6.
0 TECHNICAL ENGLISH AND INVESTIGATIVE
REPORT WRITING
6.1 The Basic Police Report and Report Writing (two kinds:)
6.1.1 Basic informal report (any written matter prepared by the police
involving their interaction with the community)
6.1.2 Investigative or formal report (an exact narration of facts which were
discovered during the course of crime investigation which serves as a
permanent record for future reference)
6.1.3 Classification of investigative report (three:)
6.1.4 Initial, progress and final report
Initial: an advance information on a new or fresh case assigned to an
investigator, written and submitted immediately after the initial
investigation of the case.
Progress: the result of follow-up investigations of the fresh or new case.
It is written or submitted everytime or whenever any development or
progress is accomplished in the follow-up investigation.
Final: written and submitted whenever the case is solved and classified as
closed. It is categorized as solve and closed when the offender is finally
arrested, the evidence against him is completely gathered to warrant
prosecution, and witnesses located to testify for trial.
6.2 Basic steps in Police Report Writing (Five:)
6.2.1 Gathering the facts (conduct a thorough investigation at the crime scene
—indoor, outdoor, vehicles—or elsewhere that the investigator will
discover physical evidence, facts and other information)
6.2.2 Interview and interrogating (an “observe and listen” strategy, witness
and informants are interviewed and suspects and offenders are
interrogated)
6.2.3 Recording the facts (immediately and accurately the investigator must
record in his clipboard, not in his memory, the facts gathered)
6.2.4 Organizing the facts (arrange the sequence of happenings in an outline
form)
6.2.5 Evaluating the facts (i.e., editing and proof-reading what you have
written before it can be considered a finished product for submission to
higher officials)
Editing means determining the facts of the report, i.e., the answers to the
5W’s and one H, to ensure that its content is complete; Proof-reading
means determining its mechanical format, or form, such as with the
compliance with the basic elements of grammar, punctuations, spelling,
capitalization, sentence structure and paragraph construction.
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Note: Initial, progress and final are also known as advance, follow-up and closing
reports, respectively.
Outline
Technical English
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6.3 Qualities of Good Report Writing (nine:)
6.3.1 The report should be accurate, brief, clear, complete, factual, fair,
objective, relevant and up-to-date.
Accurate: means free from error or in exact conformity with the truth,
i.e., based on facts, which are known through the use of any/ all of his
fiver senses.
Brief: i.e., avoid sensationalizing the facts, or including unnecessary
details not related to the statement of objective, simply, a report can be
brief if its facts are unified and coherent.
Clear: i.e., as simple and direct as possible (the subject or objective, or
purpose of the report should be clearly stated so that the render can readily
have an idea about the case).
Complete: i.e., report all the facts which were discovered in the course of
investigation.
Factual: i.e., based on the actual facts discovered by the investigator as a
“fact-finder”—facts that can be proven.
Fair: by keeping an open mind and avoiding being biased; to achieve
fairness, one must avoid formulating pre-conceived theories in the
investigation, which will cause twisting, warping the facts and affecting
the report.
Objective: means presenting all the facts with appropriate words; words
not coated or laced with emotional overtones; that the tone and content of
the report should be entirely free of propaganda.
Relevant: the report should relate exclusively to the stated objective, or
function, or subject with which it is concerned (e.g. Subject: Death of
Maria Malas y Romero)
Up-to-date: the report should be current as of the time it is needed and
should be submitted on time, according to schedule—even a few hours
delay may render the report obsolete or useless.
6.4 The Mechanics in Police Report Writing
6.4.1 Selection and use of words (words are only tools of communication—
the first integral part which makes up the whole narration of facts) through
adequate use of:
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6.4.2 Vocabulary and Diction: (vocabulary means the supply of words which
we know and use, Diction is the direct choice of words, selecting the
exact, precise, objective words to convey meaning.
