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How to Write a Police Report

Last Updated: February 24, 2022 Approved

This article was co-authored by Saul Jaeger, MS . Saul Jaeger is a Police Officer and Captain of the Mountain View, California Police Department (MVPD). Saul has over 17 years of experience as a patrol officer, field training officer, traffic officer, detective, hostage negotiator, and as the traffic unit’s sergeant and Public Information Officer for the MVPD. At the MVPD, in addition to commanding the Field Operations Division, Saul has also led the Communications Center (dispatch) and the Crisis Negotiation Team. He earned an MS in Emergency Services Management from the California State University, Long Beach in 2008 and a BS in Administration of Justice from the University of Phoenix in 2006. He also earned a Corporate Innovation LEAD Certificate from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business in 2018. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. This article received 12 testimonials and 84% of readers who voted found it helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 1,128,952 times.

If you're a police officer or security guard, knowing how to write up a detailed and accurate report is important. A well written incident report gives a thorough account of what happened and sticks to the facts. If you're trying to write a police report, or are curious about how the police put together their reports, learning what to include and how to format the report is helpful.

Following Protocol

Step 1 Get the correct forms from your department.

  • Try to do your write-up using word processing software. It will look neater and you'll be able to use spellcheck to polish it when you're finished. If you write your report by hand, print clearly instead of using cursive.

Saul Jaeger, MS

Saul Jaeger, MS

Did You Know? If you call 911, a police report may or may not be generated, depending on the outcome of the call. If a police report isn't generated and you want to file one later, you can call the non-emergency number, and an officer will come out and take the report. However, if you're ever in need of emergency services, call 911.

Step 2 Start the report as soon as possible.

  • 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.

Step 3 Focus on the facts.

  • 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

Step 4 Include a line about the nature of the incident.

  • 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.

Describing What Happened

Step 1 Write in the first-person.

  • 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.

Step 2 Include rich detail in your report.

  • 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..."

Step 3 Use diagrams.

  • 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.

Step 4 Make a thorough report.

  • 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.

Step 5 Include accurate details and leave out the rest.

  • 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.

Step 6 Use clear language.

  • 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.”

Step 7 Be honest.

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

Editing Your Report

Step 1 Check your report for accuracy.

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

Step 2 Proofread your report.

  • 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.

Step 3 Submit your incident report.

  • 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 Police Report and Things to Include

writing a report police

Expert Q&A

  • Ask your department for any templates or forms that they use, in order to make sure the report is in the proper format. Thanks Helpful 4 Not Helpful 1
  • Add to the report, if new information comes to light. Add an addendum that reports the new information, rather than deleting information from your original report. That information may also be important. Thanks Helpful 3 Not Helpful 1
  • Keep a copy of the report for your records. You may need to refer back to it in the future. Thanks Helpful 4 Not Helpful 1

writing a report police

  • Do not ignore facts as irrelevant. At the time of a preliminary police report, investigators may not know the motive or suspect, so it is important to give as much objective detail as possible. Some details that seem irrelevant, may be important with new evidence or testimony. Thanks Helpful 36 Not Helpful 12
  • Do not use opinions in a police report, unless you are asked to do so. A police report should be objective rather than subjective. Thanks Helpful 18 Not Helpful 5

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Obtain a Police Report

  • ↑ http://www.lapdonline.org/lapd_manual/
  • ↑ http://www.securityguardtraininghq.com/how-to-write-a-detailed-incident-report/

About This Article

Saul Jaeger, MS

To write a police report, you should include the time, date, and location of the incident you're reporting, as well as your name and ID number and any other officers that were present. You should also include a thorough description of the incident, like what brought you to the scene and what happened when you arrived. If you're having trouble explaining something in words, draw a picture or diagram to help. Just remember to be as thorough, specific, and objective as possible. To learn what other important details you should include in a police report, keep reading. Did this summary help you? Yes No

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Report Writing

Accurate reporting is vital to protect the integrity of any case. Learn how to improve your writing skills with topics that will encourage factual report writing, evidence collection, metadata, elements of a crime, distractions, technology, and more.

writing a report police

As first responders, we consistently spend more time writing reports than on any other single task in law enforcement. The only thing that beats it is probably driving around patrolling our zones. And yet, beyond the academy, we get very little training in writing, period. We are just supposed to fumble through and learn other aspects of technical writing on our own. Because of this, we need to find a way of writing reports that will serve us well throughout our entire career.

As a report writing instructor, I am motivated by a school seal that belongs to the Philips Academy, better known as Andover. Andover is a prep school that was established during the American Revolution and is one of the oldest boarding schools in the country. The school seal was crafted by Paul Revere and includes the Latin phrase, "Finis Origine Pendet," which translates to the end depends on the beginning. The beginning is the focus of this commentary and it will cover the process of report writing.

Question of Style

We tend to write police reports for economy. "Detailed yet concise" becomes the battle cry for supervisors and at the same time creates a nexus for officers. In reality we write quickly so we can get to the next call only to write again. It's a convoluted method that demands a great deal but also tends to ignore some of the more technical aspects of writing. There is a middle ground, however, where technical writing and economy can meet to serve the greater good.

Experienced instructors know they can't teach report writing. By the time people come into law enforcement they either know how to write or they don't. You can't cram 12 years of school into a 40-hour block of instruction no matter how good you are. But what instructors can teach is a particular style of writing.

Style becomes the structure that helps form a quality report. If you focus elsewhere, and replace it with something more restrictive like an outline, then you miss the point altogether. For example, an outline is too rigid. It restricts your ability to maneuver. Combining elements or sections becomes more difficult. If you have ever worked a busy shift where your reports start to stack up, you understand the need to write in as tight a package as possible.

The problem is it's very hard to write concisely. Thomas Jefferson allegedly wrote a friend once and advised he was sorry for the length of his letter, as he did not have time to write a short one. You no doubt know this to be true from experience. We therefore have to strike a balance between writing a novel like "War and Peace" and Dave Smith persona Buck Savage's infamous short report "Saw drunk arrested same."

Journalistic Approach

We write to inform, not to impress. The first step involves using the journalistic approach. You need to answer who, what, when, where, why, and how. It sounds counterintuitive, but it's where police officers fail the most. And it's not because we don't have the information but because we haven't organized the information we do have to our advantage.

A highly effective report writing structure goes like this: how the officer got the call, what the complainant/witness/victim said, what the officer observed, and what the officer did. Adhering to this structure allows any first responder to tackle any initial investigation with ease.[PAGEBREAK]

How You Got the Call

We take for granted the numbers of ways we can get a call for service. We can be dispatched or flagged down. It can be a walk-up, or a follow-up. It's important to state how you got the call even if the investigation proves it to be something else. If it's in progress, you would put that information here as well, up until the situation was under control. Once calmed down, you go on to the next section. For example, if you drive up to find two males fighting, you can't begin your interviews until they get separated, calmed down, and checked for injuries.

What They Said

The next portion involves interviewing any witnesses, victims, complainants, and possible suspects. You summarize and paraphrase each of their testimonies. You should use quotes when they directly apply to the crime or violation. Don't be shy about vulgar language either. If they said it, you can quote it. You are just documenting their version and not necessarily what actually happened.

What You Observed

After your interviews, then write down what you observed. If the house has been ransacked, describe the scene in detail. If your victim has been hit, describe the injuries. If the victim swears someone kicked in the front door but you find no evidence to support the claim, you need to write that down too: "I found no evidence to corroborate that the door was kicked in."

What You Did

The last portion covers what you did while investigating the incident. This includes processing the scene, conducting a neighborhood canvass, or any other action material to the investigation. Minor things like handing out an incident number needn't be documented unless your agency's policies require it. Since this constitutes the last portion, also include a closing statement to let the reader know you are done. It can be as simple as, "The report was forwarded for further review."

General Tips

Don't answer a question and by doing so create a new one. A very common mistake occurs when someone writes, "I processed the scene with negative results." It begs the question, "Where and what did you process?"

If you have multiple witnesses, combine the like testimony and discuss the differences. For example, "Mr. Jones, Mr. Hernandez, and Mr. Smith all agreed that the vehicle was a brown compact. However, Mr. Johnson stated it was a green mid-sized car." This saves you from writing the same thing over and over again.

Work on sentence structure and cut out excessive words whenever possible. Never use seven when five will do. For example, "The victim had no suspect information and desired prosecution," is short and sweet.

You should also convert elements of the crime into sentences. Your report has to prove what you labeled it. "The victim stated that someone without consent entered her home and stole $500 worth of her property." In Florida that describes burglary, without having added any extra fluff.

Putting it All Together

Since style creates structure without locking you into an outline, you can easily combine any section. Here is a simple illustration: "I was dispatched to a burglary over with. Upon my arrival, I met with the victim, Mrs. Jones. She stated someone without consent broke into her home and stole $6,000 worth of jewelry." You have easily combined how you got the call and the elements of the crime, and set yourself up for the next part of the report, which is what the victim said. You even informed the reader that it was forced entry without writing a separate sentence.

Sometimes you'll write a long narrative and a reader can get lost in the details. Using a short summary paragraph at the end helps tie things up nicely. It highlights the totality of the situation and the outcome.

This type of structure helps new officers remove some of their anxiety. For first responders, the length of our reports works in reverse; the more complicated the call the easier the report. For example, most recruits are afraid of handling a homicide. In reality it's one of the easiest reports to write. You arrive, you secure, you contain, and then you call out detectives. Upon their arrival you turn everything over to them (assuming your agency works that way). Your biggest role becomes securing the scene. Your report is very short while a detective's may near book length.

On the flip side, a simple incident like someone hitting someone else might seem like it takes forever to write. This is especially true if you have multiple witnesses and victims on both sides. I have seen prosecution packets of this nature almost an inch thick.

Closing Thoughts

Report writing is relatively simple when you follow the structure of how you got the call, what people said, what you observed, and what you did. This particular style of report writing allows you to tackle any incident as a first responder. If you're a supervisor, don't tell your officers what to write or even how to write. Instead, show them what your agency needs and create a writing style. Give them some structure and let them fill in the blanks. They may just surprise you.

