Part I Lecture in Police Technical Report Writing I

What is technical writing?

Technical writers have defined technical writing in many ways.

According to Estrin and Elliot (1990), technical writing is a writing that explains
technology to various technical, organizational and societal audiences.

According to Sherman, the technical report is a common written form through which
computer scientists communicate their findings.

To Alcantara and Espina (2003), technical writing is an exposition essentially about

scientific subjects and about various technical subjects associated with the sciences.

For Vicente, et. al. (1997), technical writing is giving an account or a description of
an aspect of a particular art, science, trade or profession, learned by experience, study,
observation or investigation.

Based from all these definitions, we can say that technical writing is the kind of
writing used by scientists, nurses, doctors, computer specialists, government officials,
engineers and others in their league who possess a specialized knowledge referred to as
“technical knowledge” which they use in the world of science, technology and business.

Overview of Technical Report Writing

- It is a kind of writing used by professional individuals who possess a specialized

knowledge referred to as technical knowledge;
- It aims to discuss or explain something by presenting facts and data;
- It is direct to the point, impartial, objective , concise, highly specific, detailed and
unemotional;
- It is written on a scientific point of view with emphasis on formal aspects

How do technical writings differ from literary writings?

All technical and literary writings aim to discuss or explain something. However, they
differ in terms of subject matter, style and point of view. Technical writing in presenting facts
and data is direct to the point, impartial, objective, concise, highly specific, detailed and
unemotional, and is written on a scientific point of view with emphasis on formal aspects
while literary writings are oftentimes subjective and are more on emotions, feelings and
personal experiences.

Although both consider their readers, technical writing uses words in their denotative
meanings while literary writings use figurative language as well as idioms and combine both
denotation and connotation.
 While it is true that technical writing informs objectively, in reality it cannot be totally
and completely objective for, as what theorists say, this is impossible. The most important
thing is for the writer to present a balanced view by being aware of their biases (Estrin and
Elliot, 1990:5).

What is a report?

- It is a story of actions performed by man; hence non-fiction and based on true

events
- It is an objective statement of the findings of the investigator;
- It is an official record of the information that is relevant to an investigation;
- It could make or unmake the career of the investigator or any law enforcer since
recognition and promotion are mostly based on the quality of reports;
- The personality of the report writer can be reflected on the kind of report he/she
writes (good impression, credibility and competence)

What is police report?

- It is a chronological or step by step account of incident that took place at a given

time with a beginning, relevant details and end.

- It has a first paragraph that reveals what sort of crime is being described; a middle
paragraph(s) that would give relevant details recounting various steps or actions
done; and the end paragraph concludes the report particularly stating the status of
the case, disposition of the individuals involved (hospitalized/jailed/home) and the
evidence obtained.
- It results from the fact that someone has asked for them and needs them for
immediate and future use.

The Basic Steps in Writing Police Report

1. Before writing, know your intended readers

2. Know your purpose
3. Write simply by choosing concise words rather than wordy words
4. Follow the standard formats
5. Make your subject matter clear by using the correct language
Part II Lecture in Police Technical Report Writing I

Additional background of Technical Police Report Writing

Writing is one of the most indispensable skills that a learner should develop to be able
to express his or her ideas effectively. It is a skill that every student must master for efficient
expression of ideas. Similarly, this skill is needed in all types of profession and jobs
especially because communication is a vital component of any endeavor.

Proficiency in writing is required not only of civilians but also of uniformed personnel
such as police officers who are considered the premier (leading) law enforcers in the country.
They write police reports during their day-to-day activity. It is imperative then that they
master writing to come up with an effective police report considered as the life blood of
police work.

Police report writing is a regular part of an officer’s job. Complete, factual, accurate
and detailed reports can speed up an investigation while incomplete, inaccurate, distorted or
misleading reports can impede (delay) the investigation or even get it dismissed in the court
on the basis of technicality, regardless of the facts. Police report can make the difference
between conviction and acquittal. Just like any other skill in police work, writing effective
police reports is a skill that must be learned and practiced.

