Policy Text
CATEGORY DATE ADOPTED LAST REVIEW
2 01/24/2011 12/01/201 7
TUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT
STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES
CP344 - Report Writing 1 CP344 REPORT WRITING
CP344.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE
This procedure establishes guidelines for writing Police Reports includ ing supplemental reports.
CP344.2 ACCREDITATION STANDARDS
This section pertains to the following CALEA standards: 82.2.1
This procedure pertains to the following General Orders: §344
CP344.3 PROCEDURE
Police Officer s or Police Service s Officer s complete many reports. The Tustin Police
Department currently enters these reports into the RMS system when the reports are
completed. A typical report will consist of several pages which will include at a minimum, a face
page or suspect page and a narrative. Other pages may include a property page, additional
name s page, a vehicle report page, a photo log page etc.
CP344.4 REPORT WRITING BASICS
There are two acceptable ways to complete the narrative portion of a report at the Tustin Police
Department. Narrative r eports are generally typed using computers and others are handwritten.
If reports are handwritten, it is important to use block print letters and make an effort to be neat
so the work is clearly legible. Excessive mistakes, white out or erasure marks may require the
report to be rewritte n and submitted with the corrections. When typing reports on the computer it
is not necessary to type in all capital letters. Prior to turning in any report or form, ensure that
the spelling and or grammar have been checked and all corrections have been m ade. The
remainder of forms used by the Tustin Police Department are generally “fill in the box ” type
pages and are handwritten.
CP344.4.1 IDENTIFYING DESCRIPTORS
When writing narratives , it is important to refer to the individual by the identifying descriptor (i.e.
Suspect/ Victim/ Witness) proceeded by the person’s last name. Unless otherwise necessary to
clarify your report, referring to the descriptor and name in this fashion is only required once in
the beginning of the report, then that person can continue to be referred to by last name only. If
two individuals share a common last name, it is acceptable to refer to them by descriptor (i.e.
Suspect/ Victim/ Witness) proceeded by their first name, last name. After the descriptor a nd
their name have been established, you can continue referring to them by first name unless
doing so would cause confusion with the reader.
CATEGORY DATE ADOPTED LAST REVIEW
2 01/24/2011 12/01/201 7
TUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT
STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES
CP344 - Report Writing 2 CP344.4.2 CONFIDENTIAL VICTIM(S)/ PERSON
When referring to a Confidential Victim and /or Person, the accepted met hod is to omit the name
from the report and insert the word “Victim” in its place . If referring to two confidential victims ,
place their corresponding identifying number after the Victim (i.e., Victim #1) .
a) Active vs. Passive - When completing narratives, officer’s observations should be
completed using first person as opposed to third person which is often confusing and
difficult to follow and understand. Documentation of witness/ victim/ suspect , etc.
statements should be documented in the thi rd person.
b) Below are some examples:
1) I asked suspect Smith what he stole from the store (Active);
2) Suspect #2 was asked what was taken from the store (Passive);
3) Victim Jones told me that she parked and locked her vehicle (Active);
4) Jones indicated that all the doors were locked when she parked (Passive).
CP344.4.3 NARRATIVE FORMAT
The header of each page in the narrative report should include our agency, case number, crime
and preparing officer. For example:
Tustin Police Depart ment
Crime Report
PC 187(a) -Murder
CR# 10 -00001
Officer M. Jones
The body of the narrative should be formatted in chronological order beginning with the call type
received and the actions taken in response. If writing a report regarding an i ncident not
dispatched but rather observed , the report should begin with the officer’s actions when this
incident was drawn to attention . A typical dispatched report will consist of the following areas :
the “Call Type” or “Incident” that the officers were dispatched to.
For example , on 01/0 5/2010 at 0735 hours I was dispatched to 1234 6th
St. on the report of a burglary that had occurred the night prior.
CP344.4.4 VICTIM/WITNESS STATEMENT
This is not necessarily a verbatim quote of what the victim said rather , an accurate summary
describing in detail the incident as seen by the Victim. If needed, verbatim quotes may be added
to the narrative.
For example , Victim Jones told me the following statement in summary.
Jones told me he parked and locked his 1999 Chevrolet Tahoe on the
CATEGORY DATE ADOPTED LAST REVIEW
2 01/24/2011 12/01/201 7
TUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT
STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES
CP344