Amaury Murgado is a special operations lieutenant with the Osceola County (Fla.) Sheriff's Office. He is a retired Master Sergeant from the Army Reserve, has 23 years of law enforcement experience, and has been involved with martial arts for 37 years.

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YourPoliceWrite.com

Professional report writing for law enforcement officers, practice writing a report: scenario 1.

Use this scenario to practice writing a criminal justice report. This is a Type 4 scenario (the officer initiates the action). After you finish your report, you can compare your version to a  finished professional report by clicking the link.

At approximately 12:42 this afternoon, you were driving to Cathy’s Cafe to eat lunch. You passed a wooded lot at the intersection of Post Street and Pine Avenue. You saw smoke rising from the interior of the wooded area. You stopped to investigate.

Suddenly two boys walked out from between the trees. They saw your patrol car and started running south along Pine Avenue.

You called the fire department, reported the fire, and gave the location. Then you followed the boys, who were running towards the E-Z Shoppe at the southwest corner of Pine Avenue and Carter Street. You pulled into the E-Z Shoppe lot, parked your car, and exited. The boys saw you and froze.

You questioned the boys, whose names are Jimmy Tonger (DOB 9/4/01, 1311 Conley Road) and Sam Stone (DOB 2/2/01, 1335 Conley Road). Neither boy was carrying anything. Tonger told you he and Stone had a secret club that met in the wooded lot, and they didn’t start the fire. Stone said they had a stash of “dirty magazines” that they kept in a cardboard box in the wooded lot, and they were going home to report the fire.

You used your department cell phone to take a picture of each boy. You called headquarters and spoke to Detective Camille Santos. You gave her the boys’ names and addresses for further investigation. You drove back to the wooded lot, parked your patrol car, and talked to firefighter Janice Wilkes, who told you the fire had already been extinguished.

You returned to the station house, downloaded the pictures you had taken, and turned them over to Detective Santos.

(Reminder: Of course you suspect the boys of starting the fire. But it’s not appropriate to report hunches, suspicions, or any other thoughts in a police report. Record only what you heard, saw, and did.)

From Jean Reynolds: Because of time constraints, I can no longer comment on Scenario 1 reports posted on the comments page.To check your report, go t o this link and compare your report to the version posted there. You can also read sample reports that other users have posted – a great learning opportunity!

39 thoughts on “ Practice Writing a Report: Scenario 1 ”

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Super site. As an English teacher, this is helping me help others

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Thanks so much, Francis! You might also want to visit http://www.WritewithJean.com . Everything there is free, and it’s aimed for a broader audience.

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Approximately 12:45p.pm., I observed a wooded lot on fire at the corner of Post Street and Pine Avenue. I stopped to investigate. Two boys then ran once they saw my patrol car. I called in the fire department and chased down the boys, who were at the corner of Pine and Carter.

I questioned the boys, Jimmy Tonger (DOB 9/4/01, 113 Conley Road) told me ” he and Stone (DOB 2/2/01, 1335 Conley Road) were at a secret club and didn’t start the fire.” Stone said, ” they had stash of “dirty magazine” that they kept in a cardboard box in the wooded lot, and they were going home to report the fire.”

I used the department phone to take pictures of each boy. I notified headquarters to have Detective Santos to come to my location. Once Detective Santos arrived, I relied the boy’s name and addresses for further investigation. I returned to the fire, to talk with fireman Janice Wilkes, who told me ” the fire is out.”

I returned to headquarters, to download the photos. I turn in the photos to Detective Santos.

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Good writing! One change is needed. Don’t use quotation marks unless you’re quoting EXACTLY what was said. Jimmy didn’t say “he and Stone were at a secret club.” Jimmy’s exactly words were, “Stone and I were at a secret club.” “Relied” is the wrong word in the third paragraph: Did you mean relayed? In the last sentence, add -ed to “turn.”

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At approximately 12:45PM, i drove pass a wooded lot near the intersection of Pine Street and Post avenue. At that time i noticed fire and smoke coming from the lot. i immediately approached the scene. Two young males fled from the scene towards Pine and Carter Street.

i dispatched the fire department and made them aware of the fire. i got back in my patrol car, and began to make contact with the two guys. i started to question the two guys, Jimmy Tonger, 14, Dob : 09/04/01, of 113 Conley Road, and Stone, 14, 02/02/01, of 1335 Conley Road. Tonger told me that he and Stone had nothing to do with the fire, and that they were at a secret club; Jimmy Tonger also told me that they had stashed dirty magazines in the lot, and was on their way home to report the fire. Soon, i performed a thorough search on each party. They had nothing on their persons that pertained to the incident. i used my departmental phone to snap photos of the two individuals.

i returned to the scene of the fire; fire officials confirmed that the fire was extinguished. Finally, i went back to the station, and turned the investigation over to Detective Santos. i provided him with the guys’ names, date of births, age, and addresses.

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You would also need reasonable suspicion to initiate a stop and frisk.

Terry V Ohio

My understanding is that “reasonable suspicion” and “probable cause” are two different things. The Supreme Court has ruled that “reasonable suspicion” is a step below probable cause. You need to check with administrators at your agency to see what level of evidence is needed for a stop and frisk. Some experts I’ve checked say that reasonable suspicion justifies stopping a person and questioning them. For example, they might be walking alone on a quiet street in the middle of the night. You could ask for their name and why they’re there. But a judge might rule that there was no justification for frisking them. Be sure you know your agency’s policies and follow them carefully.

What’s with the lower-case “i” in many of your sentences, Shawn? Also: learn the difference between “pass” and “past,” and avoid slang (“guys” isn’t appropriate, for example). Much of this is excellent – be sure to compare your version to the one I posted online.

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On 1/6/17 at approximately 1242 hours, I notice signs of what appeared to be smoke coming from a wooded parking lot located at Post street and Pine Ave. I stopped to investigate and I saw what appeared to be two male boys coming from the wooded area in the same location of the smoke. When they saw my fully marked patrol vehicle they started running south along Pine Ave.

I contacted dispatch at approximately 1244 hours and gave locations to dispatch fire. I followed the two male boys that were running towards the EZ-Shoppe located S/W corner of Pine Ave and Carter Street.

When the two male boys saw my patrol vehicle, they stopped and froze. I made contact with the two male boys, their names are Jimmy Tonger and Sam Stone. I asked the two boys what they were doing in that location, they said they were part of a secret club and they meet in the wooded parking lot. They also stated they had a stash of “dirty magazines” located in the wooded area and they were going home to call and report the fire.

I used my department issued cell phone to take pictures of the two male boys. I contacted Detective Camille Santos and updated her with the boys names and addresses for further investigation. I went back to the fire location and spoke with firefighter Janice Wilkes and she stated that “the fire had already been extinguished.”

I went back to my department and downloaded the pictures and forwarded them to Det. Santos.

Excellent report overall – you have a problem with wordiness, however. Someone has mistakenly taught you that you need extra words and nonsense in a police report. You don’t. Get straight to the point. Police officers have other things to do with their time. Several times you wrote “male boys.” Boys are always male! In paragraph 3 you could write, “When they saw me” instead of “When the two male boys saw my patrol vehicle.” Don’t write “what appeared to be.” It doesn’t add anything useful. Stick to what you saw: two boys, smoke. And you don’t need to write “my fully marked patrol vehicle.” Be careful also with usage. For example, you omitted the -ed ending on “noticed.”

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At approximately 12:42pm, I was driving to Cathy’s Café for lunch. I passed a wooded lot at the intersection of Post Street and Pine Avenue. I saw smoke rising from the interior of the wooded area and stopped to investigate.

I saw Jimmy Tonger (DOB 9/4/01) out of 1311 Conley Road and Sam Stone (DOB 2/2/01) out of 1335 Conley Road walk out from between the trees and they started running south along Pine Avenue as soon as they saw my patrol car.

I called the fire department and reported the location of the fire. I followed Tonger and Stone who was running towards the E-Z Shoppe at the southwest corner of Pine Avenue and Carter Street. I pulled into the E-Z Shoppe lot, parked my car and exited. Tonger and Stone saw me and froze.

I asked Tonger and Stone if they were carrying anything and they told me that they were not. Tonger told me him and Stone had a secret club that met in the wooded lot, and that they did not start the fire. Stone told me that they had a stash of dirty magazines that they kept in a cardboard box in the wooded lot, and they were going home to report the fire.

I took pictures of Tonger and Stone. I called headquarters and spoke to Detective Camille Santos. I gave Detective Santos the boys names and addresses for further investigation. I drove back to the wooded lot, parked my patrol car, and talked to firefighter Janice Wilkes. Wilkes told me that the fire had already been extinguished.

I returned to the police station, downloaded the pictures I had taken, and turned them over to Detective Santos.

Terrific report – and it’s wonderful to see a report that’s written entirely in active voice! One correction: “Tonger told me HE and Stone had a secret club….” Here’s how you figure it out: “he had a secret club” – “he and Stone had a secret club.” Shortening a sentence often makes it easy to choose the correct word. For contrast, look at this sentence: “I told Jane and him about the problem.” “I told HIM about the problem” – “I told Jane and HIM about the problem.” This trick is useful with all pronouns: I/me, he/him, she/her, etc.

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At approximately 12:42, I drove passed a woodlot on the intersection of Post Street and Pine Avenue. I noticed smoke rising from the interior of the wooded area. I immediately stopped to investigate. Two young males walked from between the trees and immediately ran South along Pine Avenue once they saw my patrol car. I dispatched the fire department and provided them the location of the fire. I got back in my patrol car and began pursuit of the two young males. I pulled into the E-Z Shoppe lot where the two young males were located. I exited by patrol vehicle and begin to question the two young males. Jimmy Tonger (DOB 9/4/01, 1311 Conley Road) and Sam Stone (DOB 2/2/01, 1335 Conley Road). Tonger told me he and Stone had a secret club that met in the wooded lot, and they didn’t start the fire. Stone said they had a stash of “dirty magazines” that they kept in a cardboard box in the wooded lot, and they were going home to report the fire. I then searched the two young males to see if they had any weapons or anything on them that would pertained to the incident. I used my cell phone to take pictures of Jimmy Tonger and Sam Stone body. I called headquarters and spoke with Detective Camile Santos. I gave her the names and addresses of the two males for further investigation. I got back in my patrol car, and retuned back to the wooded lot and spoke with firefighter Janice Wilkes, who told me the fire had already been extinguished. Finally, I returned to the headquarters, downloaded the pictures I’ve taken, and turned them over to Detective Santos for a continuous investigation.