Police report

- may be written or oral; detailed or brief and simple or complex

- may be prepared by anyone in the department from the chief to the patrolman on
the beat
- has become one of the most significant processes in the modern police operations
- made to be read and be used immediately or for future use
Purposes of Police Report Writing

Just like any other written public documents, police reports should be written
efficiently because it has the following purposes (PNP Standard Operating Procedure No.
2012-01)

1. To serve as the official document and permanent record of incidents in the community;

2. To compile statistical information and identify problems in the community;

3. To facilitate investigations, prepare and defend court cases including prosecution of

offenders; and

4. To identify training needs of the members of the Philippine National Police (PNP)
Important uses of Police Report Writings

Just like other forms of writing, police report writing has the following important
uses:

1. Serve as records for police administrators in planning, directing and organizing the unit’s
duties and functions;

2. Use as legal documents in the prosecution of offenders;

3. Use as basis by law enforcement agencies and other government and private
organizations;

4. Provide information to the media which need access to public documents;

5. Be a basis for research; and

6. Reflect the competence and personality of the police writer regarding his or her written
works.

7. Reports can be used as information for the community to deter criminal activity and to
develop public awareness

Who will read your report?

1. Officer in Patrol 6. National Prosecution Service

2. Report writer 7. Court of Justice

3. Immediate supervisor 8.Prosecution and defense counsel

4. Station chief 9. Public and private agencies

5. Community 10. Media

Criteria for an effective police report writing

The following criteria must be observed always in writing police reports:

1. Accuracy – use the exact word that serves your purpose; it refers to the correctness or
precision in both information and word choice; all facts and information whether favorable or
unfavorable to the concerned subject should be included that can be verified by the statement
of witnesses and reference to official records or reliable source

Example: Inaccurate: The Child was hit by a speeding motorcycle.

Accurate: The child was hit a blue Honda motorcycle which is approximately
travelling an estimate speed of 50 kph.

2. Clarity – refers to the clearness of thought of the writer through the use of correct English
and direct communication to save readers from reading unnecessary words because reader
has no time to look for the meanings of difficult words; hence simple words are always
preferred

Example: Unclear: The pump boat capsized because it was overloaded.

Clear: The pump boat capsized because it was overloaded. Rescuers confirmed
that the pump boat can only hold 5 people. Witnesses said that there were ten people when it
capsized.

3. Conciseness – to be concise is to express in a few words as much as possible; to be brief

but substantial; the role of a report writer is not to re-enact events but to summarize them
using relevant or important details; a writer should know how to determine which details
must be included and which must not

Example: Wordy: The victim telephonically contacted the police station right after the
incident happened.

Concise: The victim called the police station after the incident.

4. Objectivity– the key to being fair and impartial in writing reports is to use language that
has a neutral tone which means that the writer covers all sides of the story and does not favor
one side only; avoid opinions, personal judgment and emotional tone in your sentences that
will render the report subjective and impartial;

Example: Biased: If a fireman could not fireproof his own home how can he save another
man’s house?

Unbiased: If a firefighter could not fireproof his or her home, how can he or she save
other people’s house?

5. Completeness – in any incident report, the essential elements of information must be

complete. The 5Ws (who, what, when, where, why) and 1H (how) should be the basic guide
in writing a report
Example: Incomplete: The missing boy was found.

Complete: The 5-year old boy from Lapu-lapu City who was missing for seven days
was found in A.C. Cortes Avenue by a couple from Tuguegarao City, Cagayan.

6. Specificity – it is the quality of writing pertaining to being explicitly definite and specific
rather than general. A good writer must be precise and specific in writing his or her report
and should avoid ideas that could mislead the readers

Exampl e: Unspecific: She dies of stab wound.

Specific: She died of five stab wounds in her chest and another five wounds in her
upper right rib cage.

