Steps in organizing and writing a criminal justice report

1. CRIMINAL JUSTICE REPORT
WRITING
THE HOW AND WHY
Part 4
Organizing and Writing a
Police Report

2. Report writing begins at the
scene
 start organizing your thoughts and
observations
 think in six categories: yourself, victims,
witnesses, suspects, evidence,
disposition
 record information promptly and
accurately
 use quotation marks for someone’s
exact words

3. When you begin writing…
 follow your agency or institution’s
procedures
 if you’re filling out a form on paper or a
laptop, enter the facts first
 if you’re writing on a blank sheet of
paper, begin with a detailed opening
sentence

4. Your opening sentence should
include
 date, time, and location
 your name and ID
 additional officers, if present
 why you were at the scene
 nature of the call or incident

5. Typical opening sentences:
At 3:20 p.m. on October 3, 2009, I, Officer Carole
Donner #13925, was dispatched to a break-in at
35 Woodland Road.
At approximately 10:35 a.m. on July 9, 2010, I,
Officer Frank Dunham ID 0621, went into Building
B to talk to the chaplain about plans for next
month’s musical program.
NOTE: Some agencies require an opening
sentence even if you’re filling out a paper or

6. When you write your report
 start a new paragraph for each witness, victim,
and suspect
 Use names, not Victim1, Suspect2
 Use “later identified as” if you don’t know the
person’s name right away
 Record contact information for each person you
talked to (get phone numbers for a friend or
relative if necessary)

7. Be sure to include…
 Each investigation you performed, even if there
were no results (important if someone violates the
crime scene later)
 Serial numbers, makes, and models when
appropriate
 Behavioral characteristics that may be useful in
court later (such as trembling, crying, clenched
fists)
 A victim’s or suspect’s exact words when they
might assist an investigation (often perpetrators
have a consistent pattern of speech and

8. Be sure to complete the “disposition”
 Tie up every loose end
 Establish a chain of custody for each piece of
evidence
 Explain how injuries were handled
 If a suspect was apprehended, include Miranda
rights, charges, and custody
 Document agency procedures, such as victim’s
rights booklets and follow-up information
 If more than one officer was present, record who
performed each step

9. To Learn More:
Criminal Justice Report Writing is available in
softcover ($17.95) from www.Amazon.com and in a
variety of ebook and Apple formats (Kindle, Nook,
SONY etc.) for $11.99 from www.Smashwords.com.
Read a free sample online!

10. Find FREE report writing
resources online at
www.YourPoliceWrite.com