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Definition of Police Report

A police report is a chronological account of an incident that provides factual information in response to an investigation. It follows certain criteria for clarity, accuracy, brevity, specificity, completeness, timeliness, security, and impartiality. The report addresses the essential questions of who, what, when, where, why, and how regarding the incident. Police reports can be informal memorandums or more formal documents depending on the situation. The purpose is to objectively document the details of an investigation for immediate or future use.

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5K views

Definition of Police Report

A police report is a chronological account of an incident that provides factual information in response to an investigation. It follows certain criteria for clarity, accuracy, brevity, specificity, completeness, timeliness, security, and impartiality. The report addresses the essential questions of who, what, when, where, why, and how regarding the incident. Police reports can be informal memorandums or more formal documents depending on the situation. The purpose is to objectively document the details of an investigation for immediate or future use.

Uploaded by

Magr Esca
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Definition of Police Report

A report is basically a story of actions performed by man. A police report is a 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 an 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 operations.

Narrative Techniques of Police Reports Among the techniques of composition, narration is

effective in writing police reports. This is because narration concerns events and actions. There is a

chronology of events which means that the report begins when something happens and ends when

something has finished. A

Tone of Police Reports

Police reports are most effective when they have an objective tone. The use of “I,” or “We,”

“Me,” or “My,” makes writing subjective and opinionated. Administrative decisions cannot effectively be

based on subjective opinions.

Criteria for Good Police Reports

In the preparation of narrative reports for significant events or incidents, the following criteria must

be observed: -

1. Clarity -The police report writer must consider that the reader - - has no time to waste. The

reader therefore has no time to look for the meanings of difficult words used by the.

inconsiderate writer. -. A police report writer, therefore is duty-bound to serve . his readers by

letting them understand easily what he is trying to get across.


2. Accuracy

The report must conform to established rules of syntax, format and grammar. The data

must be precise and the information must be factual, hence assumptions or opinions must

be avoided. The words used must always leave no doubt for misinterpretation. Use the

word that serves your purpose. What exactly do you mean? Have you-made your readers

see and feel . what you want to see and feel? ,

3. Brevity

Wordy and lengthy sentences tend to make the idea vague. The report must be easily

understood. Hence the use of short, simple sentences, and common words js encouraged.

Verbose or repetitive writing Compromise ' the substance of a report. A report should provide

information and should not be written to impress. Brevity may not always be the soul of wit, but

certainly _long-windedness is its enemy. Readers tire of wading through a stream of verbiage in

search for a few nuggets of sense. Avoid padded phrases. Outright redundancy duplicates words

that say exactly the same. If the repetition is not aimed at intentional emphasis, it should not be

encouraged. Wordiness should be avoided. Brevity or conciseness means saying much in a fewer

4. Specificity

When we write about concrete examples, we need specific words that bring the reader

close to firsthand experience. Words that remain too general keep an event colorless and

anonymous. Generalities must. be avoided. A good descriptive narration gives life to the written

word through particular terms that project hues, movements, quantities and shapes. | —
5. Completeness

In any incident report, the essential elements of information must be complete. The

5Ws and 1H should be the basic guide in writing a report. Intentional or unintentional omission

of data may leave the reader asking more questions. It must be avoided.

6. Timeliness

A report rendered after a considerable lapse of time ' is useless and defeats the purpose

of submitting an incident report. Belated accounts of events are histories that are apt for future

and not for immediate use.

7. Security

All significant incident reports are considered classified, hence, transmission, handling,

and access to these reports should be limited only to police personnel who are granted the

same or higher security clearance as the report. Accordingly, it is also imperative to place the

necessary markings to emphasize the document classification of the report, Likewise, it is

prohibited to divulge its contents to anybody, except t when regulations permit it, and the

approval of appropriate authorities 1s sought beforehand.

8. Impartiality

The reporting unit must know what the receiving unit needs to know. Important data

must not.be omitted or added to conceal responsibilities, to impute liabilities, or to favor

parties. Embellishments, by inducing incredible information for purposes of making the report

impressive, must likewise be avoided.


Practical Considerations for the 5Ws 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 unreliable.

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 unreliable.

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. It customarily carries three items besides the text proper, i.e., date

submitted, subject, and persons or person to whom submitted. It may however, contain many

items of administrative importance along with the subject matter of the text. Actually, most

police reports may be placed in this category. ( REFER TO SAMPLE 0-001)


2. Formal Reports -A formal report suggests the full-dress treatment, including cover, title page, letter

of transmittal, summary sheet, text, appendices, and perhaps a an index and bibliography. ( REFER TO

SAMPLE 0-002)

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