Good report! Be careful with passed (an action) and past (time that has come and gone). Don’t capitalize south when you mean a direction. Omit “body” after “Jimmy Tonger and Sam Stone.”

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At 1242 hours while I was on patrol in my vehicle, I saw smoke at the wooded lot intersecting Post Street and Pine Avenue. I pulled over to investigate and dispatched the fire department the exact location of the smoke.

At that time two young males emerged from the wooded lot. When they saw me, Subject A and Subject B took off running south along Pine Avenue. I followed both Subjects to E-Z Shoppe on the southwest corner of Pine Avenue and Carter Street. I pulled into the Shoppe lot and parked. Both males froze when they saw my patrol vehicle.

I questioned Subject A, Jimmy Tonger (DOB 9/4/01, 1311 Conley Road) and Subject B, Sam Stone (DOB 2/2/01, 1335 Conley Road). I asked Tonger and Stone if they were carrying anything and they were not. When I asked what their reason was for why they ran, Tonger stated, “We didn’t start the fire. Sam and I had a secret club that met in the wooded lot.” Stone chimed in and said they had a stash of “dirty magazines” kept in a cardboard box in the wooded lot. Both males were headed home to report the fire.

I took a picture of both males with my department phone. I called Detective Camille Santos and gave her the boy’s names and information for further investigations. After I finished talking to Tonger and Stone, I drove back to the wooded lot and spoke with firefighter Janice Wilkes who said the fire had already been extinguished.

Once I returned to the station, I downloaded the photos and then turned them over to Detective Santos. End Report

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I am currently revising for my TAFE entrance exam and last time failed the writing part. Can you please give some insight to whether or not this is something they would accept. Thank you and I appreciate your time.

At about 12:42pm 11th September 2017, I was on patrol in the Eastern Suburbs of Melbourne. It was lunch time and I was on my way to eat at ‘Cathy’s Cafe”.

I was driving down Post Street when I noticed smoke coming from a wooded lot on there corner of Pine Avenue. I pulled over to investigate. Two boys then walked out from between a group of trees located next to the wooded lot. As they saw my car approaching they ran in a southern direction on Pine Avenue. I made a quick call to the fire department to report the fire and then followed the two boys who were running towards the E-Z Shoppe at the South West corner of Pine Avenue and Carter Street. I pulled into the car pack along side the two boys and got out of the car. The boys did not run this time and I noticed that neither were carrying any objects. I asked for the two boys details. One of the boys answered “My name is Jimmy Tonger and I was born 9th April 2001. I live at 1311 Conley Road.” The other boy immediately spoke after the first boy had finished. ‘My name is Sam Stone. I was born 2nd February 2001 and live at 1335 Conley Road.” I then questioned the two boys to why they were running from the blazing wooden lot. Tonger then said: ‘We were having a secret meeting in the house house and didn’t start the fire. There was a cardboard box of dirty magazines in the lot. We were running home to report the fire.” I didn’t ask the two boys any other questions. I then took a photo of each boy with my cell phone and called Detective Camille Santos at headquarters and repeated the information I had just taken for further investigation.

I got back into my car and returned to the wooded lot where fire trucks were now present. I parked my car and walked over to firefighter Janice Wilkes, who had told me the fire has been extinguished.

I then returned back to the station house where i downloaded the pictures I had taken of the two boys. These were then handed over to Detective Santos for further investigation

Your writing is fine! I hope you do well on the next test. I wouldn’t use quotation marks for the name of a business (Cathy’s Cafe). You wrote “there” instead of “the.” Your report has some unnecessary words – a common problem with police reports. For example, you don’t need “then” and “back” with “I returned.” I’ve posted my own version of the police report that you can read online and compare with yours.

Thank you for you suggestions 🙂 i will have a read!

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At approximately 12:42 PM, I, Officer Trey Williams, #90210, was passing a wooded lot at the intersection of Post Street and Pine Avenue. I then noticed there was smoke coming from a wooded area near the lot. Soon after, 2 males, later identified as Jimmy Tonger (DOB 9/4/01, 1311 Conley Road) and Sam Stone (DOB 2/2/01, 1335 Conley Road) came from out of the wooded area.

When Jimmy Tonger and Sam Stone saw my squad car, they fled on foot to the E-Z Shoppe on the southwest corner of Pine Avenue and Carter Street. I immediately reported the details of the fire to the fire department and followed the two males. When I caught up to Tonger and Stone at the E-Z Shoppe, I searched both suspects. Neither suspect was carrying anything. I then questioned both suspects reasoning for being in the wooded area. Tonger stated that he and Stone had a secret club that met in the wooded lot, and that they didn’t start the fire. Stone said they had a stash of “dirty magazines” that they kept in a cardboard box in the wooded lot, and they were going home to report the fire.

After taking a picture of both suspects using my department cell phone, I contacted Detective Camille Santos for further investigation and released both suspects. I then drove back to the site where the fire was located. When I arrived back on the scene of the fire, one of the firemen stated that the fire had already been extinguished. I got back in my squad car and returned to the station to download the pictures I had taken, and turned them over to Detective Santos.

Well done, Trey!

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At 12:42p.m., I was driving to Cathy’s Cafe to eat lunch. I passed a lot at the intersection of Post Street and Pine Avenue. I saw smoke rising from the inside of the wooded area. I stopped to investigate.

Two boys walked out from between the trees. They saw my patrol car and started running south along Pine Avenue.

I called the fire department, reported the fire, and gave the location. Then I followed the boys, who were running towards the E-Z Shoppe at the southwest corner of Pine Avenue and Carter Street. I pulled into the E-Z Shoppe lot, parked your car, and exited. The boys saw me and froze.

I questioned the boys, whose names are Jimmy Tonger (DOB 9/4/01, 1311 Conley Road) and Sam Stone (DOB 2/2/01, 1335 Conley Road). Neither boy was carrying anything. Tonger told me he and Stone had a secret club that met in the wooded lot, and they didn’t start the fire. Stone said they had a stash of “dirty magazines” that they kept in a cardboard box in the wooded lot, and they were going home to report the fire.

I used my department cell phone to take a picture of each boy. You called headquarters and spoke to Detective Camille Santos. I gave her the boys’ names and addresses for further investigation. I drove back to the wooded lot, parked your patrol car, and talked to firefighter Janice Wilkes, who told me the fire had already been extinguished.

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At approximately 12:42 pm this afternoon ,I Arthur Gachugi was driving to Cathy’s café forsome lunch. I passed near a wooded lot at the inspection of post street and pine avenue where I saw smoke rising from the interior of the wooded area.I stopped my car and started to investigate. No sooner had I stopped when I saw two boys walk out of the trees,they saw my car and they started to run away.

I then called the fire department and reported the fire giving them a precise location of the fire then I took to the boys who were now running towards E-Z Shoppe located between the Southwest corner of pine Avenue and Corner street.When I pulled my car at the E-Z shoppe’slot the boys froze and that’s when I started questioning the boys about the fire and who started it. The first character to be questioned amoung the 2 was Jimmy Tonger (DOB 9/4/01 1311 Conley road) However,he completely denied starting the fire and that he was there as he and sam had a secret club that met at the wooded lot,he was empty handed.Then I questioned the last boy Sam Stone(DOB 2/2/01 Conley Road ) who told me they had a stash of “dirty magazines “that they kept in a card board in the wooded lot and the reason they were running away was so they could report the fire. I took my departments cell phone and took pictures of ech of the boys after which I called headquarters and talked to detective Camille Santos giving her the boys’ names and addresses for further investigations.I drove back to the wooden lot and talked to firefighters Jnice Wilkes who told me the fire had been finished. I drove back to the station where I downloaded and printed the boys pictures and gave them to detective Camille Santos for further investigations.

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The following has been written in response to the incident that occurred at approximately 1242 hours on the 13th of February 2018, at the wooded lot, near to the intersection of Post Street and Pine Avenue.

I was driving by when I saw smoke rising from the wooded area, then two boys walked from behind the trees. They then started to run down Pine Avenue after seeing our patrol car. I called the fire department, then followed the boys who were running towards ‘E-Z Shoppe.’ I pulled into the car park at ‘E-Z Shoppe’ and got out of my car, when the boys saw me they froze.

I questioned both of the boys:

• Jimmy Tonger, (D.O.B 9/4/2001 Conley Road) Said that; ‘He and Sam Stone have a secret club that met in the wooded lot, and they didn’t start the fire. ‘

• Sam Stone, (D.O.B 2/2/2001 Conley Road) Said they; ‘Had a stash of ‘dirty magazines’ that they kept in a cardboard box in the wooded lot and they were going home to report the fire.’

I took a picture of both boys using my department mobile phone. I called head-quarters and provided Detective Camille Santos with the boy’s names and addresses, for further investigation. I then went back to back to the wooded lot and spoke to a firefighter who put out the fire. I later returned to the station house and downloaded the pictures that I had taken earlier, I then sent these to Detective Santos.

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At approximately 12:42pm, I was driving through the wooded lot at the intersection of Post Street and Pine Avenue. I saw a smoke rising from the interior wooden areas. i stopped for investigation and reported to the fire department. I saw two young males ran out from the wooded lot towards the E-Z Shoppe at the southwest corner of Pine Avenue and Carter Street, when they saw my patrol car. I chased them and then stopped them at the E-Z Shoppe for questioning. The two males’ names are Jimmy Tonger (DOB 9/4/01) and Sam Stone (DOB 2/2/01). Tonger said that he and Stone had a secret club that met in the wooded lot, and they didn’t start the fire. Stone said that they had a stash of “dirty magazines” that they kept in a cardboard box in the wooded lot, and they were going home to report the fire. I took a picture of each of these males with my department cellphone. Then I consulted with Detective Camille Santos and gave him the details I obtained. At last, I drove back to the wooded lot and talked to the firefighter Janice Wilkes, who told me the fire was extinguished.

