Section 2.1

Question 1

What percentage of an investigator’s job is paperwork?

Answer 1

70%

Question 2

Patrol officers have almost as much paperwork as investigators. True or False

Answer 2

True

Question 3

Can officers always take notes immediately?

Answer 3

No

Question 4

If an officer is in a car chase they cannot write everything down so they need a good memory in order to create your notes when you have the time. True or False

Answer 4

True

Question 5

Example, if you have the opportunity to take notes do not get so focused on taking notes that you are ignoring the person. This might cause them not to open up and tell you what they should be telling you. You need to make sure that notes are _______ and _______.

Answer 5

Accurate and specific

Question 6

Time and date is extremely important thing to have in your notes. True or False

Answer 6

True

Question 7

Example, if you show up to a car crash there are two times you want to record. These include:
1.
2.

Answer 7

1. the time you arrived

2. the time of the accident

Question 8

Example, a domestic violence case you might have multiple _____ and _____ that you want to record that the police have been called about a situation.

Answer 8

times and dates

Question 9

What needs to be as accurate as possible?

Answer 9

Location

Question 10

Location: Murder Case. The Victim was found at 1234 Main Street.

Answer 10

Not accurate location

Question 11

Location. Murder Case. The victim was found at 1234 Main Street on the 1st floor bedroom on a bed under the covers.

Answer 11

Accurate location

Question 12

You need to put the

when, where, who, why, and how in your notes. True or False

Answer 12

True

Question 13

Example, I am the suspect and I robbed you and the police ask you to describe the man. Would you say tall or 6’4?
Would you say black shirt or black button down shirt with a collar?

Answer 13

6’4

black button down shirt with a collar

Question 14

Never say tall, short, thin, fat on a report describing someone. True or False

Answer 14

True

Question 15

Does the physical scene of the crime need to be described in the officers notes?

Answer 15

Yes

Question 16

Day or night 
Sunny or cloudy. 
Indoors or outdoors. 
Something blocking the light so it was darker. 
Weather. 
All of these are describing what?

Answer 16

Physical Scene

Question 17

Especially important in a car crash you need to record the weather and the temperature. Were the roads icy, wet,dry,etc.)

Answer 17

Physical Scene

Question 18

Do your actions as a police officer need to be included in the notes?

Answer 18

Yes

Question 19

example, I arrived on the scene at this time and date. I immediately spoke with Bob Smith suspect who tole me this and that. I then spoke with witness Sally Jones. What Is happening here?

Answer 19

Writing down the actions you took as an officer

Question 20

Do you need to record observed actions in your notes?

Answer 20

yes

Question 21

Witness Bob Smith told me that the suspect retrieved a big silver revolver from the inside his left jacket pocket and pointed it at the clerk Mrs, Susan Jones and said “give me all your money”. What is happening here?

Answer 21

recording the observed actions

Question 22

Every person you talk to you need to write it down in a notebook. Should you use the same notebook for every case?

Answer 22

No. Always use a different notebook per case

Question 23

Every person you talk to you need to get certain information from them. This includes:
1.
2.
3.

Answer 23

1. Names
2. Addresses
3. Phone Numbers

Question 24

Double check the spelling and the number and repeat things back to the person you are talking to, to make sure that you have everything right. True or False

Answer 24

True

Question 25

Use a notebook with these rules:
1.
2.
3.

Answer 25

1. Divided into sections
2. Do not use a loose leaf binder
3. Use pen

Question 26

At the front of the notebook it might be your initial arrival on the scene, witness interviews, summary of report. This refers to what?

Answer 26

Using dividers in your notebook

Question 27

The ability to add and subtract without leaving anything behind will be extremely import to the court. Who will try to attack the investigation?

Answer 27

Defense Lawyer

Question 28

How do we know that evidence is not missing?

Answer 28

If you use a loose-leaf binder you do not know. If you use a spiral notebook you can count the pages.

Question 29

If you use a pen they cannot say that you erased something or wrote over it. True or False

Answer 29

True

Question 30

If you need to mark something out how should you do it?

Answer 30

Put one line through it and initial to say you wrote the wrong thing and then give the correct thing

Question 31

Is it okay to use shorthand?

Answer 31

Yes but only custom

Question 32

MPH

Answer 32

Custom shorthand

Question 33

WF

Answer 33

Not custom shorthand

Question 34

Common shorthand will stand in court but creating your own that no one understands is useless. True or False

Answer 34

True

Question 35

Record facts and inferences in your notebook. If you write an inference you need to label it. True or False

Answer 35

True

Question 36

Suicide

Answer 36

Inference

Question 37

Very few cases in which it would be wise to record an opinion. You are not the only person reading the notes and if you put your opinion it needs to be _____!

Answer 37

clear

Question 38

Be specific unless you are directly quoting someone. If it is not specific be sure to what?

Answer 38

Ask a follow up preacher

Question 39

Example, if someone says that they were going fast, how fast were they going? Write down what they initially said and then upon prompting write down what they said.

Answer 39

Be specific

Question 40

Should you repeat spellings and bumpers for confirmation?

Answer 40

Yes

Question 41

Make sure your notes are legible. True or False

Answer 41

True

Question 42

Is this clear: Bob Smith comes over says that Tom Jones comes over and he immediately made drinks.

Answer 42

No
What kind of drinks?
where did he come too?
Who is he?

Question 43

They, he, she are examples of what?

Answer 43

dangling pronouns

Question 44

You do not have to write down every little thing but you must be specific. True or False

Answer 44

True. It is a balancing act.

Question 45

Money is missing.

Answer 45

Fact

Question 46

number of people in the building at the time

Answer 46

fact

Question 47

Suspect left fingerprints on the counter

Answer 47

Fact

Question 48

professional or amateur

Answer 48

inference

Question 49

the guy was crazy

Answer 49

opinion