Module TECHNICAL ENGLISH 1 (Investigative Report Writing and Presentation)

CHAPTER II
Police Report

At the end of this module, the learner should be able to:

▪ Recall a definition of Police Report

▪ Understand the techniques given for a
good Police Report

DEFINITION OF POLICE REPORT

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

NARRATIVE TECHNIQUES OF POLICE REPORT AND TONE OF POLICE REPORTS

Among the techniques of
composition, narration is effective
in writing police reports.
Police reports are most effective
when they have an objective tone. The
use of “I,” or “We,” “Me,” or “My,”
make writing subjective and
opinionated. Administrative decisions
cannot effectively be based on
subjective opinion.

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Module TECHNICAL ENGLISH 1 (Investigative Report Writing and Presentation)

CRITERIA FOR GOOD POLICE REPORTS

✓ Clarity
✓ Accuracy
✓ Brevity
✓ Specificity
✓ Completeness
✓ Timeliness
✓ Security
✓ Impartiality

THE 5W’S AND 1H OF POLICE REPORTS

The police officer need not be a literary genius to write a good
police report. If the officer knows his 5W’s and 1H, i.e., WHO, WHAT,
WHERE, WHEN, WHY and HOW, his report will complete even though it might
not be a literary masterpiece. The 5W’s and 1H can be useful guide to
report writers, especially the beginners.
✓ Who? Is a question that will contain the facts relating to any
person who directly or indirectly associated with the incident.
Here will shows up, the names that include within the scope of the
news that is discussed.
✓ What? Is a question that will answer what happened and will
encourage reporters to gather facts related to the things done by
the offender and the victim in an incident.
✓ Why? Will answer the background or the cause of the incident.
Although rare, why can be used to open a news or the lead story.
✓ Where Regarding the scene. Can be written detailed scene or just
outline only. Typically, when the news comes from a famous place,
then the writing is not too detailed.
✓ When Concerning the time of the incident. Time stamp is not limited
to date, but can be written days, hours, even minutes when an
incident takes place.
✓ How Will provide facts about the incident are given. Could tell
the atmosphere even when the flow of events reported an ongoing
incident.

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Module TECHNICAL ENGLISH 1 (Investigative Report Writing and Presentation)

PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE 5W’S 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 unreliably.

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.
2. Formal Reports
A formal report suggests the full-dress treatment, including
cover, title page, letter of transmittal, summary sheet, text,
appendices, and perhaps an index and bibliography.

CLASSIFICATIONS OF POLICE REPORTS ACCORDING TO PURPOSE

▪ Performance Report
▪ Fact-Finding Report
▪ Technical Report
▪ Problem-Determining Report
▪ Problem-Solution Report

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Module TECHNICAL ENGLISH 1 (Investigative Report Writing and Presentation)

CATEGORIES OF POLICE REPORTS

▪ Operational Reports
▪ Internal Reports
▪ Technical Reports
▪ Summary-of-Information

TYPES OF POLICE REPORTS

1. Spot Reports
A spot report is that one than after an important incident
takes place in a certain area at a given time. Verbal or written,
it must be done or acted upon within twenty-four-hours. The idea
is to inform an immediate chief, considering the fact that whatever
happens in the area is his command responsibility or those in
higher positions must be informed regarding the details of a
particular occurrence.
2. Special Reports
Special reports are done either because one feels he has some
reporting to do, or a lower police unit or office is obligated
based on the directive or an instruction from the higher police
offices.
Special Reports must have the following paragraphs contents:
1) Problem
What is the report all about? Why it is being written
in the first place? The problem portion is reflected on the
first paragraph and is sometimes continued to the next.
2) Rationale
This refers to the specifications related to the
problem. More often than not, these details are shown in the
following paragraphs after the problem is defined.
3) Action
The last paragraph has this usually.

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Module TECHNICAL ENGLISH 1 (Investigative Report Writing and Presentation)

3. Progress Report
A progress report has a follow-up effect.
A progress report can simply be an accomplishment report which
may be analytical in nature and maybe comparatively longer. This
may be in memorandum form or in radiographic message form, having
these important highlights: 1) why the reports are being made; 2)
purpose and the scope of the report; and 3) sources of information.
4. Investigations Report
This form is similar to the memorandum form except that the
text or body should include the following parts: AUTHORITY, MATTERS
INVESTIGATED, FACTS OF THE CASE, DISCUSSION, CONCLUSIONS, and
RECCOMENDATIONS. If a part is not important because it is included
in another part, it may be excluded. Parts are capitalized, and
followed by a colon. All the paragraphs composing the text of the
report are numbered consecutively in Arabic numerals.
5. Beat Inspection Report or After-Patrol Reports
The beat inspection is one of the most common forms of written
communications. It is submitted daily by the duty beat supervisor.
This differs from after-patrol report in terms of movement.
Those on beat inspection do their routine check on foot; and those
on patrol, check their assigned sectors by using patrol cars.
6. Situation Reports
The situation report is similar to the patrol report. Both
are submitted every eight hours. However, while the patrol report
is done on a regular basis daily, the SITREP is done on a need-
only basis.
7. Formal Report
Essentially, a formal report is a presentation of facts or
ideas.
All in all, a complete formal report must consist of the
following parts: cover, title page, letter of transmittal, table
of contents, introduction or preface, summary, body of the report,
conclusions, recommendations, and supplemental materials like
appendices, etc.

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Module TECHNICAL ENGLISH 1 (Investigative Report Writing and Presentation)

A spot report may use a radiographic message

form, especially if the reporting unit is
far from the addressee or receiving office
concerned.

References:
Basic Police Report Writing
By
Oscar Gatchalian Soriano
BSCrim, MSBA, MACrim, PhDCrim

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