an investigation of it is made. if the writer has failed to ask important questions during the investigation, then he is likely to submit an incomplete report, which understandably becomes unreliably.

CLASSIFICATIONS OF POLICE REPORTS 1. Informal Reports It is usually a letter or memorandum, or any of one of the many prescribed in day-to-day police operations. 2. Formal Reports A formal report suggests the full-dress treatment, including cover, title page, letter of transmittal, summary sheet, text, appendices, and perhaps an index and bibliography.

CLASSIFICATIONS OF POLICE REPORTS ACCORDING TO PURPOSE ▪

Performance Report

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Fact-Finding Report

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Technical Report

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Problem-Determining Report

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Problem-Solution Report Page 3 of 6

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TECHNICAL ENGLISH 1 (Investigative Report Writing and Presentation)

CATEGORIES OF POLICE REPORTS ▪

Operational Reports

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Internal Reports

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Technical Reports

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Summary-of-Information

TYPES OF POLICE REPORTS 1. Spot Reports A spot report is that one than after an important incident takes place in a certain area at a given time. Verbal or written, it must be done or acted upon within twenty-four-hours. The idea is to inform an immediate chief, considering the fact that whatever happens in the area is his command responsibility or those in higher positions must be informed regarding the details of a particular occurrence. 2. Special Reports 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 directive or an instruction from the higher police offices. Special Reports must have the following paragraphs contents: 1) Problem What is the report all about? Why it is being written in the first place? The problem portion is reflected on the first paragraph and is sometimes continued to the next. 2) Rationale This refers to the specifications related to the problem. More often than not, these details are shown in the following paragraphs after the problem is defined. 3) Action The last paragraph has this usually.

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TECHNICAL ENGLISH 1 (Investigative Report Writing and Presentation) 3. Progress Report A progress report has a follow-up effect. A progress report can simply be an accomplishment report which may be analytical in nature and maybe comparatively longer. This may be in memorandum form or in radiographic message form, having these important highlights: 1) why the reports are being made; 2) purpose and the scope of the report; and 3) sources of information. 4. Investigations Report This form is similar to the memorandum form except that the text or body should include the following parts: AUTHORITY, MATTERS INVESTIGATED, FACTS OF THE CASE, DISCUSSION, CONCLUSIONS, and RECCOMENDATIONS. If a part is not important because it is included in another part, it may be excluded. Parts are capitalized, and followed by a colon. All the paragraphs composing the text of the report are numbered consecutively in Arabic numerals. 5. Beat Inspection Report or After-Patrol Reports The beat inspection is one of the most common forms of written communications. It is submitted daily by the duty beat supervisor. This differs from after-patrol report in terms of movement. Those on beat inspection do their routine check on foot; and those on patrol, check their assigned sectors by using patrol cars. 6. Situation Reports The situation report is similar to the patrol report. Both are submitted every eight hours. However, while the patrol report is done on a regular basis daily, the SITREP is done on a needonly basis. 7. Formal Report Essentially, a formal report is a presentation of facts or ideas. All in all, a complete formal report must consist of the following parts: cover, title page, letter of transmittal, table of contents, introduction or preface, summary, body of the report, conclusions, recommendations, and supplemental materials like appendices, etc.

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A spot report may use a radiographic message form, especially if the reporting unit is far from the addressee or receiving office concerned.

References: Basic Police Report Writing By Oscar Gatchalian Soriano BSCrim, MSBA, MACrim, PhDCrim

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