Writing an effective police report is a specialized skill. Whether you’re a new recruit or an experienced officer looking to brush up on your skills, you’ll find helpful tips and useful information here.

1. If I am a sworn police officer, why can’t I include my professional opinion in my reports?

Rest assured that no one questions your judgment or training! The problem is that opinions cannot be verified in court. A statement that a victim was frightened, a suspect was belligerent, or a witness was uncooperative cannot stand in court. Descriptions (“Farrell’s hands were shaking,” “Patel clenched his fists and raised them to my face,” “Linton answered my questions with silence and tightly closed lips”) are much more convincing than generalizations.

2. Why is brevity important in a police report?

Unnecessary repetition slows down the report writing process. The problem reappears if you have to review your report for a brief appearance later.

For example, you don’t have to write, “I asked Mason if she knew the color of the car. She said the car was blue.” It is more efficient to simply write, “Mason told me the car was blue.” Similarly, “September” is more concise than “the month of September”, and often doesn’t need words like respective, individualY currently.

3. Should I avoid police jargon in my reports?

Yes, most of the time. It’s okay to write expressions like BOLO for “watch out” and APB for “all points bulletin” if your supervisor approves of their use. But problems can arise when outsiders (government officials, lawyers, media reporters, family members) read your reports and have trouble understanding the jargon. And time-worn police expressions can make you seem old-fashioned and unprofessional. When was the last time you heard “I made sure” in normal conversation, and what does it really mean? “I heard” or “I saw” is easier to write and understand and sounds more professional. Similarly, “advise” does not mean to say: it means to give advice.

4. What does “clarity” mean in a police report?

Clarity means clearly saying what you saw, heard, smelled, or felt with your sense of touch. Specific details (“I saw his right hand move slowly toward his back pocket”) are much more likely than generalizations (“She was acting suspicious and I knew she was in danger”).

5. Do passive voice and writing in the third person guarantee the objectivity of a report?

No. And you can check it yourself. Recall a time when someone you know (or maybe you) told a lie. Now turn that lie into a passive sentence and use the third person (“This six-year-old didn’t eat a piece of chocolate cake”). Does the statement change from false to true? Of course not. Honesty and fairness are character traits that we all have to develop with training and effort. Sentencing tricks will not turn a rogue officer into a professional.

6. Do I have to study grammar?

No. Grammar (the terminology and structure of a language) is not the same as usage (the conventions of what most people consider to be good sentence structure and effective word choices). Labeling parts of speech and similar grammar-related tasks are not very helpful for working writers. A good way to improve your use is to establish relationships with people who speak and write well. Ask them for comments, suggestions and corrections. If possible, have someone you respect read everything you write before you send it. You will learn a lot very quickly.

7. What are the most common mistakes officers make in their reports?

• describe an investigation (“I checked the front and back doors for signs of forced entry”) without stating what was found (“I found no scratches, splintered wood, or broken glass on the front or back doors”)
• end sentences with commas instead of periods
• opinions, guesses, statements, or hunches rather than sticking to observable facts
• write long, rambling sentences instead of short, direct sentences
• jumping back and forth between events and people instead of carefully organizing relevant information
• make mistakes in spelling and word choice (such as writing there instead of they are, its instead of are, ok instead of it’s okay)

8. How can I make sure I am writing effective and professional sentences?

Start each award with a person, place or thing and end it with a point. Direct sentences are the easiest to score, a boon for busy officers. Remember that “it” is one thing and means a new sentence with a period and a capital letter: “I examined the baseball bat on the shelf in the hall closet. It was covered in dust.”

9. Do I have to use the real names of witnesses, victims and suspects in my reports?

Yes. Remember that cheats (“victim 1”, “suspect mentioned above”) do not guarantee honesty and accuracy. Using real names also helps avoid confusion, so later on, if you have to prepare for a court hearing, it will be much easier for you to review the facts of the case.

10. How can I avoid misspellings in my reports?

If you’re typing on a computer, always use the spell checker before submitting your report, no matter how pressed for time. If you don’t have a spell checker, keep a pocket dictionary handy. A good long-term project is to buy a pocket notebook, label a page for each letter of the alphabet, and write down the words that give you trouble. Study the notebook whenever you have a free moment.

And there you have it. With practice and patience, any officer can learn to write accurate, efficient, and professional reports. The information in this article can help you identify the areas you need to work on. Resolve to start today!