Recent brain research offers insights that can be useful when you're learning how to write police reports.

1. Better Police Reports:
Building Your Brainpower
by Jean Reynolds, Ph.D.

2. I’m Jean Reynolds.
I wrote Criminal Justice Report Writing.

3. I’m a trainer and
consultant, as well
as the author of 11
books.
I’ve helped many
cadets, officers,
instructors, and
administrators
solve problems
with report
writing.

4. My background
includes teaching
English in college
classrooms…

5. …and studying
language theory in
graduate school.

6. I have two important
messages for you today.
1. You know more about
writing than you think
you do.
2. Sharpening your writing
skills is easier than you
might expect.

7. Let’s talk about police reports.
You already know that
police reports are
important. They help
solve crimes and
prosecute criminals.

8. But perhaps you don’t
feel confident about
writing. That’s true of
many cadets.

9. So I’m going to talk
about a resource you
might not have thought
much about: your brain.
Picture courtesy of
aboutmodafinil.com

10. Your brain has eighty-six BILLION neurons. Many of
them are devoted to language.

11. The language circuitry in your brain is incredibly
complex…

12. …and it’s been developing since you were born.

13. What was the first language
you learned as a child?
Whether it was English or
another language…

14. …it shares a foundation with all other
languages.

15. Every language has…
 a systematic
structure
• a large storehouse of
vocabulary words
• the capability to
express complex
information and
ideas

16. Now think about how you learned to speak. No
one sat you down with a grammar textbook.
You figured it out
yourself.
You listened to other
people talk, and then
you tried doing the
same thing yourself.

17. No matter what
language you’re using,
your amazing brain
efficiently deals with
intricate language
structures all the
time.

18. Now that you understand the power of those 86
billion neurons…

19. you can see why your brain holds the key to
better writing.

20. What many people don’t realize is that neurons
can change. This picture represents ordinary
neurons…

21. …and this picture shows the result of learning:
neurons pair up and connect to one another.

22. When you stimulate
your brain, it
responds by
organizing neurons
and making new
connections.
Picture courtesy of
aboutmodafinil.com

23. The learning process can feel uncomfortable—
even scary—while your neurons are on the move.

24. But when your brain makes the connections, you
feel great!

25. How can you stimulate
your brain?
Through active learning—
something that happens
all the time in your
academy training.

26. Practicing new skills
stimulates the neurons in
your brain to organize
themselves and make
connections.

27. When you complete
your academy training,
you will have a better
brain.

28. It’s just as important
to know the kinds of
learning that don’t
build a better brain.

29. Sitting quietly while someone else is talking
may not do much to stimulate your brain.

30. Of course you can acquire a
lot of information from a
speaker or teacher.
But if your goal is a better
brain, you also need to plan
many active learning
projects.

31. Here’s the good news. Your report writing classes
will include many tasks designed to stimulate
your brain.

32. You’ll be talking with other students…

33. …performing a variety of writing tasks…

34. …reading…

35. …and using your
thinking skills to
tackle problems.

36. Here are some guidelines to remember as you
tackle these brain-building activities:
1. Focus on the
process, not the
product.
Don’t let yourself get
frustrated if an activity
seems challenging.
Your goal is to activate
your brain. You’re not
competing for a prize!

37. 2. Respect your brain.
You have a lifetime of
language experiences from
school, TV, family members,
and friends stored inside
your head.
Your language hardware has
been working for you all
these years, and it’s going
to get stronger.

38. 3. Remember that the person who’s doing the
talking is the person who’s doing the learning.
This is one of the most
important principles of
active learning.
Make sure everyone on
your team has plenty
of opportunities to
talk.

39. 4. Trust your instructor and your team.
If you’re used to
sitting quietly in a
classroom while
someone else does the
talking, active learning
can seem strange and
new at first.
Be patient and give the
process a chance to do
its work.

40. 5. Look for opportunities to practice leadership.
Group study is a great
place to learn about
leadership.
A bonus is that you’ll
use those skills
throughout your law
enforcement career.

41. 6. Remind yourself that report writing isn’t
difficult.
Most of the sentences
you’re going to write
will be simple and
straightforward: “I
questioned Johnson.”
“Carter picked up a
kitchen knife.”

42. The complicated part of a
police report is thinking
about what happened at the
scene.
And thinking is something
you already know how to do!

43. Let’s review what you’ve learned today:
1. Your brain changes during learning.
2. Group learning experiences are great brain-
builders.
3. Learning can feel scary and difficult while
your brain is trying to make new connections.
4. Persistence and active learning (talking,
writing, and reading) are the keys to success.

44. I hope you’re excited about the learning
adventures that lie ahead.

45. Enjoy your training program, and remember to
celebrate your progress every step of the way!