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At approximately 12:42 this afternoon, I was driving to Cathy’s Cafe to eat lunch. When I passed a wooded lot at the intersection of Post Street and Pine Avenue,I saw smoke rising from the interior of the wooded area and I stopped to investigate.

Suddenly two boys walked out from between the trees. They saw my patrol car and started running south along Pine Avenue. I called the fire department, reported the fire, and gave the location. Then I followed the boys, who were running towards the E-Z Shoppe at the southwest corner of Pine Avenue and Carter Street.I pulled into the E-Z Shoppe lot, parked my car, and exited. The boys saw me and froze.

I questioned the boys, whose names are Jimmy Tonger (DOB 9/4/01, 1311 Conley Road) and Sam Stone (DOB 2/2/01, 1335 Conley Road). Neither boy was carrying anything. Tonger told me as he and Stone had a secret club that met in the wooded lot, and they didn’t start the fire. Stone said they had a stash of “dirty magazines” that they kept in a cardboard box in the wooded lot, and they were going home to report the fire.

I used your department cell phone to take a picture of each boy. I called headquarters and spoke to Detective Camille Santos.I gave her the boys’ names and addresses for further investigation.I drove back to the wooded lot, parked my patrol car, and talked to firefighter Janice Wilkes, who told me the fire had already been extinguished.

I returned to the station house, downloaded the pictures I had taken, and turned them over to Detective Santos.

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Mam good morning , I need to know the sample report.so would you please help me to convert into perfect report of following passage ? please help me .

On Sunday 23 March 2008, at 13.30 hours a man who identified himself as Joseph Alba, entered Police Station # 2 in Monrovia and said that a group of wild dogs had attacked his son. The man was escorted to the interview room by the duty officer. The man told the officer that at 10.30 hours his son, John Alba, had been playing in front of their house located at Low Street, when suddenly three dogs attacked his son. The man said that the largest of the three dogs, a white male, approximately 40 kilos in weight, seemed to be the pack leader of the three dogs. The other two dogs were not as big as the pack leader, and only weighed about 25 kilos each. One of them was all brown and the other was black with a white spot on its chest. They were not wearing collars or identification tags. The officer asked if the man’s son was still at home. The man informed the officer that an ambulance had taken his son to a local hospital for care and that his wife had gone with the boy in the ambulance.

FOLLOW-UP REPORT # 1 On Sunday 23 March 2008, at 14.30 hours, a Liberian National Police (LNP) officer was sent to the local hospital to inquire about the nature of the boy’s injuries. The doctor told the officer that the child had been bitten in the face and needed 12 stitches to close that wound. He had also been bitten on both arms and severely bitten on the right hand. There were two areas on the right arm that required three stitches each and the index finger on the child’s right hand was being surgically repaired at that time. The officer asked the doctor to call the police station with more information if there was any change in the condition of the child.

FOLLOW-UP REPORT # 2 An LNP officer interviewed the child’s mother, Regina Alba, at the local hospital immediately after interviewing the doctor. She told the officer that her son was playing with a small red ball in front of their house when three dogs attacked him. She said that she had seen the dogs in the area the day before, and that they had tried to bite other people. Regina also stated that she yelled at the dogs during their attack on her son and tried to beat them off with a stick, but they did not stop attacking him. The officer noticed that the mother’s left hand had also been bitten. Regina was treated my medical staff immediately after the interview.

FOLLOW-UP REPORT # 3 On Sunday 23 March 2008, at 18.00 hours, two police officers from Station # 2 were sent to Low Street to investigate the group of dogs that had attacked the child earlier that day. Upon arrival, they noticed a black dog with a white spot on its chest running into an abandoned building on the west side of the street with a red ball in its mouth. The officers proceeded into the building and saw all three dogs together, fighting over the red ball. The first officer yelled at the dogs and the largest one, the white dog turned to face the officers and started growling. The officers could see that there were no collars or identification tags on any of the dogs. Suddenly, the white dog attacked the two officers. The first officer drew his 9mm pistol and fired three times, killing the large white male dog. As the first officer had fired his pistol, the other two dogs began to attack. The second officer fired his 9mm weapon at the remaining two attacking dogs five times, killing them both.

FOLLOW-UP REPORT # 4 On Monday 24 March 2008 at 13.00 hours around 50 people assembled outside the Main Police Headquarters in Monrovia protesting against the dog problems in the city. During the demonstrations they shouted slogans about why the authorities did not do more to stop the number of wild dogs running around Monrovia. They complained about how unsafe it was for children to play outside. The Station Commander approached the leader of the demonstration, Ms. Elisabeth Johnson, and said that they had to stop their activities as they were unlawful. The demonstrators, after some discussion, accepted the order from the police and left the area about 14.15 hours.

You’re an excellent writer, and your reports look fine to me.

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Brief details: Type of incident-: Bomb attack. Address of occurrence-: On 27,Rue De peace, c ordinate UTM 326-218. Used vehicle-: Black colored Volkswagen,registration plate number-:DN-567879. Main Witness of the incident-: Fenelon, owner of the discount store,live on 19,Rue de peace Main Report. On Monday 01st April 2014 an incident of bomb attack targeting Ghanaian military soldiers, while the were returning to the base after their patrol. Two terrorist were hiding on the roof of the building and used a time bomb detonated in a trash can. As a result of the attack six civilian and four soldiers were injured. The attack was claimed by the terrorist group called Ajina is being led by the two young men for the past ten month. They mainly targeted UN peace keepers and foreign military. The ambulance arrived at 1645 hours the doctor Alex Haley quickly attended on the casualties. civilian casualties were transported to the nearest hospital. Military casualties were transported to the military hospital The local police patrolled the area in order to arrest fleeing suspect,but not success the police alerted all on duty patrolled teams be on the lookout for the suspects. The descriptions of the suspects leaders were also broadcast from the media. At 20.00 hours main witness of the incident fenelon was interviewed by the police. He reaviledstated that following information. At 1545 hours he saw black colored 4 wheeler stopped in front of the 27 Ru De peace 4 people in it. Two people got down from it and went inside the building. The driver parked the vehicle end of the street. Then started to work the building on the way he stopped and put something inside the trash can. One of them kept vigilance on the street. He further stated that after explosion at 1635 hours three men between 20-35 years old running out of the building

Much of your report is excellent. Ask a friend who is a native speaker to go over it with you.

thanks mam for your comments

You’re welcome!

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Around 12:42PM, While I was on my lunch break, I was passing the intersection of Pine and Post. I noticed smoke coming out of the woods, therefore I stopped my vehicle adjacent to the woods. Within moments, 2 individuals ran out of the woods. I called the fire department to report the smoke, and I followed the individuals to an EZ Shoppe. I parked at the EZ shoppe, and the two individuals exited the store with nothing in their hands. I detained the two individuals under the suspicion that they may have information regarding the smoke. Jimmy Tanger and Sam Stone both gave me their names and addresses, and I proceeded to capture photos of the two. They claimed that they had a secret club in possession of dirty magazines, a club that met in the wooded area. They also claimed that they ‘didn’t start the fire’.

I called HQ and spoke to Detective Santos about the incident and gave him the names and addresses of the two. I proceeded to drive back to the wooded lot and spoke with Janice Wilkes from the Fire Department. She informed me that the fire had been extinguished. I returned to the station house and downloaded the photos I took. I proceeded to send those Photos to Detective Santos.

Hi, Ethan! I don’t evaluate reports posted online. There’s a sample report that you can compare to your version. One suggestion: don’t use “therefore” to join two sentences. You need a period: I noticed smoke coming out of the woods. Therefore, I stopped my vehicle adjacent to the woods. I would suggest omitting “therefore.” It doesn’t add anything useful. Here’s my version: I noticed smoke coming out of the woods. I stopped my vehicle adjacent to the woods. Use simple language: near , not adjacent . Left , not exited . Put out , not extinguished . Omit “I proceeded.” My version: I sent those photos to Detective Santos. Officers are busy – and so are the people who read them. Omit any unnecessary words. Many officers waste huge amounts of time writing swollen reports. Conserve your time and energy.

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Approx. 12:40 I was driving southbound when I observed what seemed to be a start of a fire in a wooded area as I drove closer to make a better judgement I noticed to suspected juveniles running from the area, after being stopped and briefly questioned the relation to them in the woods were unrelated I then uploaded the photos taken from the department owned cellphone to detective Santos to further investigate.

You need periods. Some wording is awkward. Use “two,” not “to,” as a number. I suggested partnering with someone who’s a skilled writer to improve your writing. Comparing your version with the version I posted will be helpful too.

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Hi Jean! I am getting ready to write police reports for college, and am using this to practice.

At about 12:42, I passed a wooded lot at the intersection of Post Street and Pine Avenue. I saw smoke rising from a wooded area.When I stopped to investigate, 2 juveniles came from that direction, and started running south along Pine Avenue. After calling the fire department, reported the fire, and gave the location, I followed the boys to the E-Z Shoppe on the southwest corner of Pine Avenue and Carter Street. When I pulled in the lot, the boys saw me and froze. I questioned the boys, Jimmy Tonger (DOB 9/4/01, 1311 Conley Road) and Sam Stone (DOB 2/2/01, 1335 Conley Road). Neither was carrying anything. They stated that they had a secret club in the wooded lot, but didn’t start the fire. They proceeded to say that they had a stash of dirty magazines in a box at the lot, and were going home to report the fire. After taking a picture of each boy, I called headquarters and spoke to Detective Camille Santos to give her their names and addresses for further investigation. I checked on the fire to be sure it was extinguished, and then returned to headquarters and gave the pictures to Detective Santos.

