THE CIVILIAN LETTERS

Types of Civilian Letter

Anybody who is in the law enforcement agency has a
relationship with the community; and he needs to communicate
with them in language understandable in every layman's term.
For him to be an effective communicator, especially in dealing
with constituents outside the realm of the law enforcement
agency, he needs to utilize the civilian letter. Therefore, it is
expected that he is knowledgeable on the rules governing
these letters. Depending on the situation, the law. enforcer may
write any of these civilian letters: Application Letter, Resume,
Letter of Invitation, Letter of Inquiry, Letter of Reply, Letter of
Order, Letter of Complaint, and Letter of Adjustment.
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1. Application Letter
The main purpose of an application letter is to
persuade the prospective employer that the
applicant is an outstanding candidate to be called
for an interview. This type of letter could either be
solicited or unsolicited.
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1.1. A Solicited application is written based from an

advertisement coming from a newspaper, radio, television, or
internet. A solicited application letter includes the following
information:
a. Attention Getter
b. The position you seek
c. How you learned about it
d. Your qualifications
e. How can you help in the growth of the company or
organization?
f. Request for an interview.
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1.2. The unsolicited application letter on the other hand

is not based from an advertisement. This format is used
when one is inquiring about a job in a firm or company,
but he is not sure if such particular position is advertised,
or available. In this situation, the job applied for should
still be indicated. Same with the solicited letter, the
applicant still needs to talk about his qualifications,
special skills for the benefit of the organization, and
should request for an interview.
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2. Resume
This is a record of the personal information, educational
background, and work experiences of a person applying for a job.
This accompanies the application letter or cover letter, and this
reflects the professionalism of the applicant. An effective resume
presents relevant. information in a clear and concise form,
presenting the applicant in the best possible statement without
wasting the reader's time. There are two types of resumes, the
Chronological and Functional resume.
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1. Chronological Resume – this is a structured resume in reference

to the position applied for, the applicant's educational
background, work experiences, qualifications, and references.
These are listed starting from the most recent. This type is more
often used by applicants looking for work in a specific field.
2. Functional Resume – this type of resume gives emphasis on the
person's skills and abilities. This is used for those applicants who
have gaps in their work experiences or have "mixed bag" work
history, and for those who are reentering the workforce because
of frequently changed jobs.
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Tips in Writing a Resume

1. Use a standard resume paper which is white and not flashy.
2. Present the most relevant information to make your resume
easy to read.
3. Use large fonts so your name would stand out in your resume.
4. Include your permanent and mailing addresses.
5. Begin with an objective stating the Job you are applying for.
6. Be consistent with the heading, bullets, margins, spacing, fonts
throughout your resume,
7. Never send a resume without a cover letter or application
letter.
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3. Letter of Invitation
This letter is an invitation for the presence of a
person, with the main purpose of inviting him to a
particular event, or celebration. This is also to ensure
that the invited guest is going to attend. The present
and the future tenses are used in an invitation letter.
The present tense gives information about the said
event, and the future tense assures that the invited
person will attend.
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Steps in Writing a Letter of Invitation

1. A professional letter of invitation should be written in a
professional tone.
2. Write the introduction by stating the name of the sender, the
organization or company, and its brief background.
3. Outline in the body of the letter with all the important details and
information about the event like: the purpose and the theme of
the event, the date and the time, any information about special
roles at the event, attire/dress code of the guests, and items
required for the guests to bring.
4. Close the letter by stating appreciation and expectation of the
guest at the stated event.
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Tips in Writing a Letter of Invitation

1. Use a positive tone in writing the letter, with an anticipation

of a positive response from the reader.
2. Be specific in stating the purpose and name of the event,
including date, time, place, and appropriate dress code.
3. Show anticipation by expressing it in the letter.
4. Send the invitation letter two or three weeks prior to the
said event.
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Checklist for Writing a Letter of Invitation

✘ Names of persons sponsoring or hosting the event

✘ Specific name of the invited guest or guests
✘ Type of event
✘ Date, time, address of the event
✘ Directions/map of the venue of the event
✘ Preferred dress code/attire
✘ RSVP (French abbreviation for "Reply Please")
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4. Letter of Inquiry
This is a letter seeking information about people,
services, products, catalogues, prices, and policies.
The following should be stated in this letter: purpose
of the inquiry, the questions the writer wants to ask,
and the reasons for inquiring.
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Steps in Writing a Letter of Inquiry

