Module 4.

2 Report Writing Based on the Agency Concerned

Police Blotter

Definition - A police blotter is a record of daily events occurring within the territories/jurisdiction of a
given police station. It contains material details concerning the event for legal, and statistical purposes.
This police blotter is therefore an informational record book that is utilized for evidentiary or referral
purposes.

Note:

Each PNP operating units shall maintain an official police blotter where all types of operation and
undercover dispatch/es shall be recorded containing the five Ws and one H of information. It is a
logbook that contains the daily registry of crimes, incidents reports, official summary of arrests and
other significant events reported in a police station.

A separate police blotter however shall be maintained for crime incident reports involving violence
against women and children or those cases involving a child in conflict with the law to protect their
privacy pursuant to R.A. 9262, Anti Violence against women and children act of 2004 and R.A. 9344
(Juvenile Justice and welfare act of 2006) respectively. Specification of Police Blotter shall be provided by
concerned PNP office.

Form and Size -

a. The police blotter shall be a record book bound with hard cover and shall be 12 inches by 16 inches in
size.

b. The front cover of the blotter shall contain the name or designation of the police and particular police
station, the volume or book number, the series number and period covered.

Contents of Entry -

a. The entry in the police blotter should answer the following cardinal elements of a police record, to
wit:

The 5W’s and 1H plus Disposition of the case.

b. In answering the above 5Ws and 1H and the Case Disposition, all such substantial and material details
about the event, including: the names of the suspects; the victim; the witness, if any; the nature of the
action or offense; the possible motive; the place; the date and time of occurrence; significant
circumstances that aggravate or mitigate the event or the crime should be entered along with the
identity of the officer to whom the case is assigned(Officer-on-case); and, the status of the case.

c. The following incidents or transactions, among others, are entered in the police blotter

(1) Violation of Laws and ordinances reported and/or discovered;

(2) All calls in which any member of the PNP is dispatched and/or takes official action;

(3) All fire alarms, reports and information received by the station;
(4) Movements of prisoners with corresponding notations on the authority for such indicating therein
the names of escorting police officers.

(5) Cases of missing and/or found persons, animals, and property;

(6) Vehicular and other types of accidents which require police action;

(7) All personal injuries, bodies found, and suicides;

(8) Damage to property;

(9) All cases in which a police member is involved;

(10) All arrest whether covered with warrants or not and returns of warrants of arrest made.

(11) Miscellaneous cases, general and special orders, violations of rules and regulations, and any other
reportable incident that the Sub-Station Chief, or higher authority desires to be recorded.

Procedures in Making the Entries

a. All entries in the police blotter shall be handwritten in a clear, concise and simple manner but
answering as practicable the 5Ws and 1H. Clarity should not be sacrificed for brevity.

b. Only facts, not opinions, are entered in the blotter

c. No erasures shall be made on the entries. Corrections are made by drawing one horizontal line over
such word or phrases and the actual entry initialed by the police officer making the correction

d. A ballpen or pen with blue, black ink is used for making the entries

e. Misrepresentations in the blotter or any attempt to suppress any information therein is punishable
criminally and administratively.

f. The entries must be legibly written in long hand and consecutively numbered.

g. Every page of the blotter shall be consecutively or chronologically filled-up. No line or space shall be
left blank between any two entries

h. Any development of a case to be reflected in the blotter should be a new entry at the time and day it
was reported. A reference to the previous entry number of the case shall, however, be made

i. In every shift, under the supervision of the Duty Officer the Complaint Desk Officer, shall make the
actual entries in the blotter and at the end of his tour of duty, both the Duty Officer and Duty/Complaint
Desk Officer shall sign the blotter.

Units Required to Maintain the Blotter:

a. Every police station or sub-station shall maintain a police blotter.

b. All PNP operating units, in addition to the station/sub-stations shall maintain separate blotters.
CRIME INCIDENT REPORTING (please REFER to the given document)

Date of Entry Date Committed Reporting Unit Place of Commission

Incident Type
Narrative (5W’s and
1H)

On this time and date, Ms. Dina Makabangon, 45 years old, a resident of # 32 Kamagong Street, Brgy.
Puti Pula, Presentacion, Camarines Sur, appeared before this office to report a a stabbing incident in
which her husband Froyo Makabangon, 49 years old of the same address, was killed allegedly by two
neighbours, namely, Inting Abella and Boyong Bartoloy