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Approximately 12:42 P.M. I noticed smoke coming out of a wooded lot on Post street and Pine Avenue. I stopped to investigate the lot and noticed two boys walking out of the area. They saw my patrol car and started running south on Pine Avenue. I called the Fire Department to report the fire and gave them a accurate location then followed the boys that were running towards E-Z Shoppe at the southwest corner of Pine Avenue and Carter Street. I pulled into the E-Z Shoppe lot, parked my car, and exited. The boys saw me and froze. I questioned the boys, Jimmy Tonger (DOB 9/4/01, 1311 Conley Road) and Sam Stone (DOB 2/2/01, 1335 Conley Road). Neither was carrying anything. They stated that they had a secret club in the wooded lot, but didn’t start the fire. They proceeded to say that they had a stash of dirty magazines in a box at the lot, and were going home to report the fire. After taking a picture of each boy, I called headquarters and spoke to Detective Camille Santos to give her their names and addresses for further investigation. I checked on the fire to be sure it was extinguished, and then returned to headquarters and gave the pictures to Detective Santos.

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Can you please help me! i will like to know if this sounds correct, its a practice report,:

On 2/14/2024 at approximately 1600 hours Maryliza Morales (Big Y employee) called the Plainville Police Department to report a past tense larceny that happened at Big Y (240 New Britain Ave.). I was dispatched to investigate. Upon arrival, I met with Morales who provided me with a signed sworn statement with the following information: Morales told me a W/F client of Big Y had informed her that she was on the beer aisle when she noticed a Hispanic male around 6 feet tall, weighing approximately 200 pounds, wearing a blue hat, blue jeans, and a black jacket, placing merchandise into the pockets of his jacket and pants. Morales proceeded to investigate the client’s claim. Morales verified the Big Y video camera recordings attempting to identify the unknown male. Morales noticed a Hispanic male around 6 feet tall, weighing approximately 200 pounds, on the beer aisle wearing a blue hat, blue jeans, and a black jacket that matched the descriptions of the male the W/F client had mentioned. Morales continued to observe the unknown male in the video recording and saw him taking merchandise and placing it into the pockets of his jacket and pants. Morales also provided me with a stolen property list of the merchandise taken: -1 bubble gum packet, valued at $3.00. -4 cookie boxes valued at $1.00 each. -6 shaving razors valued at $2.00 each. The total value of the merchandise was $19.00. Morales further stated that as she was observing the unknown male, he proceeded to walk with the merchandise in his pockets through all points of sale without attempting to make any payment. The unknown male then proceeded to walk outside the building into the parking lot where he got into a red Dodge Ram (CT reg. ABD123) and left the parking lot. Morales was unable to identify the unknown male due to the poor quality of the camera system. In conclusion, I searched the CT reg. ABD123 in COLLECT and it was registered to Jose Gonzalez from (30 Maplehurst Ave. in New Britain), and it had been reported as a File 1 (stolen motor vehicle). This case will remain inactive pending further information that might assist in identifying the suspect.

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The SAGE Guide to Writing in Policing

The SAGE Guide to Writing in Policing Report Writing Essentials

  • Jennifer M. Allen - Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA
  • Steven Hougland - Florida Sheriffs Association
  • Description

See what’s new to this edition by selecting the Features tab on this page. Should you need additional information or have questions regarding the HEOA information provided for this title, including what is new to this edition, please email [email protected] . Please include your name, contact information, and the name of the title for which you would like more information. For information on the HEOA, please go to http://ed.gov/policy/highered/leg/hea08/index.html .

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  • Effective writing strategies for report writing   guide students through the legal requirements and best practices for creating and completing reports commonly found in the field of policing. 
  • Writing assignments and exercises   provide students with opportunities to apply course material.
  • Examples of resumes and cover letters   offer students real-world tips to help prepare them for the workforce. 
  • A discussion on plagiarism   clearly defines the concept to students as well as offers advice on how plagiarism can be avoided. 
  • An entire chapter devoted to information literacy   explains to students how to better identify, obtain, and evaluate information. 

Sample Materials & Chapters

Chapter 3. Police Report Writing: The Face Page

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August 05, 2023

How to Write a Police Report: A Step-by-Step Guide

Brian Humenuk | Author | COPJOT

By  Brian Humenuk ,   MS|CJA,  COPJOT

Updated on August 1, 2023

6-minute read or less

1. Introduction

Reports are a part of policing that over time get fine-tuned as new case law develops and agency policy and procedure changes. Make sure you read to the end of this article where I deep dive into this fine-tuning process that sub-consciously evolves.

As a Field Training Officer, much of my time is spent teaching new officers how to investigate incidents, gather information, and write reports. As a supervisor I look for signs that newer officers have a solid information gathering and report writing foundation laid down and then I assist with getting those skills to the next level. 

Using this article my goal is to help you with:

  • Why police report writing is an important aspect of being a cop.
  • Step-by-step guide to the several parts of the report narrative.
  • Common mistakes and best tips for report writing.
  • A bunch of great advice.

Here is my first and one of my best pieces of advice. There is no best report writer. There is however many great report writers.

You should be reading your co-workers reports and taking the best parts of each in order to formulate your report writing skills.

Your agency is probably filled with law enforcement officers who do certain aspects of their jobs well.

Job aspects like information gathering, report writing time management, formatting of names and more. 

Let's wait no further and dive in.  

2. Why is writing police reports important? 

  • Documentation is key. As a police officer , you need to document your presence at a call for service in which you take some kind of action. The action you take may be to forward an investigation to another division in the police department, make an arrest, file formal charges, advise parties, document the use of force, etc. 
  • Your incident report will be saved in your agency database and may be used for many purposes including a lawful public record request, inquiry into discovery by the defense in a criminal case, subpoena by a law firm for a civil court matter, used to further an investigation, used by Internal Affairs to conduct an inquiry or investigation into a matter.
  • Arrest reports contain probable cause which gives you justification for taking action. These reports will be read by a good number of people in the court system. 
  • Your report narrative can be used to assist you in preparing to testify in court. The more detailed your report is the better it will assist you with preparing for a potential appearance on the stand.
  • The contents of your report can be used to place a suspect in a certain place at a certain time, driving a certain car, and wearing certain clothing. This may assist an investigation that had been active or one that is in the future. 
  • How many times have you received a phone call requesting information about a suspect from another law enforcement agency? Old police reports can be valuable to law enforcement agencies seeking information.

3. How to write a Police Report: Step-by-step guide

Police report writing format has its own rules and guidelines compared to that of an essay or research paper. Thus, being a great writer in college doesn’t mean you can become a police officer and start writing excellent narratives.

Although report writing policies and procedures may differ depending on which agency you work for the basic guidelines universally apply just like the police  10 codes .

While on scene interviewing witnesses and suspects and gathering information to write a police report it is prudent to write down all of the information in a good police notebook .

You can find the best police notebooks, custom police notebooks, and write-in-the-rain notebooks at COPJOT Police Notebooks and Pens by clicking here .

Your facts and identifying information are logged here in your notebook and are called police officer field notes . The better your field notes the better material you will have to write a police report.

If you are here trying to find out how to write a better police report you should start by jotting down detailed notes while interviewing victims and witnesses. 

These notes will be used to fill in the blanks later on while typing your report. 

Report narratives are written in first person, past tense, and organized in chronological order as the events occurred.

How to Write a Police Report: A Step-by-Step Guide

The Four C’s of Police Report Writing

Before you start typing keep the Four C’s in mind when you write reports. They are:

Clear :  Be as specific as possible. Use your field notes for specific chronological events and exact quotes.

Write as you would be speaking to members of a jury. Use terms like I exited my marked police car instead of I alighted from my cruiser. A jury doesn’t understand police jargon or police slang and you will leave them confused. In other words, use everyday language.

Concise : In as few words as possible give a lot of information. If it doesn’t matter if you arrived in a marked police car or unmarked police car leave it out.

If the report narrative you are writing will not result in formal charges and or there are no use of force issues then there is no need to put in an abundance of information. Keep it simple.

Complete : Your report is a summary of events but it  should include all relevant information.  It cannot be a specific word-for-word story of the events that took place. Relevant information will differ depending on the severity of the incident.

Continue reading and I will get further into detail about what complete may look like in different situations. 

Correct : Your police report “shall” be truthful, unbiased, and without opinion. If you don't make that a priority you may find yourself in a pickle further down the line.

Every police officer should know what the Brady decision is and I talk about Brady Violations in another blog article that you can read here .

In a police report, you shouldn’t try and create chicken salad out of chicken shit! This will eventually get you in trouble.

It is very important that if you have probable cause coming in at 60% you don’t write your narrative showing that you have a slam dunk case at 100%. If there are some holes in the case, be truthful about them. Judges, prosecutors, and defense attorneys will respect you for being truthful. 

4. Starting your Police Report Narrative

  • Formatting refers to how information is organized and how the report is laid out on the page.  The heading should contain the report date, time, type of event or incident, and officer name. Write it the same way every time so that when you are referencing your old reports you know exactly where to look for the date, time, assignment, location, etc. 
  • The body should be written in paragraph form, left-justified, and single-spaced with a double space between paragraphs. 
  • Number each paragraph starting with 1. The introduction phase should be in paragraph 1. If you are called to testify in court and need to reference your police report to refresh your memory the prosecutor or defense attorney can easily direct you to the numbered paragraph like this. Officer I call your attention to paragraph #5 sentence 2. Your eyes will be directly able to find this paragraph.

The Introduction phase

The introduction establishes why you are on the scene and includes:

  • Day, date, and time - Most agencies use military time
  • Who “you” are. Officer Tony Ruth 
  • Location or address as to where you were sent.
  • Nature of the call or why you were present. 
  • If other officers were present, who were they? Write their full names

On Tuesday, February 4, 2023 , I, Officer Tony Ruth , along with Officers Reed Williams and Karyn Tomlinson responded to 123 Main Street for a report of a break and entering to a motor vehicle. 

5. The Body Phase of a Police Report

Continue numbering your paragraphs. The body explains what happened at the scene by answering the 5W’s and H: Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How. All of these should have already been written down while at the scene in your police notebook.

