Report Writing
Verify that the report is complete and understandable by taking the following actions:
Ensure that all details, including who, what, where, when, how, why, and action taken, are fully
answered.
“If I was not involved or did not witness this incident or event, would I have a
clear picture of what happened after reading this report?”
Ensure that you identified and corrected all errors.
Sign, date, and distribute the report according to agency policies and procedures.
the way information is organized and presented,
Format
is used to show possession or to create a contraction.
apostrophe
name of a person, place, or thing—inmate,
cellblock, handcuff, officer
noun
jargon and slang used by officers
shakedown, PC, Jit, DC, 3 hots and a cot, CERT
DR, 52-blocks, I-So/Hole
Begin by taking a break—
Read aloud—
Read with a cover—
Know personal weaknesses—
Check paired punctuation—
methods will help you catch mistakes that you might otherwise overlook
The introduction section usually includes information such as:
the date and time
the location of the incident
the case number
the officer’s assignment or location
Words that are easily confused in use and spelling.
Homophones
a substitute for a noun—I, me, she, her, he, him,
it, you, they, them
pronoun
Write without delay after an incident.
TIMELY
the checking of a report to ensure that all words are spelled correctly, punctuation is used accurately, appropriate words are capitalized, and proper grammar is used.
Proofreading
an informal vocabulary composed of invented words or expressions that are often used by a specific group, region, trade, or profession.
Slang
a group of words that lacks a subject or verb, or fails to express a complete thought.
sentence fragment
describes a noun or pronoun—large, dangerous,
blue, burly
adjective
is the detailed (typically chronological) account of the incident
body section
the process of ensuring that all pertinent facts have been included in a report in an organized and accurate manner.
Editing
language used by a particular trade or profession that are not commonly understood by the general public;
Jargon
a group of words that contains a subject (a noun or pronoun), a verb (action), and usually an object (a noun or pronoun that is affected or receives action) and that expresses a complete thought.
A sentence
describes, identifies, or quantifies a verb,
adjective, or another adverb—easily, warmly,
quickly, mainly, freely, often
adverb
the result of combining two words
A contraction
Make sure that the report is readable if written by hand.
LEGIBLE
The introduction section usually includes information such as:
the date and time
the location of the incident
the case number
the officer’s assignment or location
shows how something is related to another word
or phrase and shows space, time, or logical
relationship of an object to the rest of the
sentence—above, near, at, by, after, with, from
preposition
shows how something is related to another word
or phrase and shows space, time, or logical
relationship of an object to the rest of the
sentence—above, near, at, by, after, with, from
preposition
is often seen as the most important element of a report
content of a report