Types of report writers

According to the Philippine National Police Investigative Manual, the following are
the three types of report writers:

1. Writers who write without thinking are those who do not bother to gather facts and
information to support their written report. They are those who are not keen in observing and
gathering facts to supplement their written reports. These are also writers who are not
conscious of their grammar errors and do not intend to correct what is grammatically wrong.
They are lazy and careless in gathering specific information. As a whole, they are not
concern whether their readers will understand the written report or not.

2. Writers who write and think at the same time are writers who gather information and
facts and put them into writing. They review and verify their works but they are in a hurry to
write, therefore the gathered information is not properly documented. These kinds of writers
are also partially conscious of the grammaticality of their written outputs and submit their
reports with average accuracy.

3. Writers who think first and write afterwards are writers who gather specific data, facts
and evidences carefully before they write, and they are keen in observing and gathering
information to back up their reports. They are also very conscious of their grammar and
correct themselves to improve their written output. Because they are diligent in collecting
facts, their reports are accurate, complete, fair, concise and specific. These writers are
concern about the conciseness of their reports with the purpose in mind that their reader will
be able to understand everything they have presented. Finally, these are the writers who
present reports that are free from biases, prejudices, subjectivity and errors in any form, and
thus, they submit reports with 100% accuracy.
Points to consider in writing reports

- Well-written reports do not happen in snap of a finger or in a click of a hand but

they are products of series of writing activities that are done over constant practice
and gained through ones experiences in his/her job
- Good report writers are those who patiently take the effort of writing and revising
their work to achieve the best output
- Accurate content of the report is seriously considered because it can seriously
affect the lives of people like a criminal being set free or an innocent person being
convicted

Report writers should follow certain points of considerations and rules in writing reports
like the following:

- Using the best language (grammar & presentation of content)

- Avoiding errors in form (spelling, file numbers & format)
- Avoiding errors in substance (exact content of the report)
Part III Lecture in Police Technical Report Writing I

Other basic reminders on How to write a good police report:

Part I. Following protocol
1. Get the correct forms from your department
Be aware of the proper forms to be filled-up most especially in making police blotter
because the same is usually done in your own hand writing; hence you must think well on
what to write to avoid erasures.
2. Start the report as soon as possible
  Right after the incident, reflect on what happened and jot down some notes about it. If
possible, write your report the same day as the incident because waiting will make it harder to
remember details. At the least, do your report write-up within the first 24 hours after the
incident. If you can’t write the report on the day that the incident happened, record some
notes about what happened to help you when you do write the report
3. Focus on the facts 
Your form may have blank spaces for you to fill out with information about the
incident. Fill in these spaces, or include the following information if you do not have a form:

 The time, date and location of the incident (Be specific. Write the exact street address,
etc.).
 Your name and ID number
 Names of other officers who were present

4. Include a line about the nature of the incident

Describe what brought to you to the scene of the incident. If you got a call,
describe the call and note what time you received it. Write an objective, sentence
describing what happened. Don't write what you think might have happened. Stick to the
facts and be objective.

 For example, a report might say: On 8/23/10 at approximately 2340, officer

was assigned to 17 Dist. response vehicle. Officer was notified via radio by
central dispatch of a 911 call at 123 Maple Street. Officer was also informed
by central dispatch that this 911 call may be domestic in nature.
 Part II. Describing what happened

1. Write in the first-person

Include a detailed chronological narrative of what happened when you reported
to the scene and tell the story from your perspective. Use “I” to explain the who, what,
when, where, and why of the incident.

For example, an officer's report could say: Upon arrival, I observed a 40 year

old white male, known as Johnny Doe, screaming and yelling at a 35 year old
white female, known as Jane Doe, in the front lawn of 123 Maple Street. I
separated both parties involved and conducted field interviews. I was told by Mr.
Johnny that he had come home from work and discovered that dinner was not
ready. He then stated that he became upset at his wife Mrs. Jane for not having
the dinner ready for him.
2. Include rich detail in your report
If possible, make sure to include direct quotes from witnesses and other people
involved in the incident. Include an accurate description of your own role in the course of
what occurred. If you had to use physical force to detain someone, don't gloss over it. Report
how you handled the situation and its aftermath. Follow your department's protocol with
regard to reporting on witnesses and evidence.

