TECHNICAL ENGLISH

2 (LEGAL FORMS)

Prepared By: John Patrick B de Jesus

Types of Police Reports

[Link] Reports
[Link] Reports
[Link] Reports
[Link] Inspection Reports or After-Patrol Reports
[Link] Reports
[Link] Report
Spot Reports
• A spot report is that one done after an important
incident takes place in a certain area at a
given time. Verbal or written, it must be done or
acted upon within twenty-four hours.
• The idea is to inform an immediate chief,
considering the fact that whatever happens in the
area is his command responsibility, or those in
higher positions must be informed regarding the
details of a particular occurrence.
• A spot report may be use a radiographic message form
• (if the reporting unit is far from the addressee or receiving office
concerned.)

• When using a radiographic message form, the following must

be indicated:
• originating office, addressee, cite numbers, the precedence
action, the precedence info, date-time group, the text answering
the 5Ws and 1H which are all written in capital letters and
others.
Special Reports
• Special reports are done either because one feels he
has some reporting to do, or a lower police unit or office is
obligated based on the directive or an instruction from the
higher police offices
• Formalizing a special report from a lower police office to
a higher police office follows a memorandum form of
correspondence, wherein security classification, heading,
reference file, office origin, sender, addressee, the subject
or title of the report, date, and signature of the head of
office must be included.
•
The following are required when preparing a
police report:
• seven roller spaces from the upper edge of the
paper
• fifteen bar spaces on the left margin
• seven back spaces at the right margin
• and at least one inch space between the name,
rank and signature and lower edge of the paper.

• However, with computerization, marginal spaces are not

strictly being observed anymore.
Special reports must have the following paragraph contents:
Problem
• The problem portion is reflected on the first paragraph and
is sometimes continued to the next
• What is the report all about?
• Why is it being written in the first place?
Rationale
• This refers to the specifications related to the problem.
• More often than not, these details are shown in the following
paragraphs after the problem is defined
Action
• The last paragraph has this usually.
• What action must the receiver or reader do after reading the
report is expected.
Progress Reports
• A progress report has a follow-up effect.
• Is this is a follow-up of an initial report previously sent?
• Is this a follow-up of an investigation submitted
before?
• Or is this a follow-up of a project or a program?
• A progress report can simply be an accomplishment report
which may be analytical in nature and may be
comparatively longer.
• This may be in memorandum form or in radiographic
message form, having these important highlights:
• Why the report is being made;
• Purpose and scope of the report; and
• Sources of information
Progress Report
• If it is written in memorandum form, the
body of the report must contain the
following:
• authority for investigation
• details and recommendations; or if
written in radiographic message form
• the format of the spot report shall be
adopted.
Investigation Reports
• The investigation report is complete when it answers the six
interrogatives of police report writing – the 5W’s and 1H.

• it also provides in brief, the sworn statements executed by

the individuals having an interest in the case being
investigated.

• The investigation report is considered internal

communication, and it should be addressed to the chief or
head of a police unit and, must be signed by the officer-on-
case, and noted by the chief of the investigation section.
Investigation Reports
• If a part is not important because it is included in
another part, it may be excluded. Parts are
capitalized, and followed by a colon. All the
paragraphs composing the text of the report are
numbered consecutively in Arabic numerals.

• The investigator signs the report. On top of the

letterhead, and on the lower fold of the paper, the
word CONFIDENTIAL is typed or stamped.
 PARTS OF AN INVESTIGATION REPORT
1. Authority
• This section contains a brief statement of when, where and whom the
investigation was made. It should also cite the authority for making it.
• If the investigation is made on the basis of oral orders, this fact should
be stated naming the individual issuing the order and the date.
• If it is made pursuant to written orders, specific reference to the
document, stating the date and the original directing authority, whether
local or higher police offices, is necessary.
2. Matters investigated
• This section of the report states the mission of the investigator.
In essence, it answers the question, “what is the investigation
all about?”.
• Most of these are written complaints or reports alleging that
some persons have committed a crime of impropriety, that the
writer has been unjustly treated.
• If the allegations are too long, a synopsis may be made and the
appropriate references made to the copies of the papers in the
appendix upon which investigation is based.
3. Facts of the Case
• This portion presents the facts regarding the
matter being investigated.
• “Completeness” and “Clarity” are particularly
necessary in this section.
• It should be a coherent presentation of all pertinent
facts which shall be free of bias and should be
fully supported by evidence.
4. Discussion
• This section should indicate the presumption and inference
from all the circumstances of the case to give the directing
officer the clearest possible picture.
• It should contain such related factual matters as may be
necessary, in addition to the facts presented, to establish the
conclusions and recommendations.
5. Conclusions
• This contains the summary of the results of the investigation as
supported by facts.
• It should contain no item not supported by facts. The facts are usually
stated in the order suggested by the statement of the allegations or facts.
• Conclusions should not be a repetition of the facts, merely worded
differently, they should represent the investigating officer’s honest, well-
studied opinions representing the truth of the case. As such, they should
contain no apology or qualification, such as “it appears,” “it is believed,”
or “it seems probable.”
6. Recommendation
• This contains the practical suggestions for appropriate action to be taken to suitably
dispose of the case. It should follow, as far as practicable, the same sequence as that
used in the presentation of the conclusions.
• Recommendations should be consistent with the conclusions. They constitute the
investigating officer’s judgment as to the action the directing authority should take.
• They should state the proper action in the case of a wrong committed, or the remedy
for an unsatisfactory situation or condition found to exist.
• If the facts and conclusions disclose that no wrong has been committed nor is there
a condition requiring correction, the recommendation may state that the case be
closed.
Beat Inspection Reports or After-Patrol Reports
• Most common forms of written communications.
• Submitted daily by the duty beat supervisor.
• This differs from the after-patrol report in terms of
movement. Those on beat inspection do their routine check
on foot; and those on patrol, check their assigned sectors
by using patrol cars.
• As to form, the beat inspection report and after-patrol report
use the memorandum format. Beat inspection reports and
after-patrol reports are submitted daily by the beat patrol
supervisors, each one presumed to have done an eight-
hour tour of duty with their members.
Situation Reports
• The situation report is similar to the
patrol report. Both are submitted
every eight hours.
• However, while the patrol report is
done on a regular basis daily, the
SITREP is done on a need-only
basis.
Formal Report
• A presentation of facts or ideas. Sometimes, this
written work is lengthy. A long, formal report usually
contains the following basic parts: introduction,
summary, body, conclusions and
recommendations