1. Write the first paragraph by identifying the writer and
his'/her position of the company or firm.
2. Write the second paragraph by explaining the reason of the
inquiry, and how the information obtained will be used.
Offer to keep the response confidential if needed.
3. Specifically list down the information needed either in
phrases or sentences.
4. End the letter by offering incentives for the possibility of a
reply.
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Tips in Writing a Letter of Inquiry

1. Use a courteous tone in writing this letter.

2. Make the letter short but concise by clearly explaining
the inquiries.
3. Give the reader/agencies a couple of weeks to respond.
4. Mention confidentiality in the letter.
5. Include contact numbers for easy response.
6. Express appreciation and goodwill to the receiver of the
letter.
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5. Letter of Reply
This letter is an answer or the reply of an inquiry about
anything. This is also a means for the writer to express his
appreciation on the interest of the sender about his queries
on a particular goods, merchandise, or service. The details
of the information requested, and other necessary
information and enclosures are included in this kind of
letter.
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Steps in Writing a Letter of Reply

1. Indicate what was the inquiry and express
appreciation for the interest of the writer.
2. Respond to the inquiry by sending brochures,
catalogues, and other available information.
3. Offer other option, information, or persons to help if
issues cannot be answered.
4. Include additional information about the company for
further assistance.
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5. Letter of Order
This is a letter written to place an order. This is also known as
PO or Purchase Order which aims to provide a detailed
instruction in an order. Specifically, this includes the 'following
necessary information about the goods being ordered such as:
complete description, quality, catalogue number, brand, size,
price, color, and other relevant data. Other important information
regarding the delivery is also included like complete name and
address, time of shipment, manner of shipment, and mode of
payment.
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Steps in Writing a Letter of Order

1. Identify the reader by writing the name and address of the
company for the order to be sent.
2. Indicate the objective in making the purchase.
3. Provide relevant information about the items to be
purchased.
4. List items to be purchased in tabular form with specific
payment and shipping instructions.
5. Close the letter in a professional manner.
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Tips in Writing a Letter of Order

1. Organize the letter using logical and orderly information.

2. Establish the objective and scope of the letter.
3. Draft an order letter by using an outline.
4. Be professional by thanking the reader of the letter.
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5. Letter of Complaint

This letter is written regarding grievances about

goods or services. This explains the circumstances
and details of the complaints, with corresponding
suggestions for possible solution.
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Steps in Writing a Letter of Complaint

1. Write the letter by addressing it to a specific person.

2. Start the letter with a positive tone.
3. Write briefly the complaint and omit irrelevant details.
4. Avoid aggressive and accusing language, and most of all,
never generalize.
5. Include contact information so the reader can discuss the
concerns.
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Tips in Writing a Letter of Complaint

1. Directly state the reasons for the complaint.

2. Be reasonable in addressing the complaint.
3. Respectfully explain your dissatisfaction of the goods or
services.
4. Suggest points for retribution, or solutions to the
problem.
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5. Letter of Adjustment

This letter is written in response to the complaint

letter that has been received from an individual
person or a business. The main purpose of this letter
is to resolve the stated grievances.
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Steps in Writing a Letter of Adjustment

1. Start the letter by pointing out reference to the original letter.
2. Utilize an opening line such as "In reference to your letter
dated..."
3. State the key points discussed in the previous letter.
4. Avoid using first names unless it is written in the original
letter.
5. Specifically address the question, inquiry, or complaint stated
in the original letter.
6. Give assistance to quickly resolve the situation, or the
problem.
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Tips in Writing a Letter of Adjustment

1. Send your adjustment letter on time.
2. Repeat important information when responding from previous
correspondence, as the letter may be an opportunity to clarify
misunderstanding.
3. Be specific in giving advice about the subject that has been asked.
4. Express regret and suggest assistance for subject that could not be
handled.
5. Never express personal comments or opinions.
6. Use a positive tone even if the letter contains negative information.
7. Always show gratitude by thanking the reader of his/her interest and
time.
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Thanks!
Any questions?