 Use specific descriptions. For example, instead of saying "I found him inside and
detained him," write something like, "I arrived at 2005 Everest Hill at 12:05. I
walked to the house and knocked on the door. I tried the knob and found it to be
unlocked..."

3. Use diagrams
  Draw a picture or diagram in your report if it is difficult to explain certain
information in words. You may also want to use a picture or diagram to show what the
scene of the incident looked like.

Police officers often have to write reports about auto accidents. It can be much
clearer to illustrate with a picture or a diagram how the accident occurred. You can draw
a picture of the street and use arrows to show how where each car was headed when they
hit each other.
4. Make a thorough report

Write as much as possible and include as many details as you can remember. Don't leave
room for people reading the report to interpret something the wrong way. Don't worry about
your report being too long or wordy. The important thing is to report a complete picture of what
occurred.
 For example, instead of saying “when I arrived, his face was red,” you could
say, “when I arrived, he was yelling, out of breath, his face was red, and he
seemed angry.” The second example is better than the first because there are
multiple reasons someone’s face is red, not just that they are angry.

5. Include accurate details and leave out the rest

 If you did not see something happen, make sure that you don't report that you did. If
a witness tells you something that you did not see, whatever the witness says is considered
“hearsay.” Hearsay is something you hear that you cannot substantiate by personal
knowledge. Report hearsay as hearsay, not as something you personally saw.

 Even though it is hearsay, make sure to write down what each individual at the scene
said to you. It may be important, even if he or she is lying. Include any information
about the witness’ demeanor, in case what he or she told you becomes controversial.

6. Use clear language

  Don't use flowery, confusing language to describe what happened. Your writing
should be clear and concise. Don't use legal or technical words. Use short, to-the-point,
fact-oriented sentences that don't leave room for interpretation.

 Use the party’s name when possible, so you can avoid confusion when talking
about multiple people. Also, spell out abbreviations. For example, say
“personal vehicle” instead of “P.O.V.” (personally owned vehicle), and “scene
of the crime” instead of “code 11,” which is a police term for “on the scene.”

7. Be honest 
Even if you're not proud of how you handled the situation, it's critical that you
write an honest account. If you write something untrue it may end up surfacing later,
putting your job in jeopardy and causing problems for the people involved in the
incident.

 Preserve your integrity and the institution you represent by telling the truth.

Part III. Editing Your Report

1. Check your report for accuracy 
Double check all of the facts, including spellings of names, dates, times, addresses,
license plate numbers, and so on. Make sure you didn't leave out any information that should
have been included. Look for obvious gaps in the narrative that you might need to fill in.

 For example, if you forget to include the one party's reason why the argument started,
then that would leave a gap.

2. Proofread your report

  Read through your report one more time to make sure it's easy to understand.
Check it for typos, spelling errors, and grammar errors that might make the report
confusing. Remove any words that could be seen as subjective, like words describing
feelings and emotions.

 For example, if you included phrases that start with "I feel" or "I believe,"
then you would want to remove these to eliminate any bias in your report.

3. Submit your incident report

  Find out the name of the person or department to whom your report must be sent.
If you can, submit your incident report in person. Make yourself available to answer
further questions or provide clarification as needed.

 If you have to mail or email your report, follow up with a phone call
within a 10 day period. Do this to make sure your report was received.

