Policy Text
POLICE
SACRAMENTO
POLICE
DEPARTMENT
REPORT
WRITING
MANUAL
RM 524.02
OF
FOUNDED
SACRAMENT
IN
1849
DEPARTMENT OF
POLICE
CITY OF SACRAMENTO
CALIFORNIA
HALL OF JUSTICE
813 SIXTH STREET
SACRAMENTO, CA
95814-2495
PH 916-264-5121
TO: ALL PERSONNEL
Proper documentation of our actions is mandated by law. The purpose of
the Report Writing Manual is to establish guidelines to facilitate
uniform completion of police report forms.
It shall be the policy of the Sacramento Police Department that all forms.
and reports conform to the instructions and guidelines outlined in this
manual.
(03/96)
ARTURO VENEGAS, JR.
CHIEF OF POLICE
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Foreword
Introduction
Chapter I
Chapter II
Chapter III
Chapter IV
Chapter V
Chapter VI
Chapter VII
Chapter VIII
Chapter IX
Chapter X
Chapter XI
Chapter XII
Chapter XIII
Chapter XIV
INDEX
The Crime Report, General Information
SPD 100 Form Instructions
SPD 104 Form Instructions
SPD 105 Form Instructions
SPD 110 Form Instructions
SPD 103 Form Instructions
SPD 188 Form Instructions
SPD 107 Form Instructions
SPD 113 Form Instructions
SPD 779 Form Instructions
SPD 136 Form Instructions
Arrest Report Form Instructions
SPD 102 Form Instructions
SPD 152 Form Instructione
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48
A
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52
38888
63
73
75
76
APPENDIX A
APPENDIX B
APPENDIX C
APPENDIX D
APPENDIX E
APPENDIX F
APPENDIX G
APPENDIX H
APPENDIX I
APPENDIX J
APPENDIX K
APPENDIX L
APPENDIX M
APPENDIX N
(03/96)
SPD 100, Crime Report
SPD 104, Additional Person/Suspect Vehicle
SPD 105, Report Supplement
SPD 110, Property Supplement
SPD 103, Motor Vehicle Report (Stolen)
SPD 188, Vehicle Recovery/Storage/Inventory
SPD 107, Incident/Information Report
SPD 113, Field Contact Report
SPD 779, Officer's Booking/Field Receipt
SPD 780, Officer's Booking/Field Receipt Supplement
SPD 136, Missing Persons Report
Arrest Report
SPD 102, Reclass/Unfounded/Clear Up
SPD 152 Medical/Child Release Authorization(s):
i
FOREWORD
To prepare Police Reports of high quality, employees must effectively (
combine interviewing, investigative and writing skills with knowledge of
the people who are in the justice system.
Successful interviews require knowledge of laws and policies, methods to
keep people focused and techniques to detect deception.
Investigation is the product of curiosity, diligence and objectivity.
Knowledge of the justice system begins with an awareness of the
responsibilities and capabilities of the various functional units within
the Department and extends to an understanding of the roles played by
other members of the justice community. The better writers know about
the people who will read the Police Report, what information the various
readers need and what they will do with it.
elements will be able to produce Police
accurate, objective and clearly written.
able to produce Police Reports which are
responsibilities of those of read them.
Writers who master all these
Reports which are factual,
More important, they will be
supportive of the duties and (
ii
(
INTRODUCTION
The Report Writing Manual, RM 524.02, has been prepared to provide
employees with basic information to enable them to prepare Police Reports
which are factual, accurate, objective, and clearly written. Because the
entire justice system must rely on our accounts of events and
circumstances which affect the lives and livelihood of our citizens,
Police Reports are the most significant documents we prepare.
Police Reports must be factual. Facts assert and verify the truth.
Police Reports may contain opinions and conclusions, but they must
clearly identify opinions and conclusions as either those of the person
being interviewed or of the employee.
Decisions to arrest, search
or
Police Reports must be accurate.
otherwise suspend freedoms continuously hinge on facts and evidence
documented in Police Reports. Determinations of how to properly protect
the community or equitably settle controversy are based on information
contained in Police Reports.
Police Reports must be objective. Our contribution to truth and fairness
in the justice system is most often expressed in our Police Reports.
Impartiality to all members of the community is paramount to
professionalism and must be reflected in our Police Reports.
Police Reports must be clearly written. Time wasted by any employee on
problems created by substandard Police Reports is time not spent
providing essential services to other employees or the public.
This
Because we constantly prepare a high volume of Police Reports, it is
appropriate that we be evaluated on their quality. Our written work
product is the foundation of our reputation among our peers.
applies to the Department as a member of the justice community, as well
as to each of us as individuals. We must, therefore, as individuals and
a Department, set and maintain standards for Police Reports which are
reflective of their importance to the citizens we serve. This manual is
ntended to establish such a standard.
iii
(03/96)
REPORT WRITING MANUAL
CHAPTER-THE CRIME REPORT