According to the complainant, she was inside her residence on January 20, 2022 at around 9:00 AM,
when she saw her husband and his two friends, namely, Inting Abella Bayong Bartoloy having a drinking
spree. Minutes later, she heard shouting of invectives, followed by a commotion. She immediately
rushed to check what was happening. She then saw two suspects mauling her husband. She tried to
pacify the suspects but her pleas fell on deaf ears. Instead, Inting Abella allegedly drew a bladed weapon
from his waistband and repeatedly stabbed the victim who sustained wounds in the chest and
abdomen. After which, the suspect fled on foot. Bleeding profusely from multiple stab wounds, the
victim was rushed to Gat Bonifacio Hospital where he was declared dead on arrival (DOA) by the
attending doctor.

_____________________________

Name/Signature of Complainant

______________________________

Rank/Name/Signature of Desk Officer

SPOT REPORT – usually done within 24 hours after an incident took place.

It is commonly written in a narrative format answering the five cardinal elements of information and
usually address to higher office to inform the chief regarding the details of a particular occurrence.

PROGRESS REPORT – has a follow up effect, can simply be an accomplishment report which may be
analytical in approach and comparatively longer. This may be accompanied by a memorandum having
these important highlights: why the report is being made; purpose and scope of the report and sources
of information.

Parts of Progress Report:

1. Authority for Investigation – contain a brief statement of when, where and by whom the
investigation was made and should cite the authority for making it. If the investigation is made on the
basis of verbal orders, this must be stated. If it made in accordance with written orders, specific
reference to the document, stating the date and the original directing authority, whether local or chief
of higher office would be necessary.

2. Details – contain narrative investigative activities conducted by the investigator which is arranged
logically and chronologically

3. Recommendation – contain practical suggestion/s for appropriate action to be taken to make suitable
disposition of all phases of the case at hand, thus it contains what the investigator intends to do

INVESTIGATION REPORT – done by the police who conducted investigation of an incident that occurred
at the given time and place which shall be a basis for an appropriate legal action.

Parts of Investigation Report:

a. Authority – contain a brief statement of when, where of when, where and by whom the investigation
was made, citing the authority for making it. If the investigation was made on the basis of verbal orders,
this must be stated, naming the individual issuing order and the date thereof. If it were made pursuant
to the document, stating the date and the original directing authority, whether local or chief or higher
headquarters is necessary.

b. Matters Investigated – represents the mission of the investigator.

c. Facts of the case – present the real truth about the matters

d. Discussion – contains presumption and inference from all circumstances in the case directing
authority the clearest possible picture, factual matter of argument in addition to the facts presented to
establish the conclusion/s and recommendation/s

e. Conclusion/s – represent a concise summary of the results of investigation.

f. Recommendation – practical suggestions for appropriate action/s.

INCIDENT REPORTS

- written account of an event, that document the exact details of the occurrence as basis for further
actions. It is the jump-off points of investigations designed to ferret out the facts and recommendations.

INITIAL INVESTIGATION REPORT

– normal offshoot of a spot report or incident report that requires resolution—be it in the form of a
formal complaint for crimes committed or recommendations for the closure of a particular case.

This report consists of the investigator’s narrative on the incident, initial reported findings based on
witnesses’ statements and evidence/s gathered within the place of occurrence, and appropriate
recommendations.

Parts of Initial Investigation Report:

Authority - (Where did the authority to investigate originated?)

Details – (The chronological account of an incident and the actions taken with regards to incident)
Recommendation – suggested practical course/s of action (Investigation Reports that are not followed
by progress reports serves as a final report.)

FINAL INVESTIGATION REPORT

– refers to the final report on a particular incident or case where all important angles and details
considered in the initial investigation and progress reports are taken into account.

VEHICULAR ACCIDENT REPORT

– involves vehicles and other incidental occurrence.

AFTER OPERATION REPORT

– an informative report on common operational activities involving police action such as service of
warrant of arrests or apprehension of suspects and other fugitives.

AFTER ENCOUNTER REPORT

– report on special mission or combat operations involving lawless elements and subversive terrorists or
rebels.

Parts of After Encounter Report:

Authority

Period covered

Area covered

Participating Troops

Narrative

Results of Operation

Lessons Learned

Recommendation