Sample items to include in a Police Report

Items to Include in the Report:

▢ Existing witness reports
▢ Description of the crime scene:
       ▢ Address                         ▢ Specific crime committed
        ▢ Crime scene evidence    ▢ Locations
        ▢ Date                         ▢ Time

▢ Chronological narrative (include each of the following, if they apply):

        ▢ How did you come upon the scene?                
▢ Who was involved?
        ▢ Which investigative avenues are being taken?        
▢ What was said?
        ▢ Arrests made                                         ▢ Evidence
        ▢ Reason why the officer was on the scene        ▢ Booking
▢ Description of witnesses                                
▢ Description of crime committed
        ▢ Details about other officers involved                
▢ Any other relevant factors
        
Editing Steps
▢ Report is typed (unless specifically requested to be hand-written)
▢ Report is current (continues up until the present day)
▢ Report contains proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation
▢ Names of witnesses and places are spelled correctly
▢ Report is free of subjective wording and personal opinions (except in witness reports)

Sample Police Report

Case Number: 010147858

Date: 13 August 2013
Reporting Officer: Deputy Jones
Prepared By: CPL Stevens

Incident Type: Robbery

Address of Occurrence: 557 Maple Street, Manchester, NH 03104
Witnesses:
Alan Perez: Store owner. Male, 43, Latino
Michael Tully: Employee. Male, 21, African American
Andrea Chao: Customer. Female, 27, Asian American
Evidence:
Closed-circuit surveillance footage
Fingerprints (taken from counter)
Footprint (size 10 Nike Air, found in drying paint)
 Weapon/Objects Used: Pistol/Firearm

On August 13, 2013, at approximately 17:38, two unidentified males entered a 7-Eleven
convenience store and stole $232 from the register at gunpoint. The store’s security camera
recorded the incident as one man pointed a handgun at store owner Alan Perez while the
other man gestured threateningly while demanding that Perez give him the money from the
register. “Two guys came in with masks and a gun,” Perez said in his witness statement, “and
one started yelling at us to give him the money.” Perez was running the store with the help of
Michael Tully, his employee. Tully described the suspects as middle-aged, white, both
wearing leather jackets, jeans, and ski masks. The only customer in the store was Andrea
Chao, who heard the robbery taking place but did not see it as she was in the store restroom at
the time. After obtaining the money from the register, the two suspects ran out of the store.
The parking lot had been painted earlier that afternoon, and Perez identified one of the
suspect’s footprints in the drying paint.

Deputy Jones arrived on the scene at around 18:15, responding to Perez’s 911 call.  After
reviewing the security footage, Deputy Jones noticed that the unarmed suspect had at one
point leaned across the counter as he was grabbing money from Tully and Perez. Fingerprints
were captured from the counter and sent to the forensics lab for analysis. Closer inspection of
the drying shoeprint revealed that one of the suspects was wearing size 10 Nike Airs, which
is consistent with the security footage.

Part IV Lecture in Police Technical Report Writing I

Fundamental Styles of Police Report Writing

The writing of police report is a tough job because it demands constant practice and
application of some fundamental principles of writing like perspective, selection and
organization.

1. Perspective refers to the point of view from which the investigator presents the findings of
his report based from gathered evidences. For maintaining the objectivity of the report, the
third person point of view should be used; the writer should refer himself as the
“investigator” or “the police officer.”

2. Selection of information relates to the gathered data in connection with how the writer
presents these in his report. Selectivity is vital since the will affect the investigator’s decision
on the facts and information that he will include. He should discard irrelevant details to
arrive at a coherent report and should only report information that are composed of physical
evidence, statement and complete investigation. An effective writer should be able to make a
distinction between facts and opinions.

3. Organization is the process of how a report is put together after the specific details of
facts have been gathered. Organization of the report should follow after the investigator had
conducted and gathered evidences necessary in the investigation. The chronological order of
narrating events should be used in writing the report.

Strategies in Writing Good Report

Just like any other activity, writing is a process that requires strategies. Good written
outputs are the products of carefully crafted writing activities. The following are suggested
strategies that a writer must adhere in writing a report:

1. Check and re-check first whether notes on gathered facts are already complete and
organize.

2. If notes on gathered facts are insufficient, go back into the process of gathering more facts
related to the situation.

