GGPDE_2020-X1_Police_Report_Writing_Tips_2053783

JACKIE LACEY DISTRICT ATTORNEY LOS ANGELES COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE ONEMINUTE BRIEF EXTRA COPYRIGHT © 20 20 LOS ANGELES COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. MAY BE REPRODUCED FOR NON -COMMERCIAL PROSECUTORIAL, LAW ENFORCEMENT AND EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. 1MB@da.lacounty.gov NUMBER : 2020-X1 DATE : 06-08-20 BY: Devallis Rutledge TOPIC : Police Report Writing Tips By popular request: REPORT WRITING TIPS FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT (1) The basic purpose of any writing —including police reports —is to communicate information . Bearing that purpose in mind, officers should continually ask themselves whether the language and writing style they're using is best suited to accomplishing the basic purpose of the r eport. (2) Investigative reports have many uses . They document events and memorialize statements. The information contained in (or missing from) reports may have significance for filing criminal charges , providing the basis for criminal defenses and motio ns, resolving internal affairs investigations, providing the basis for defense of civil liability cases, complying with disclosure requirements, refreshing witnesses' recollections at trial, assisting with insurance claims, affecting personnel evaluations and career advancement, and compiling statistical data that may influence allocation of resources and deployment of assets. Given these important functions of police reports, it is important that every report be complete, accurate, unambiguous and underst andable. LADA ONE -MINUTE BRIEF EXTRA NO. 2020 -X1 PAGE 2 MAKING IT COMPLETE (3) The content of crime and arrest reports and supplementals will, of course, depend on the nature of the crime and the events, as well as the amount of information known. Most reports will contain information about some or a ll of several topics, including the crimes, casualties and loss, victims and witnesses, suspects, locations, vehicles, weapons, evidence, statements, actions taken and case status. Officers should detail the following, as appropriate and available. (4) Crime elements. To establish that a crime occurred, there must be direct or circumstantial evidence of each element of the crime. Consider all offenses that the evidence supports , and be sure that your report covers every one of them , including date, time and place of occurrence, if known. (5) Casualties, loss and damage. Property crimes and c rimes against the person will usually involve death or injury, or loss or damage to property. These facts may not be elements of the crime (example s: assault requires no proof of injury; burglary requires no proof of loss); however, whether or not they are elements of a particular crime, injuries and damage (or their lack) are important topics to include. (6) Victims and witnesses. Anyone who has anything to do with t he crime —including people who were present and claim not to have seen or heard anything —should be identified to the extent possible (such as full names, all addresses, all phone numbers, DOB, CDL). (7) Suspects. If suspects are arrested or otherwise ident ified, their full description should be given, such as full names, all addresses, employer or school, all phone numbers, DOB, CDL, sex, race, height, weight, hair color, eye color, gang affiliation claimed or known, clothing worn, physical abnormalities, f acial characteristics LADA ONE -MINUTE BRIEF EXTRA NO. 2020 -X1 PAGE 3 (mustache/beard/piercing), scars/tattoos, weapons used or carried, vehicles used and custodial status. Unidentified suspects should be described to the extent possible. (8) Locations. Addresses of crimes and significant events should be given in maximum detail, including street address, unit number, building floor, and city and county. In homicides, officer -involved shootings and other major crimes where it is predictable that courtroom testimony will focus on relative locations, distances, lighting conditions, visibility, obstructions, etc., these should be documented with aerial or surface photographs or video, or in diagrams with measured distances recorded. (9) Vehicles. Descriptio ns should include make, model, year, color, damage or modifications and license plate , state and number. Reports should connect each listed vehicle with the respective suspect, victim or event. (10) Weapons. As known for firearms, include kind, color, man ufacturer, serial number, location, use in the crime, live and expended rounds loaded/chambered /recovered , safety status when recovered and available ammunition. Describe other kinds of weapons and their status as fully as possible. (11) Evidence. Tell re aders what the evidence is, where it was located and by whom, who collected it, identifying markings placed on it, apparent condition, how it was preserved, submission to and results of forensic testing, and current location. (12) Statements. Where possib le, tape record statements of suspects, victims, crucial witnesses and those who may die , disappear or change their minds before trial. When reporting oral statements, use the victim's and suspect's words verbatim, in quotation marks, wherever possible. The statements of favorable witnesses may be summarized ; the statements of adverse witnesses should be quoted verbatim . Sta