Report Writing and Ethics

Question 1

You must have _______ to start a report.

Answer 1

Subject (Incident)

Question 2

When is a case finished?

Answer 2

After all the appeals are complete

Question 3

The field note is…

Answer 3

For the officer’s own use and is his personal property

Question 4

Once you have a subject, you must…

Answer 4

Research (Investigate)

Question 5

Permanent Notes

Answer 5

• Available any time
• Can be used in court
• Quick reference
• Mistakes, spelling, etc. are available for for scrutiny
• Entire notebook is available for scrutiny

Question 6

Temporary Notes

Answer 6

• Storage and maintenance are not an issue
• They are unavailable for scrutiny
• Mistakes, spelling, etc. are unimportant
• Once they are gone, they are gone
• Challenges as to “why” you didn’t maintain them can be an issue

Question 7

Novelty Recall

Answer 7

The first information is more easily recalled

Question 8

Latent Recall

Answer 8

The last information is more easily recalled

Question 9

Recovery Recall

Answer 9

The first and last information are more easily recalled

Question 10

When gathering information, your notes should include…

Answer 10

• Person: complete info on - suspects, victims, and witnesses
• Dates and times
• Exact location
• Case #

Question 11

Pay attention to the details

Answer 11

Name, DOB, POB, Home address (Owners, renters), Phone # and provider

Question 12

First Question?

Answer 12

Why were you there? (Radio call, Flagged down, etc.) Reasonable suspicion of a problem

Question 13

Police officers don’t always have to be right; they merely need to be reasonable.”

Answer 13

US Supreme Court Case: Brinegar vs. US

Question 14

P reliminary

Answer 14

Proceed to the scene of the incident

Question 15

p R eliminary

Answer 15

Render aid to the victim - Amount of aid and type, reflects type of injury.

Question 16

pr E liminary

Answer 16

Effect the arrest of the suspect.

Question 17

pre L iminary

Answer 17

Locate Witnesses

Question 18

prel I minary

Answer 18

Interview Witnesses

Question 19

preli M inary

Answer 19

Maintain the crime scene in the original state.

Question 20

prelim I nary

Answer 20

Interview/Interrogate the suspect

Question 21

prelimi N ary

Answer 21

Note all preliminary findings

Question 22

prelimin A ry

Answer 22

Arrange for the scene to be processed - Agency/OSBI

Question 23

prelimina R y

Answer 23

Report is to be written

Question 24

preliminar Y

Answer 24

Yield to the follow-up investigators

Question 25

Three parts to note mechanics

Answer 25

Officer safety, Effectiveness, and Utility

Question 26

Note Mechanics - Officer Safety

Answer 26

- Hold the notebook so you are not looking down - Make it a habit to scan while interviewing & note-taking - Maintain your distance - Maintain your stance - Don't let yourself be crowded by someone wanting to see what your writing (other officers) - Don't be too absorbed by your notes

Question 27

Note Mechanics - Effectiveness

Answer 27

- Use headings when taking notes | - Alternate between listening & writing

Question 28

Note Mechanics - Utility

Answer 28

- Use "preliminary" steps - A "Things to do" list - A "Questions to answer" list - A "People to contact" List - A "Check-Off" List

Question 29

The 4-Step Writing Process

Answer 29

1. Pre-Writing 2. Writing 3. Editing 4. Re-writing

Question 30

Context

Answer 30

Gives definition and determines meaning

Question 31

What can change context

Answer 31

Grammar

Question 32

You should write at least what 4 basic things?

Answer 32

1. What you saw 2. What you heard 3. What you did 4. What the results were

Question 33

Step 1: Pre-Writing

Answer 33

- A report is a construction - Do not build without a "blueprint" - Organizing your thoughts and especially organizing the Structure of your report, will help you be a better writer

Question 34

Begin a writing plan

Answer 34

- Outline - Bullet Point - Flow chart - Drawing

Question 35

Step 2: Writing

Answer 35

Write complete details - Grammatically correct - Complete - Accurate - Clear - Concise - Factual - Objective

Question 36

Step 3: Editing

Answer 36

Self Editing/Proof Reading - Wait several hours (when possible) to proof read your report - Read it aloud paragraph by paragraph in reverse order to catch grammar and spelling errors - Then read it from beginning to end

Question 37

Step 4: Re-Writing

Answer 37

This does not mean start over

Question 38

The greatest enemy for law enforcement report writers is...

Answer 38

Time

Question 39

Narrative 3-Part Structure

Answer 39

Intro, Main Body, Concluding Paragraph

Question 40

Header should contain

Answer 40

Department, Case #, Date, Report by

Question 41

Footer should contain

Answer 41

Report by, Case #, Page #'s

Question 42

Reports should be in what tense?

Answer 42

Past Tense

Question 43

Active Voice

Answer 43

Subject then Object

Question 44

Passive Voice

Answer 44

Object then Subject