3. Make an outline of the report basing from the completely gathered facts.

4. Use the chronological order of writing in presenting facts and ideas in the written report.

5. The outline of the report should basically answer the complete 5Ws and 1H.

6. Prepare a report that could either be simple, brief, concise or in memorandum form,
depending on its required format.

Classes of Reports
1. Technical report – is a document that describes the process, progress or results of
technical research or problem and it could also include recommendations and conclusions.

2. Problem determining report – it is a report that identify the problem and determine its
cause/s.

3. Problem Solution Report – is a report that investigates a problem, examine alternative

solutions and propose the most effective solution using supportive evidences.

4. Fact-finding report – it is a report that gathers information through the use of

questionnaires and other survey tools and assemble the data gathered and make a
recommendation to the investigator.

5. Performance report – is a detailed statement that measures the results of some activity in
terms of its success over s specific time frame.

Types of Police Reports

The following are the most common types of Police Reports used in the PNP:

1. Police Blotter

This refers to a logbook that contains the daily registry of all crime incident reports,
official summaries of arrest, and other significant events reported in a police station (PNP
Police Operational Procedures 2013).

2. Spot Report

This refers to the initial report written by a police officer after an important incident
and submitted immediately to higher authorities for further investigation and appropriate
action.

3. Progress Report

This refers to a follow-up report submitted by a police officer after conducting further
investigation of a particular incident. This report can simply be an accomplishment report
which may be analytical and may be comparatively longer then a spot report.

4. Final Report

This refers to an accomplishment report written by a police officer after the

investigation is completed and the case has been filed against the suspect/s. In some cases,
progress report can also be final report especially if the investigation has been terminated at
that level.

5. After Operation Report

 This refers to a report that may be rendered after any successful police operation that
leads to the arrest of any member or some members of syndicated crime group (PNP
Criminal Investigation Manual 2011).

6. Investigation Report

This refers to a report such as in criminal investigations. The arrangement of the parts
follows a specific pattern to be easily found and read.

The format is similar to memorandum format except the text or body should have the
following parts: AUTHORITY, MATTERS INVESTIGATED, FACTS OF THE CASE,
DISCUSSION, CONCLUSIONS and RECOMMENDATIONS. The parts are capitalized
followed by a colon (:). Paragraphs are numbered consecutively using arabic numbers such
as 1, 2, 3, and 4 among others.

The investigator signs the report. On top of the letterhead and on the lower fold of the
paper, the word CONFIDENTIAL is typed or stamped.

7. Situational Report (SITREP)

This refers to a report done on a need basis. It contains the actual situation on a
particular incident or incidents which are on public interest. This is primarily addressed to a
commander or chief for him to know the actual situation before the media and the public is
informed. This report may be done every hour, every 6 hours, or every 8 hours depending on
the situation. During peaceful and ordinary days, a SITREP is not necessary.

8. Beat Inspection Report

This refers to a report that is submitted daily by any duty officer after his/her routine
check on foot.

9. After Patrol Report

This refers to a report which is submitted by assigned sector using official vehicles
and is signed by the team leader.

DOCUMENT 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 (TOP SECRET, SECRET, CONFIDENTIAL, AND
RESTRICTED), likewise, it is prohibited to divulge its contents to anybody, except when
regulations permit it, and the approval of appropriate authorities is sought beforehand.

1. Top Secrets Documents - the unauthorized disclosure of which would cause exceptionally
grave damage to the nation politically, economically or from the point of National Security.
This kind of records deserves the most guarded secrets by the person involved.

2. Secret Records or Documents – the unauthorized disclosure of which would endanger

National Security, cause serious injury to the interest and prestige of the nation or any
governmental activity or would be of great advantage to other nation.

3.Confidential Records or Documents – the unauthorized disclosure of which would be

prejudicial to the interest or prestige of the nation, or any government activity or would cause
administrative embarrassment or unwarranted injury to the honor and dignity of an
individual, or would be of advantage to a foreign nation.

4. Restricted Records or Documents – Records contain information and material which

requires special protection other than that determined to be TOP SECRET, SECRET, OR
CONFIDENTIAL.