6.4.3 Sentence Structure: (a group of words having a subject and a predicate
and expressing a complete thought; four kinds—declarative, interrogative,
imperative and exclamatory; “police sentence” is a grammatically
structured narration of facts, with the usual subject, predicate and verb;
basically its vocabulary and diction conforms with police functions and
objectives, and is written in the third person; “topic sentence” is the first
sentence immediately at the beginning of each paragraph, leading the
reader top the right direction as in a guided tour, e.g., “This is an initial
report about a dead body found in the garbage dumping site in Balut,
Tondo, Manila”)
6.4.4 The three essentials of a narrative: Setting, Character and Action.
1. Setting:
When? (Time and date of crime occurrence)
Where? (The crime scene)
What? (The nature of the crime)
2. Character:
Who? (The people involved – victim, suspect, witnesses)
3. Action:
Why? (Motive of the crime)
How? (Modus Operandi)
6.5 Paragraph Construction
6.5.1 Concept of Paragraph (a sentence or group of properly related
sentences expressing a single idea)
6.5.2 Characteristics of paragraph
1. Write short paragraph (a good paragraph is confined only to
one idea and not more than 100 words)
2. Give your reader a rest (knowing that there is a limit to the
period of concentration that a reader can give to a report)
3. Recapture your reader’s attention (and focus it upon the next
idea or topic of discussion thru the use of topic sentences and
linking words such as: Thus accordingly, however, finally, etc.)
6.5.3 Spelling, homonyms, division of words (and focus it upon the
next idea or topic of discussion thru the use of topic sentences and
linking words such as: Thus, accordingly, however, finally, etc.)
6.5.4 Capitalization and Numbers; abbreviation
6.6 Punctuation and its Kinds (punctuation marks are used to separate the
written into sentences; Kinds – the period, question mark, exclamation
mark, comma, semicolon, colon, quotation marks, apostrophe, parenthesis,
hyphen)
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6.7 The Investigative Report
6.7.1 Reporting Police Operations (One of the purposes of police report
writing is to record the facts of a crime or an event; “fact” is a
statement which can be proven because it is based on any or all of
our five physical senses; in contrast, essays, can be imaginary,
inferred or opinionated)
6.7.2 Field note taking
6.7.3 Writing the report
Police Report Writing
The three (3) basic units comprising any written matter are words, sentences and
paragraphs.
As fact-finder and report writer, one must be understood by his reader through the
use of adequate vocabulary and selection of the right words. The best rule is to use
common words understandable to a general reading level; legal, technical and slang terms
should be used only when necessary.
A sentence has two main components: subject and predicate. Both may include
modifiers (descriptive words and phrases). Length and construction of the sentence are
varied. Generally, a sentence has 20 words. Pay special attention to key words: verbs,
pronouns, adjectives and adverbs. The verb is the main word in the predicate; it expresses
action or the condition of the subject. Verbs have tense: present, past, future. Generally;
police reports are stated in the past tense and in the third person.
Rules for the division of words:
1. Divide only between syllables. Example: sus-pect
2. Avoid two-letter division; do not carry over two letters only, e.g. ta-ble, eve-
ry.
3. Last of double consonants goes with the suffix, e.g. run-ning.
4. Divide between the consonants that come between two vowels, e.g. mil-lion,
struc-ture, advantage
5. Titles of honor or respect preceding a proper name, e.g. President Angeles,
Dean Arceo
6. Every word in the title of books, magazines, documents, or newspapers
(except articles, prepositions and conjunctions), e.g. A study of Basic and
Investigative Writing.
7. Abbreviations, e.g. Dr., Atty., M.A., Ph.D.
8. Don’t capitalize enumerations or summations within a sentence, e.g. The
duties of the crime scene investigator are: (1) the victim rushed to the hospital,
(2) arrest the suspect …
9. Don’t capitalize the first word of a sentence inserted within another when it is
separated by parenthesis or dashes, e.g. He is (we believe) the suspect to be
watched – the record shows he is a recidivist.
10. Don’t capitalize institutions and geographical terms unless they are used with
a proper noun, e.g. This is a case for the local police.
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Rules concerning numbers:
1. Use numerals except at the beginning of a sentence, e.g. Sixteen prostitutes,
whose ages are from 13 to 16 years, …
2. Numbers, quantities and measurement are always expressed in figures (age,
date, hour, street numbers, division of books, decimals, percentage, unit
modifier), e.g. The victim was a female, about 16 years old, 5 feet tall, 110
pounds, She was found by a scavenger about 6:00a.m., August 10, 1999 in
front of house No. 123 Tambacan St., Lot 13, Block 3, Barrio Masukal,
Quezon City.
3. Use commas to set off words or phrases that are used parenthetically or
independently. E.g. “He is, we suspect, the man to be watched. The other
suspect, however, is less dangerous.”
