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Police Report Review

The document outlines the significance of police report writing as a crucial skill for effective criminal investigation and prosecution, emphasizing its role in preserving knowledge, providing accurate details, and aiding law enforcement coordination. It details various types of police reports, their characteristics, and the importance of maintaining confidentiality through security classifications. Additionally, it highlights the consequences of poor report writing and the need for accuracy and clarity in documentation.

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4 views3 pages

Police Report Review

The document outlines the significance of police report writing as a crucial skill for effective criminal investigation and prosecution, emphasizing its role in preserving knowledge, providing accurate details, and aiding law enforcement coordination. It details various types of police reports, their characteristics, and the importance of maintaining confidentiality through security classifications. Additionally, it highlights the consequences of poor report writing and the need for accuracy and clarity in documentation.

Uploaded by

luisperaltaph563
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as TXT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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POLICE REPORT

REPORT: Defined as an account of any occurrence prepared after thorough


investigation.
It is also defined as an account or statement describing in detail an event,
situation, or the like, usually as the result of observation or inquiry.

POLICE REPORT WRITING is considered technical writing, and as such, one needs to
develop special skills and techniques.
Police report writing is the backbone of criminal investigation and prosecution. It
could be written or oral; detailed or brief; simple or complex.

1. The success of a police operation depends upon the quality of the reports and
the ability of the police officer to write them effectively.
2. The lack of understanding of the importance of police report writing reflects
itself in reports that are too frequently incomplete or poorly prepared.
3. Report writing is a skill or competence that is difficult to master. A person
always discloses something about herself/himself in writing.

PURPOSES OF POLICE REPORT WRITING

A. TO PRESERVE KNOWLEDGE – Knowledge when in use can be shared and used by others
for the greatest possible benefits. It can pass on from generation to generation.
B. TO PROVIDE ACCURATE DETAILS – Regardless of the length of time, the details
recorded in a written report will be available for future reference with accuracy.
C. TO AID THE PERSONNEL AND OTHER AGENCIES – Written reports provide valuable
assistance to other members of investigative agencies and law enforcement
organizations.
D. TO COORDINATE ACTIVITIES WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION – A report by an individual may
be relevant to another office within the organization. Coordinated reports lead to
smoother operations.

OTHER SPECIFIC PURPOSES (PNP SOP No. 2012-01)


- Serves as the official document and permanent record of incidents in the
community.
- Helps compile statistical information and identify problems in the community.
- Facilitates investigations, prepares, and defends court cases, including the
prosecution of offenders.
- Identifies training needs for members of the Philippine National Police (PNP).

IMPORTANT USES OF POLICE REPORT WRITING (Soriano, 2005)


- Serves as records for police administrators in planning, directing, and
organizing the unit’s duties and functions.
- Used as legal documents in the prosecution of offenders.
- Serves as a basis for law enforcement agencies and other government/private
organizations.
- Provides information to the media, which need access to public documents.
- Acts as a basis for research.
- Reflects the competence and personality of the police writer in their reports.

CHARACTERISTICS OF EFFECTIVE POLICE REPORT WRITING


✓ Accurate and specific
✓ Brief and concise
✓ Clear and complete
✓ Factual and objective
✓ Well-organized and grammatically correct

TYPES OF POLICE REPORTS


1. POLICE BLOTTER – A logbook containing the daily registry of all crime incidents,
official summaries of arrests, and other significant events reported in a police
station (PNP Police Operational Procedures, 2013).
2. SPOT REPORT – The initial report written by a police officer after an important
incident and submitted immediately to higher authorities for further investigation
and action.
3. PROGRESS REPORT – A follow-up report submitted after further investigation of a
particular incident. It may be an analytical report and longer than a spot report.
4. FINAL REPORT – An accomplishment report written after an investigation is
completed and a case is filed against the suspect(s). In some cases, the progress
report serves as the final report.
5. AFTER OPERATION REPORT – Rendered after a successful police operation that leads
to the arrest of one or more members of a criminal group (PNP Criminal
Investigation Manual, 2011).
6. INVESTIGATION REPORT – A report in criminal investigations, following a specific
format for easy access and reading.
7. SITUATIONAL REPORT (SITREP) – A report prepared based on need, containing
updates on a particular incident. It is primarily addressed to a commander or chief
before informing the media and public. A SITREP can be done every hour, 6 hours, or
8 hours, depending on the situation.
8. BEAT INSPECTION REPORT – A report submitted daily by a duty officer after their
routine patrol or inspection.
9. AFTER PATROL REPORT – Submitted by officers assigned to vehicle patrols and
signed by the team leader.

SECURITY CLASSIFICATIONS OF DOCUMENTS

Classified information contains sensitive details requiring confidentiality,


integrity, and security. Access is restricted by law or regulation, and mishandling
can result in penalties.

A. TOP SECRET
- Unauthorized disclosure would cause exceptionally grave damage to national
security, politics, economy, or defense.
- Reserved for the nation’s most critical secrets.

Examples:
1. Important political documents on national negotiations.
2. Major governmental projects affecting the nation’s economy before public
release.
3. Experimental military technology affecting future strategy.

B. SECRET MATTER
- Unauthorized disclosure would cause serious injury to national interests or
security.

Examples:
1. High-level directives on international negotiations.
2. Proposals for new government programs that require confidentiality.
3. Military developments such as new missile designs or radar systems.

C. CONFIDENTIAL MATTER
- Unauthorized disclosure would be prejudicial to national prestige, cause
administrative embarrassment, or benefit a foreign nation.

Examples:
1. Government development plans (e.g., infrastructure projects).
2. Routine military operation reports.
3. Intelligence reports with minor security implications.
4. Technical reports with limited military value.

D. RESTRICTED
- Requires special protection but does not meet higher classification levels.

Examples:
1. Internal department manuals and training documents.
2. Routine procurement details of military supplies.
3. Minor technical modifications and test results.
4. Compilation of unclassified data that, when combined, may require protection.

Authority for Classification, Reproduction, Dissemination, and Destruction:


- The authority to classify remains the same as for CONFIDENTIAL documents.
- Reproduction is authorized.
- Transmission follows standard dissemination protocols.
- Destruction is handled similarly to CONFIDENTIAL documents.

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