EXERCISE NO.
Technical ways of writing an investigative report on the different types of crimes.
Importance of Investigative Reporting
It serve as records for police administrators in planning, directing, and organizing
the unit’s duties
Reports can be used as legal documents in theprosecution of criminals.
Reports can be used by other agencies.
Reports can be useful to local media which needaccess to public documents.
The author of a report should also consider that his/her (written) work is reflective
of his personality.
Reports can be a basis for research.
Preparations needed in Report Writing
Review and Organize notes
Draw an outline in chronological sequence – should answer the 5W’s & 1H
Review for completeness
Actual writing of the report
CRITERIA
It must be grammatically correct.
Abbreviation must be usedappropriately and correct.
The report should avoid slang,colloquialism or unnecessarytechnical terms.
Requisites of a Good Investigation Report
Accuracy - The report should be a truerepresentation of the facts to the best of
the investigators ability. Information bothfavorable and unfavorable to the
suspectshould be included. Information shouldbe verified by statements of
otherwitnesses and by reference to officialrecords or to other reliable sources.
Completeness - The question of “when, who,what, where, why and how?”
should beanswered. The elements of the crime shouldbe established, and the
additional factsdeveloped should tend to prove theseelements. The report should
be documentedby appending important statements/letters,findings of other
agencies, and laboratory reports.
Brevity- Irrelevant or unnecessarymaterials should be omitted.
Fairness - The investigator should takethe facts as he finds them, and if ever
hehas theories, it must be consistent withthese facts.
Form and Style - The arrangement of thematerials presented should be in a
mannerwhich will make the report easy to read. Formincludes proper
paragraphing, underscoring,capitalization and heading. The report shouldbe
written in the third person, the investigatorreferring to him/her self as “the
investigator.”
Clarity - The police report writer must consider that the reader has no time to
look for the meanings of difficult words used by the inconsiderate writer. The
language and format of areport are simple and to the point.
Specific - Use of specific words that bringthe reader close to firsthand
experience.
Timeliness - Completion of a reportpromptly.
Conciseness – to be concise is to express much in a few words as possible to
be brief but substantial. In narrative report, the role of a writer is not to re-enact
events but to summarize them using only pertinent or important details. Any
extraneous event details irrelevant to the event should be excluded, lest they
render the report superfluous or bring the reader off his focus from the more
important details. It is necessary for the writer to determine which details should
be included and which is not.
Objectivity – the key to objectivity or being fair and impartial in writing reports is
to use language that has a neutral tone. This means that your report covers all
sides of the story and does not slant toward or favor one side only. To do this,
you need to avoid opinions, personal judgment and emotional overtone in your
sentences which will render your report subjective and partial. Although the
statement of witness, victims and suspects may not be objective, it is important
that you as a writer, properly quote or attribute the statement to your source(s)
without adding your personal judgment or conclusion. Write only the facts and
include brief details.
THE 5Ws 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 5Ws and 1H, his report will be complete even though it might not be a
literary masterpiece. The 5Ws and 1H can be a useful guide to report writers,
especially the beginners. The following is a list of the variations that can be derived
from these:
WHO- This question considers some factors, like: Who was the victim, Who was the
complainant and Who committed the crime?
WHEN- This question considers some factors, like: When was the crime committed and
when was the victim last seen?
WHY- This question considers some factors, like: Why was the crime committed and Why were
the witnesses reluctant to give information?
WHERE- This question considers some factors, like: Where was the crime committed and Where
was the victim found?
WHAT- This question considers some factors, like: What type of property was stolen, lost or
found and What offense was committed?
HOW- This question considers some factors, like: How was the crime committed and How did
the criminal get into the scene?
Different Types of Report
Police Blotter – is a record or log of daily events occurring within the
territories/jurisdiction of a given police unit or command. It contains material
details concerning the event for legal and statistical purposes, it is also where all
types of operations and undercover dispatched shall be recorded containing the
five Ws (WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN, and WHY) and one H (HOW) of an
information.
Spot Report – this refers to an immediate initial investigative or incident report
addressed to Higher Headquarters pertaining to the commission of the crime,
occurrence of natural or manmade disaster or unusual incidents involving loss of
lives and damage of properties.
Progress Report – it is an accounting of the actions or series of actions
undertaken in relation to an ongoing investigation of a case. It include updates
and or recently discovered facts, data, evidence recovered, result of forensic
examinations which would shed further light into case and determine the next
courses of action to be taken.
Special Report – 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
directives or an instruction from the higher police offices.
Final Report – Is a thorough, in-depth and lengthy account regarding an
investigation into an incident or case as mandated by higher authorities to
establish a determination of the truth and or how far it could be determined based
on the facts and circumstances with the appropriate recommendation for the
proper course/s of action/s to be made.
Investigation Report – is considered internal communication, and it should be
addressed to the chief or head of a police office. Investigation report is complete
when it answers the six interrogatives of police report writing- the 5W’s and 1H. It
also provides in brief, the sworn statements executed by the individuals having
an interest in the case being investigated.
Flash Alarm – Is an account relative to the commission of a crime or incident
filed by a complaining witness or victim to the Police citing the date, time, place,
possible motive of the commission/occurrence, how it was perpetrated, and other
details relative to incident.
Investigator’s Notes – Recording Note: The data of the investigation should be
recorded in a complete, accurate and legible fashion so that in the event another
investigator is required to assume responsibility for the investigation, he can
make intelligent use of the notebook.
Case referral report – It serves as endorsement to the Prosecutors Office of the
case being brought by the investigating officer before their (Prosecutor) attention
for appropriate action (either for inquest or regular filing). When the particular
case is already referred to the Prosecutor the investigation of the case terminates
and the jurisdiction over the case already resides with the Prosecutor in-charged.
Referral notes – Used to inscribe incidents, cases and other important events
that transpire during his/her tour of duty.
Coordination Report – a report which is used as a means of formal coordination
to be made by the investigating agency with the police unit or military unit having
operational jurisdiction over the place where a police case operation shall be
conducted.
Turn Over of Crime Scene – procedure done by first responders to the
investigator/s in charge.
Turn Over of the Physical Evidence – procedure done by investigator/s on
case to the SOCO team.
After Case Hearing Report (during trial)
After Case Hearing Report ( during promulgation)
Case Folder – complete copy of investigative documents in a particular case.
Special Report in Civilian Letter Format
Forensic request Format
References
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