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I. INSTRUCTIONAL GOALS
The students will:
A. Identify the potential uses of written
communication in the public safety professions.
B. Demonstrate the ability to write reports that conform to accepted
professional standards (e.g. recording of all relevant information,
use of first person, use of active voice, etc.); be able to extract
and organize information from a variety of sources into written and
verbal reports describing/defining problems.
C. demonstrate the ability to take field notes that include the
information needed to complete a crime or incident report (e.g.
description of suspects, names of victims and witnesses, etc.)
D. demonstrate the ability to reduce observations and other inform
a-
tion to clear, concise, logically organized reports that are read-
able and relatively free of mechanical errors
E. Complete required instruction in Investigative Report Writing
as required by Training Specifications for the Basic Law
Enforcement Course as mandated by the Calif. Commission on Peace
Officer Standards & Training (Minimum 40 hrs.)
F. Demonstrate the basic techniques of interviewing and testifying
.
G. Write accurate and factual reports, containing the reportable
elements of incidents, based upon the student's observation and
listening skills.
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I. What is a report?
A. How crime, incident and arrest reports are used by the criminal
justice system
1. Definition of a report
2. The importance of a good report.
3. Responsibility for taking reports
II. Notetaking
A. Characteristics of field notes
1. Record brief notes while fresh in mind
2. Notes will include all pertinent data.
B. Use of notes.
III.Writing crime reports
A. Characteristics of an acceptable law enforcement report
1. Reports must be or contain:
a. Factual
b. Objective
c. Existence of facts
d. Opinions
e. Accurate
f. Complete
g. Clear and concise
B. Organization and structure of report narratives
1. Gather information during preliminary investigation
2. Analyze the facts and information
a. Criminal incidents
C. Anticipating defenses which are likely to be asserted by a suspect
1. Probable cause
2. Miranda
3. Reliability of victim, witnesses.
D. General content requirements of crime, incident, and arrest reports
1. Who, what, where, why, when, how.
E. Understanding the difference between facts and inferences
1. Who, what, where, why, when, how.
F. Elements of clear writing to include:
1. Logical relationships between narrative elements
2. Chronological sequencing of events
3. Natural vocabulary
4. Active voice
5. First person
G. Basic writing mechanics to include:
1. Writing Resources
a. Tools
1. Electronic references
2. Spell checkers
3. Internet
4. Books
2. Basic Techniques of factual writing
3. Basic Planning process
4. Information Sources
5. Communication Process
6. Words
7. The Sentence
8. The Paragraph
9. The Structure
10. Testimony
11. Future of Criminal Justice System
IV. Minimal Standards in 5.5.2. (Exercise - Arrest Reports)
A. Given a depiction of an arrest situation which is based upon a
POST-developed video re-enactment or scenario, or an equivalent
academy-developed video, simulation, or scenario, the student will
generate an acceptable report in class. The report must reflect
an arrest situation which minimally incorporates: (9-1-93)
1. Elements of a crime
2. Probable cause to stop
3. Probable cause to search/seize
4. Recovery of evidence
5. Probable cause to arrest
6. Admonishment of the suspect, if appropriate
V. Minimal Standards in 5.5.3 (Exercise-Investigative Reports
A. Given a depiction of a criminal investigation which is based upon
a POST-developed video re-enactment or scenario, or an equivalent
academy-developed video, simulation, or scenario, the student will
generate an acceptable report in class. The report must reflect a
criminal investigation which minimally incorporates: (9-1-93)
1. Elements of a crime
2. Statements of victim(s) and/or witness(es)
3. Pertinent crime scene details
4. Physical evidence
IV.Learning Activity 13.18.1-Practice Reports
A. Students will be required to generate five practice reports based
on either POST-developed video re-enactments of crimes, investiga-
tions or law enforcement-related incidents, or based upon equiva-
lent simulations, scenarios or videotape depictions developed by
the academy.
B. The events selected should require reports reflecting a progressive
level of difficulty (e.g., from a simple unwitnessed crime to
more complex events involving the articulation of probable cause
to stop, probable cause to arrest, statements of witnesses, etc.)
C. Formal feedback to the student regarding the quality of the report
- The purpose of requiring feedback is to provide ongoing evalua-
tion and documentation of student strengths and weaknesses so that
the student is able to progressively improve.