This is where you show your probable cause for arrest and formal charging situations. Be specific about satisfying specific elements of a crime. Sometimes a crime has 3 or 4 elements.

Be descriptive and specific when getting into reasons for entry, stopping and holding, making arrests, and use of force incidents. Write a clear picture and remember your great note-taking will guide you through this phase. 

6. The Conclusion Phase of a Police Report

The conclusion should include the final actions of the reporting officer. The suspect or involved party was arrested/charged with a summons for complaint/parties were advised etc. 

Never put in a final opinion unless it is that of expertise and is accepted by the court.

A good rule of thumb is to end the report with:

R espectfully Submitted,

Officer Tony Ruth

Anytown Police Department

7. Common Mistakes and Best Tips for Writing Better Police Reports

Grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors.

Officers tend to make grammatical errors such as putting periods and commas outside of quotation marks when they should be placed inside the quotation marks. Other mistakes include capitalization, spelling, and punctuation errors.

These errors can be easily picked up on by using spell check, proof reading it, and having a co-worker put a second set of eyes on it. 

Check your work and double check your work

Before sending your report to a supervisor or officer of higher rank you should always double check your work and if a co-worker is available have them proof read it.

Be coachable and open to suggestions especially from experienced police officers. 

Never send a report up the chain for approval that has not been proof read and spell checked. 

Leaving out the results of the investigation

Another common mistake police make in their reporting is leaving out critical details of an investigation, including the results.

Making assumptions is never allowed in police report writing, some officers may write thorough and detailed accounts of their investigation but fail to report the final result.

Not making an effort

Laziness will come back to bite you and sometimes that bite will be a big one.

A good police officer will write reports even when policy and procedure say that you don't have to but the police officer has a feeling that the circumstances surrounding the person, place, or thing investigated say to write a police report.

Factual mistakes

Factual inaccuracies on police reports are more common than you may think.

Police officers may record incorrect times, license plate numbers, driver's license numbers, names, addresses, and other critical details needed in a criminal case.

This can be solved by jotting down the pertinent information of your investigation into the police notebook you carry in the field. If you don't have a good police notebook visit www.COPJOT.com and pick yourself up one.

These custom police notebooks will assist you in professional police field note-taking and take the mistakes out of your report writing.

Incomplete or missing elements of a crime

Each crime has specific elements that must be satisfied if you are to develop sufficient probable cause for an arrest and then prove your case in court. Failing to articulate each element of the crime may also call into question the legality of your actions. The simplest way to avoid this is to obtain a copy of the statute for the crime you are investigating.

Leaving out parties involved in the incident

It is important to gather information on witnesses and other participants even if they are not formally charged.

Master carding other people involved can be important for your police department, whether in this case or a future inquiry. It doesn't hurt to ask people for a phone number where they can be reached. When you enter a person in your report be sure to add the phone number.

Never try and predict the future

Your job is to document and write about the past. If you write about a future prediction and it doesn't come true a good defense attorney will ask you what else about your police report is untrue.

We all make mistakes and so will you

Learn from them and make adjustments. If you have a bad day in court against a great defense attorney, learn from that experience and make the proper adjustments to better your reports and better yourself.

Fine-tune your report writing over time

It may take a few years but you will start to understand where and when you will need to throw that report writing into overdrive.

A simple fraud report with no named suspect will differ from a triple stabbing with a clear suspect, witness statements, and scene video. 

Also over time, you will get to understand which cases tend to get plea deals, which go to trial, and which go to trial that will be defended by a top-notch attorney. 

About the Author

Brian Humenuk   isn't just an entrepreneur in eCommerce, he is also an informed leader whose experience provides followers and visitors with a look into current and past police issues making headlines in the United States.

Brian has earned three degrees in Criminal Justice with the last, a Masters of Science in Criminal Justice Administration.

Brian extends his training, education, and experience to the officers just now getting into the field so that they may become more informed police officers and stay clear of police misconduct and corruption. 

You can find Brian on  Linkedin here .

More Information

Are you a Police Officer, Sheriff or State Trooper, Law Enforcement family member or friend check out our   Custom Police Notebooks   and   Metal Police Uniform Pens   here   on our   main website .

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Death of Nex Benedict did not result from trauma, police say; many questions remain

As police continued Thursday to probe the death of an Oklahoma teen who died a day after being involved in a fight that broke out in a high school bathroom, authorities announced a preliminary autopsy showed the student's death was not the result of "trauma."

The death of Nex Benedict, 16, has prompted widespread attention and nationwide calls for schools to better protect students who may be bullied because of their gender and sexual identities. Nex, a sophomore at Owasso High School, used they/them and he/him pronouns and identified as gender expansive, an umbrella term that describes people whose gender identity expands beyond traditional gender norms, according to the National Institutes of Health .

Nex had previously been bullied because of their gender identity, friends of Nex told an advocacy group . Authorities are investigating what led up to the fight and whether Nex was targeted because of their gender identity. A police spokesperson, Nick Boatman, told NBC News investigators have reviewed a video that shows Nex before and after the fight and will release it “at some point," the outlet reported.

While the Owasso Police Department said Wednesday that Nex's death was not the result of injuries from a fight, its statement added that the findings were preliminary and investigations by the medical examiner's office and the police department remain underway. The police statement provided no additional details but said an official autopsy would later be released.

"At this time, any further comments on the cause of death are currently pending until toxicology results and other ancillary testing results are received," the police statement said. "The official autopsy report will be available at a later date."

Nex's family says though many questions remain unanswered, the facts of the case so far are troubling. They plan to conduct an independent investigation, relatives confirmed in a statement issued Wednesday. They also urged officials to "hold those responsible to account and to ensure it never happens again."

"While at Owasso High School, Nex was attacked and assaulted in a bathroom by a group of other students," the family said in a statement issued by its attorney. "A day later, the Benedict's beautiful child lost their life."

What happened to Nex Benedict? Search warrant reveals new details

A search warrant filed in the Tulsa County courts Wednesday and obtained by the Oklahoman, part of the USA TODAY network, shed new light on Nex's death and the investigation, including that a detective asked a judge for permission to look for traces of blood and other evidence at Owasso High School.

Penny Hamrick, an Owasso Police detective, wrote in the search warrant that "officers suspect foul play involved and need to initiate an in-depth investigation into the death."

According to the warrant, police were called to an Owasso hospital shortly after 3:30 p.m. on Feb. 7 in response to a report that Nex had been injured in a fight at school. Sue Benedict, Nex's mother, wanted to report the assault and asked police to talk with school administrators about what had happened. She did not ask officers to pursue charges against the other students at that time, Hamrick wrote.

Nex was later discharged from the hospital. But shortly before 3 p.m. the next day, Benedict called 911 to report Nex was experiencing medical issues, including shallow breathing. She told the 911 operator about the altercation at school and said Nex had hit their head on the bathroom floor, Hamrick wrote.

Emergency medical crews performed CPR on Nex and drove them to a Tulsa hospital, where they were pronounced dead around 3:30 p.m.

In the search warrant, Hamrick said police may also look through school records, including photographs, documents and attendance data. Investigators have previously said they plan to spend several days interviewing students and teachers.

FBI, homeland security investigate threat against school staffer

Since Nex's death, a barrage of threats have been made against the Owasso school district and at least one credible threat is being investigated in conjunction with the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security, said Lt. Nick Boatman, a spokesman for Owasso Police.

Boatman said the message that prompted federal agencies to join the investigation included a specific threat of violence against a specific individual. Boatman declined to name the person or disclose any other details about the content of the message. 

Meanwhile, Margaret Coates, the superintendent of Owasso schools, announced in an email that all district schools will have increased security.

A news story that went viral about Nex's death included allegations that teachers failed to summon medical care for the teenager after the altercation, and that Nex was so badly injured in the fight that they could not walk on their own. Police and school officials said the claims were false.

In a statement on Facebook, the Owasso Police Department said each student involved in the fight "walked under their own power to the assistant principal’s office and nurse’s office" after it was broken up. A registered nurse at the school then assessed the health of each student involved in the fight, according to police. Though she determined that "ambulance service was not required," the nurse recommended that Nex "visit a medical facility for further examination," the statement said. Nex was taken to the hospital that afternoon.

Nex Benedict was a 'wonderful child,' sister says

Questions and grief over Nex’s death – at a time when debates over gender and sexuality are becoming increasingly common at school board meetings and legislative hearings nationwide – have spread far beyond the state of Oklahoma. 

On Wednesday, U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said on X that he was devastated to hear of Nex's death and said more must be done to ensure "transgender and nonbinary students feel safe in schools and in our communities"

“Violence has no place in our school,” Cardona said. “It is our responsibility to protect all students by creating spaces where they feel safe to be their true selves.”

Nex loved to draw, read and play the video games Ark: Survival Evolved and Minecraft, according to their obituary.

“They were a wonderful child, and they were important to us in ways that are really difficult to articulate at this time,” said Malia Pila, the teen’s sister, in a brief conversation with The Oklahoman, part of the USA TODAY network . “They were really great, and we are incredibly sad.”

Nex Benedict suffered bullying, friends tell advocacy group

Nicole McAfee, who leads Freedom Oklahoma, said the organization has been working with some of Nex’s friends and others in Owasso as they process their grief over Nex’s death. The group is focused on making Oklahoma a safer place for people of all genders and sexualities.

McAfee said none of Nex’s friends currently felt comfortable being quoted directly in news stories but that they reported to Freedom Oklahoma that “Nex had been bullied for their gender identity for well over a year."

Jordan Korphage, a spokesman for the school district, did not respond to questions about whether the school had received prior reports of bullying involving Nex. He also would not say what grade Nex was enrolled in or whether the school had any groups aimed at supporting students of various gender and sexual identities.

State superintendent sued over student gender change restrictions

Ryan Walters, the state's superintendent who has come under fire for his efforts to prevent students from changing their gender in school records, addressed Benedict's death at a board meeting of the Oklahoma State Board of Education.

" We've had a lot of folks that have rushed to have an opinion and judgment there in the wake of the tragedy," Walters said. "There's little information available, and there will be more that comes out over the next few weeks as law enforcement is doing their investigations."