• Sometimes, the subject matter of the report may

not require a conclusion because the report may
just be a fact-finding one; therefore, a personal
observation is not necessary.
Formal Reports
• If conclusions and recommendations are not
asked for, the writer must use his best judgment.

• All in all, a complete formal report must consist of

the following parts: cover, title page, letter of
transmittal, table of contents, introduction or
preface, summary, body of the report,
conclusions, recommendations, and
supplemental materials like appendices, etc.
Chapter IV: Other Forms and Issuances
• routing slips
• actions slips
• information briefing format
• decision briefing format
• forms of police issuances used in the service
• memorandum
• other administrative issuances
• civilian letter
ROUTING SLIP
The routing slip is primarily aimed at transmitting papers from office to office
within a police unit or station, or from branch to branch, within an office. It is never
used to forward papers to an agency outside of the police service. It is used to
speed up transmittal of correspondence direct to the action section without a brief,
a disposition form, or an endorsement. However, when it is faster to stamp a
comment on a basic communication and this comment is intended to form part of
the record, the routing slip will not be used.
It is also used for inter-office routing in a police unit or station for the purpose
indicated by the remarks printed on the form. It may contain informal comments
which are not intended to be forwarded beyond the addressee on the slip.
Because the routing slip is ordinarily not filed, it will never be used for approvals,
disapprovals, concurrences or other important actions or comments, no matter
how brief.
Some offices use a routing slip in plain white communications demanding
immediate action. The colored paper will thus indicate that the paper to which it is
attached must be given authority.
 Illustration 1
ROUTING SLIP

CONTROL NUMBER: DOCUMENT TYPE:

ORIGINATING OFFICE: DATE OF DOCUMENT:

SUBJECT:

_______________________________________________________
_______

_______________________________________________________
_______

DO NOT WRITE ON THIS FORM

PNP ROUTING APPROVAL/DISAPPROVAL

SLIP
CONCURENCE OR SIMILAR ACTION

TO: FROM: SENDER’S CHECK ACTION

DATE: REQUESTED:

LAST NAME:

APPROVAL/SIGNATURE
APPROPRIATE STAFF ACTION
COMMENT/RECOMMENDATION
STUDY/INVESTIGATION
REPLY DIRECT WRITER
REPLY FOR SIGNATURE
REPORT DUE
ATTN TO HWI INSIDE
REWRITE/REDRAFT
NOTATION/RETURN
INFORMATION
SEE ME/CALL ME
FOR DISPATCH
REFERENCE FILE
RECEIVED BY: DATE RELEASED:
MEMORANDUM AND ENDORSEMENT LETTER

Commonly used in the police service are memorandums (or

memoranda) which are inter-office communications dealing with
official matters. A memorandum is “a note to help the memory”.
The message is reduced to the fewest possible words.

Memorandums may be general in application, requiring

compliance. They may also be for the information of a majority or
all the officers and members of the police organization. They may
be of limited application, such as those directed to, or requiring
performance of an action by an individual or group of individuals
within a particular police unit, directorate, service, region,
province, station or section
 Police executives may issue
administrative instructions in the form of a
MEMORANDUM. Subordinate officials may
use this form only on matters advisory or
informative in nature. A routine
MEMORANDUM resorts to the “bottom line”
technique to enable police executives to find
out immediately whether or not a problem
has been attended to.