4. Use a comma to separate two or more coordinate/equal adjectives which
modify the same noun. E.g. “The crime scene was a dark, dirty room.” “It was
a large, dark, gloomy and spooky room.”
5. Use a comma to separate words, phrases, or clauses in series e.g. “ The crime
lab technician found blood stains on the floor, on the desk, on the door knob,
on the window sill, and on the fence.”
6. Use comma to set off expression like “he said” from direct quotations. E.g. the
suspect said, “This is a hold-up.”
7. Use commas to separate contrasting expressions. E.g. “The suspect, not the
victim, wrote the suicide note.”
8. Use a comma before Sr. and J., titles following a name, between a title and the
name of an organization, and between smaller and larger.
9. In numbers, a comma is placed after each group of three digits counting from
the right (in currency, the centavo is not included in the counting). However,
in serial numbers, a comma is not used, e.g. Engine No. A746937
The Semicolon:
1. Use a semicolon between two independent clauses of a compound sentence
when the conjunction and, but, nor, for, yet or so is inserted. “The police
arrived at the hideout at 12:00 midnight; and immediately they conducted the
raid.”
2. Before conjunctive adverbs (so, thus, however, hence, etc.) when they join
independent clauses. “Police reports are required by regulations; hence, they
must be submitted on time.”
3. Between items in a series if there are commas within the items. “The tall,
dark, handsome accomplice smiled; but the short, husky, ugly suspect
sneered.”
Definition of Terms:
Affidavit - summary judgment. The kind of affidavit necessary to support a
summary judgement is that affidavit from which it may be clearly drawn that
certain facts pleaded by either party are certain, undisputed and indubitable
which dispense with the hearing or trial of the case.(PNP definition).
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After operation report - it is a report that may be rendered after any successful
police operation that leads to the arrest of any member or some members of
syndicated crime group.
After soco report - it is a report rendered by the team leader of the SOCO that
conducted the scene of the crime operations, processing or investigation.
Agents report - it is a report rendered by a documented agent who answers an
intelligence requirement.
Agreement - Proposal. A proposal remains an offer even if not answered and
irrespective of the length of time that has passed. It only becomes an agreement
when accepted by the other party.(PNP definition).
Book of account - a book containing charges and showing a continuous dealing
with persons generally. To be admissible in evidence, it must be kept as
an account book and the charges made in the usual course of business.
Case officer - the person responsible for and in charge of the investigation of the
case.
Police blotter - a record or log where all types of operational and under cover
dispatches shall be recorded containing the 5 "W" and 1 "H"(Who, What, Where,
When, Why, and How of an information.
Spot report - refers to an immediate initial investigative or incident report
addressed to higher headquarters pertaining to the commission of the crime,
occurrence of natural or man-made disaster or unusual incidents involving loss of
lives and damage of properties.
Tactical interrogation report - the report rendered by an interrogator which
contain the following information: 1. Personal and family background 2.
Educational background 3. Professional background 4. Criminal
activities,associates/armaments 5. Plans
Summary of information (SOI) - an intelligence report rendered regarding any
illegal activity or violation of laws being observed by intelligence operatives
within a given area of responsibility. This is the usual basis of case operations
hence, information received should be cared, validated, countered checked,
analyzed and evaluated.
Police Report - report made by the police containing the initial statement made
by the victim at the time she or he reported the crime. A police report consists of a
testament, specific details of the event and names of peopleinvolved.
Index Crime - are very serious crimes that happen frequently or regularly that
they can serve as index of the crime situation. Index Crime is basically anything
that is physically pursued by the person committing the crime while non index
crimes consists of non physical confrontation.
Non Index Crime - refers to all crime not classified as index crime. These crimes
are mostly victimless.
Crime Solution Efficiency - means the number of crimes solved after the arrest
of the suspects and filing of charges against them.
Crime Clearance Efficiency - means the number of crimes considered solved
because the suspects have been identified and charged but they remain at large.
Crime Incidence - the number of crimes reported as index or non index crimes
within a given period.
Crime Volume - is a basic indicator of the frequency of known criminal activity.
It represents the number of reported offenses.
Crime Trend - represents the percentagechange in crime based on data reported
in a prior equivalent period.
Crime Rate - the measure that gives an index of crime occurring in a particular
jurisdiction for a specific time period.
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