" We need to wait for those things to be done before we pass judgment," he said.

A student filed a lawsuit against Walters and the board in December over a rule barring students in the school district from changing their recorded gender without the board's authorization.

The board temporarily approved the rule in September. A month after the lawsuit was filed, it voted to make the rule permanent . In October, Walters dismissed court ordered requests from two school districts to change the gender on students' records.

This week, attorneys for the student asked a judge to move the suit from federal to state court, where it was originally filed.

Controversial social media personality on library review panel

In January, Walters appointed Chaya Raichik , the controversial conservative social media personality behind the "Libs of TikTok" account on X, to a library review committee. The account often stokes online right-wing outrage through videos and content criticizing or deriding LGBTQ+ and trans people.

The education board told the Oklahoman that the committee's purpose is to remove "pornographic or sexualized content from public schools in the State of Oklahoma."

Miami-Dade woman arrested and accused of poisoning boyfriend after he found bleach tablet in tea, police say

A Miami-Dade County woman was arrested and charged with poisoning her boyfriend after he found a bleach tablet in his teacup, police said.

Ivette Diaz, 49, was arrested Friday on a charge of poisoning food or water, an arrest report said.

Authorities allege the incident happened Feb. 20 when the couple, who have been living together for about three years, were at their home off Southwest 158th Place.

According to the report, Diaz’s boyfriend made himself a meal and some tea, then walked outside to call his employer.

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He came back inside and offered Diaz a bite of his tortilla meal, which she accepted, the report said.

But when she exclaimed how spicy it was and he offered her his cup of tea, she adamantly declined, the report said.

The boyfriend took a large gulp from his cup and his throat started to immediately burn, and then he noticed a strong smell of bleach coming from the cup and poured it in the sink, the report said.

He then looked in the cup and found the remnants of a concentrated bleach tablet he usually uses for dissolving into 5 gallons of water, the report said.

“There’s bleach in this drink! Did you put bleach in my drink?” he asked Diaz, according to the report.

“I thought it was sugar,” was her response, according to the report.

The boyfriend was taken to Homestead Hospital for treatment.

The report noted that the sugar was in powder form and kept in an upper kitchen cabinet, while the tablets are kept under the kitchen sink.

Diaz was arrested and booked into jail. Attorney information wasn’t available.

Diaz’s landlord told NBC Miami that he watched as police took her into custody.

“I don’t know what happened with them, because they look like a beautiful, very happy couple,” the landlord said. “When police was here, he went to the hospital. She was in the police car about 3-4 hours. They were waiting for the detective to come to the property.”

Android Police

Google chrome is rolling out help me write.

The generative AI writing feature arrives right on schedule

  • Google rolls out Help me write, an AI-powered writing tool in Chrome 122, launching in the US this week.
  • The tool helps refine or start writing content and understands website context, further improving its suggestions.
  • The tool can be turned on in Chrome settings, alongside AI tab organization and theme creation.

Google announced a whole slew of AI features for Chrome last month, including automatic tab organization and AI wallpaper generation. While those two features are already live, Google also announced Help me write, an AI-assisted writing tool, which was slated to come later. This time has now arrived, with the company officially rolling out Help me write in the US.

As the company previously stated, Help me write is rolling out as part of the Chrome 122 launch, which is starting to arrive on more desktops and phones this week. It’s available in the US in English, and it’s powered by Gemini, Google’s generative AI model .

As the name implies, the tool is meant to help you start writing or tweak and refine something you’ve already written. Google offers examples like listing a piece of furniture for sale, reviewing a restaurant, or asking support a warranty-related question. Doing this, Help me write understands the context of the website you’re looking at.

Google offers an example: “If you’re writing a review for a pair of running shoes, Chrome will pull out key features from the product page that support your recommendation so it’s more valuable to potential shoppers.” We can only hope that this won’t play into the hands of spammers and scammers who could use this to create more fake reviews than there already are out there.

The feature can be turned on in Chrome’s settings in the Experimental AI section, where you can already find the aforementioned tab organizer and the AI theme creation tool. Once you’ve turned experimental AI features on, you may have to relaunch the browser for them to start working.

A stylized image depicting Gboard and the Google logo with the Android Police logo in the background

Gboard's new Proofread AI is here to fix your sloppy writing

Help me write is only available on the desktop version on Chrome for now. On Android, you may be able to use Gboard’s AI-powered Proofreading tool, which similarly lets you improve your writing. It likely isn’t able to glean context from the website you’re looking at, so it may not work as well as Help me write does in these examples. That said, it still remains to be seen how well Help me write works in the first place outside of the examples provided by Google.

Judge orders Des Moines police to turn over hundreds of use-of-force reports from protests

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The Des Moines Police Department must turn over hundreds of reports documenting officers' use of force in 2020, a judge has ruled in an open records lawsuit.

Harvey Harrison, a retired attorney and longtime racial justice advocate, sued the city in 2022 on behalf of his nonprofit group Just Voices to obtain the 2020 records, which include the police department's response to the chaotic and at times violent protests that broke out after the death that year of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police.

The department put out a 2020 Use of Force Report summarizing 282 use-of-force incidents over the full year, but did not publish the 387 individual reports filled by officers for each encounter, including some by multiple officers for the same incident. After the city denied Harrison's request for the raw reports, he sued under Iowa's open records law.

The case landed before District Judge Coleman McAllister, who ruled on Feb. 15 for Harrison.

WATCH: Video shows 'inexplicable' police use of force during 2020 protest response

McAllister dismissed several arguments the city made to keep the reports sealed. State law shields personnel and disciplinary records from disclosure, and city attorneys suggested the use-of-force reports fall into that category because they can be reviewed by an officer's superiors and can trigger disciplinary action — although, as McAllister notes, this is very rare. Only four of the 387 reports filed in 2020 resulted in an internally generated complaint.

Because the reports so rarely result in discipline, and ask only for the facts of what happened rather than any kind of self-assessment by the officer, McAllister ruled they do not amount to performance reviews or disciplinary records under state law.

Judge: Accepting city's argument would mean withholding 'virtually anything' officers write

McAllister also rejected arguments under a separate state law that shield officers' statements in disciplinary proceedings, again finding that at the time officers file a report, no disciplinary proceeding exists.

"The city’s reading ... would mean that virtually anything authored by a police officer would be confidential at least until the officer was no longer employed and subject to discipline," McAllister wrote. "If the Legislature had intended this to be the rule, they could have clearly said so, but they did not."

And while the city argued disclosure might jeopardize investigations or "pose a clear and present danger to the safety of an individual," McAllister found the city has offered no evidence to back that assertion.

The judge's order gives the city 45 days to turn over the reports after redacting private information such as whether the officers were injured. The city also is on the hook for Harrison's attorney fees.

Harrison, via email, said his group plans to incorporate the reports in a study of the department's response to the first days of the Floyd protests.

"I am grateful for the Court’s analysis of the case and a ruling that insures that the public will have access to a more complete understanding of the actions of the Des Moines Police Department during the 2020 protests following George Floyd’s murder," he said. "...  Being able to review the Use of Force Reports that were contemporaneously prepared by DMPD will add additional depth to our work. It will help fill the gap created by the DMPD refusal to prepare an After Action Review of the police conduct during the protests."

The city did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

This article has been updated to correct the date of Judge Coleman McAllister's decision.

William Morris covers courts for the Des Moines Register. He can be contacted at  [email protected]  or 715-573-8166 .

Donald Trump

Police investigate bomb threat at Nashville school that was site of deadly mass shooting

The Covenant School was the site of 2023 mass shooting which claimed six lives.

The Covenant School, which was the site of a 2023 mass shooting , received a bomb threat on Monday, according to a Nashville Police Department spokesperson.

"Yesterday an employee of Covenant School received an emailed bomb threat. We cleared the site, with assistance from a THP (Tennessee Highway Patrol) bomb dog. Our Specialized Investigations Division detectives are working with the FBI to investigate the origin of the threat," according to a Metropolitan Nashville Police Department spokesperson.

MORE: Nashville shooting timeline: How the massacre unfolded at the Covenant School

The school referred ABC News to law enforcement when requested for comment regarding the bomb threat.

In March of 2023, Covenant School in Nashville, a private pre-k to sixth grade Christian school, was the site of a mass shooting that killed three students and three employees including the head of school.

The shooter was identified by police as 28-year-old Audrey Hale , who law enforcement said once attended the school.

MORE: Unprecedented ruling about releasing evidence in Nashville school shooting could lead to 'slippery slope': Experts

A police spokesperson told ABC News in March 2023, that Hale was assigned female at birth and pointed to a social media account linked to Hale that included use of the pronouns he/him.

It was the deadliest school shooting in Tennessee history.

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24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events

Police called to Willy Wonka-inspired experience in Glasgow as families demand refunds

Organiser House of Illuminati was forced to cancel the weekend event midway through its first day on Saturday and has promised full refunds.

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Scotland reporter @Jenster13

Monday 26 February 2024 15:40, UK

Willy's Chocolate Experience. Pic: Stuart Sinclair

A Willy Wonka-inspired experience was brought to a halt following complaints it was "an absolute shambles of an event" and left children in tears.

Parents criticised the £35-a-ticket event at Box Hub in Glasgow after being promised a "chocolate fantasy like never before" where "dreams become reality".

Despite advertisements pledging a "journey filled with wondrous creations and enchanting surprises", families instead described the experience as "absolutely appalling" and a "waste of money" on social media.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said officers were called to the cancelled event and "advice was given".

Stuart Sinclair, 29, travelled two hours from Dundee with his two sons and four-year-old daughter to the event.

They were one of hundreds of families that had purchased tickets - with many later demanding a refund.

Mr Sinclair told Sky News: "The promo descriptions all sounded fantastic. It was far from that."

On arrival, the family were met with a near-empty venue decorated with a handful of Wonka-themed props and a small bouncy castle.

Willy's Chocolate Experience. Pic: Stuart Sinclair

Mr Sinclair said his children only received a couple of jelly babies and a quarter of a can of Barr's Limeade.

He said the older boys, aged nine and 10, took the disappointment well.

"My little girl was a bit disappointed because she was looking forward to it as she's only four, but the boys just laughed it off because of how bad it was," he said.

Willy's Chocolate Experience. Pic: Stuart Sinclair

Mr Sinclair described it as "an absolute shambles of an event".

He added: "I've never seen anything like it. It was definitely an 'experience'."

According to the event's website, Willy's Chocolate Experience promised an enchanted garden with "giant sweets, vibrant blooms, mysterious-looking sculptures, and magical surprises".

As well as live performances with "charming characters singing original catchy tunes", the "exhilarating and immersive adventure" should also have featured a "twilight tunnel" and "imagination lab", where "the boundaries between reality and fantasy harmoniously merge".

One woman wrote on Facebook she "laughed so much the whole way round", while another said she "laughed at how bad it was".

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Another person posted: "(It was a) very simple set up with cheap backdrops around it."

She added: "(It's definitely) worth doing your homework before buying into events. Thankfully our bairns just embraced the whole thing and weren't too disappointed."

"Oh and great idea to have a person dressed in a terrifying outfit to come out and scare all the kids. They were all crying - it was terrible, shocking and embarrassing to be honest," wrote one parent.

"Sold a dream and delivered a nightmare," wrote another.

Read more from Sky News: Saltburn mansion beset by fans and influencers Is this the death of the big night out?

In a Facebook post on Saturday night, House of Illuminati said: "Today has been a very stressful and frustrating day for many and for that we are truly sorry.

"Unfortunately last minute we were let down in many areas of our event and tried our best to continue on and push through and now realise we probably should have cancelled first thing this morning instead.

"We fully apologise for what has happened and will be giving full refunds to each and every person that purchased tickets."

It said it had planned a "fabulous" event but "it just did not take shape".

The spokesperson added: "We are devastated at how this has turned out and understand people's anger and frustration that everyone has had."

It said refunds could take up to 10 working days.

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Mr Sinclair said: "I've had no money back yet, but the company have said they are issuing them. I'll have to wait and see."

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Let’s be S.A.F.E. out there

Follow these report-writing tips to improve the outcomes of your cases.

org_iis7SL73V67B3W2m.png

Officers asking themselves the S.A.F.E. questions throughout their investigations and report writing will lead agencies to become more successful in the courts.

Photo/PoliceOne

The PoliceOne Academy features several hours of coursework on police report writing including how to write effective use-of-force incident reports, narrative skills for report writing and keys to time management when writing reports. Complete the courses to improve and retain critical skills to help improve your written documentation of events in the field. Visit the PoliceOne Academy to learn more and for an online demo.

By Steve Pratt

How many of you remember this famous saying: “Let’s be careful out there”? It was a safety call by Sergeant Phil Esterhaus from the television show Hill Street Blues. Today we say to each other “be safe” or “stay safe.” We understand the meaning behind those sayings. I would like to offer another meaning of how we can be “S.A.F.E.” out there.

Often after reading court decisions, I find myself asking questions such as, “How did the situation get that far?” or, “How did the court come to that decision?” Sometimes court findings tell us the officer failed to explain why they did what they did. In some decisions, they say the officer explained “X” or “Y” but we found “Z.” This article will provide a way to approach police report writing that will improve the outcomes of your cases.

Details count

Over the years the courts have given their guidance about what information is valuable for their decision-making. In Graham v. Connor (1989) , the Supreme Court guided us to make reasonable decisions based on an objective consideration of all the facts and circumstances involved in an incident. Information not included in our reports would not be able to be considered by the court.

Criminal statutes are divided into specific elements of each crime. These elements are fulfilled with “facts” to classify an incident as a specific crime. We are taught in our basic academies to become “trained observers” and what details to observe in various situations. Information about how our training and experience influence our perception of an incident are valuable in establishing reasonable suspicion or probable cause.

Taking a S.A.F.E. approach

Based on the guidance of the courts, academy training and continuous training, I offer the acronym S.A.F.E., which stands for Specific Articulable Facts Exhibited, as a method to improve police report writing.

Here is a field example of the S.A.F.E. approach in action:

You were working your beat when you saw a subject exit a known drug house. Your agency served a drug warrant at the same house two days prior to the incident. You recognized the subject, because you had arrested him seven times in the past and were familiar with the subject’s criminal record. Every time you had arrested him, he had drugs in his possession.

The subject was recently highlighted on an officer safety bulletin. The bulletin stated the subject had been in possession of a firearm and was a convicted felon. As the subject walked away from the house, he repeatedly looked over his shoulder. You noticed the front right pocket of his clothing was drooping down and he was conducting a security check (patting the area) with his right hand. You also noticed his right arm wasn’t moving with a natural swing while walking as his left arm moved naturally. His right arm was instead held closely to the side of his drooping clothing.

One month prior to this incident you had attended training about concealed weapons that included physical indicators of persons carrying concealed weapons. The subject demonstrated three of the indicators you had been trained to identify.

In the example above, how many Specific Articulable Facts Exhibited (S.A.F.E.) were there? Were there details that could be valuable for a court in determining the validity of a lawful detention? If the subject fled the detention and reasonable force was used to capture the subject, would the details available help to lay a solid foundation for the necessity of that reasonable force?

What reports usually miss

Too many times we read reports by officers like this:

I observed the subject, John Smith, a known police character. I stopped him because he left a known drug house. I patted him down and located a firearm on his person. The end.

Isn’t something missing in this example? Field supervisors reviewing their officers’ reports after a resistance response or use of force should be asking some basic questions:

  • What did the subject Specifically do?
  • Are those actions Articulated with detail?
  • What were the objective Facts Exhibited during that encounter?

The field supervisor should kick back reports when the answers to those questions are not present. When I have returned reports to my officers, it has been my experience that they have always had the answers to the S.A.F.E. questions. Once they got used to asking themselves the questions while report writing, it was an easy fix!

Changing report-writing habits

The challenge for officers and supervisors is to see the entirety of the investigation being conducted and to know that the S.A.F.E. details are invaluable for follow-up investigators and the courts, as well as the court of public opinion. S.A.F.E. report writing is a must in our current age of policing.

As leaders, we influence the mindset and habits of our officers. We have the power to create positive change in police culture. Officers asking themselves the S.A.F.E. questions throughout their investigations and report writing will lead agencies to become more successful in the courts. This will reflect positively on the profession as a whole.

Let’s be S.A.F.E. out there!

About the author

Steve Pratt retired as a patrol sergeant with the Springfield (Missouri) Police Department in 2017 after 23½ years of service. Prior to his service in law enforcement, Steve served 9½ years in the United States Marine Corps. Steve has been a law enforcement trainer since 1996 and has an Associate of Science degree from Drury University. Steve is an original member of ILEETA. He has completed the IACP Leadership of Police Organizations course along with numerous other certifications. He is also an FBI LEEDA Trilogy graduate . Steve is currently the assistant academy director of the Drury University Law Enforcement Academy in Springfield, Missouri.

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Doreen Lawrence.

Met police are ‘arrogant and resistant to change’, Doreen Lawrence says

In the 25 years since the damning Macpherson report, ‘so much more needs to be done’ by police force, says mother of Stephen Lawrence

  • Thirty years after Stephen’s murder, 25 years after the official inquiry, why won’t the Met change? | Doreen Lawrence

Scotland Yard has been accused of arrogance and resistance to change by Doreen Lawrence , 25 years after the publication of the damning Macpherson report.

In an article for the Guardian , the social justice campaigner said it is “sickening to feel that the same issues are still happening today”, in reference to the insufficient progress since the report in February 1999 about the force’s flawed investigation into the murder of her son, Stephen Lawrence.

The report by Sir William Macpherson, a retired high court judge, concluded that the investigation into the fatal stabbing in 1993 in Eltham, south-east London , had been “marred by a combination of professional incompetence, institutional racism and a failure of leadership”.

A total of 70 recommendations were made to transform the police’s attitude towards race relations and improve accountability, which led to the introduction of detailed targets for the recruitment, retention and promotion of black and Asian officers, as well as the creation of the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

Lady Lawrence said the retention of black officers and barriers to their promotion up the ranks remains a pertinent issue today. She wrote: “I ask myself why the police are so resistant to change. My only conclusion is that they are arrogant, they believe only in themselves and don’t think they need to change.

“Occasionally I hear that a police officer has been suspended, but it’s not enough.

“So much more needs to be done. I’ve spoken to the commissioner and one of the things I told him is that only when the community can see and experience change, can they truly say they are making changes.

“Recruitment and retention of black officers within the police was one of the big areas that Macpherson highlighted for improvement. And it is a crucial issue today. In my experience, many senior officers are capable of understanding the issues involving policing of the black community. But the lower ranks don’t.”

The Labour peer said figures show that black officers are still more likely to be disciplined than their white counterparts and are less likely to be promoted.

Lawrence also called for “urgent reform” of the education system to help eradicate discrimination. “Twenty-five years after Macpherson suggested reforming our national curriculum, black Britons still don’t learn about their history in British society,” she said. “Unless this is changed, they will always grow up feeling that they are seen as second-class citizens.

“When the Windrush scandal happened, people needed to know that those from the Caribbean were asked to come here. That should have been part of our history lessons.”

Nicola Rollock, a professor of social policy and race at King’s College London, has also expressed concerns about “signs that we are now regressing in promoting racial justice”.

Writing in the Guardian , the author warned that a “lack of political leadership instead promises to fuel increased ignorance and division.”

“Macpherson and his advisers regarded the schools system as essential in eliminating racism from society,” she said. “Education has changed significantly since the recommendations were published in 1999. There is light there.

“But less so in our politics. Twenty-five years after the release of the Macpherson report – 30 years after Stephen’s murder – we remain in dire need of leaders who will recognise the struggles of racially minoritised groups, alongside the challenges faced by white working-class communities, and who will find bold ways to bring us together rather than divide us. That wait continues.”

  • Stephen Lawrence
  • Metropolitan police
  • Doreen Lawrence

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