Writing and Reporting Skills

Concerned Subject

• Facts in a report should be verified by witnesses, official records, or reliable sources.

Pre-writing Steps

• GRO (Gather, Record, Organize) helps in gathering and recording facts, and organizing them properly.
• Use templates and answer the 5Ws and 1H to ensure all necessary information is collected.

Writing Process

• Evaluating is the stage where the written work is reviewed for content and form.

Content Evaluation

• Good writing should have accuracy, clarity, conciseness, objectivity, and completeness.

Report Writing Process

• The first officer at the scene of the crime has the best opportunity to conduct interviews.
• Note-taking is crucial to record specific details such as names, dates of birth, serial numbers, addresses, and phone numbers.

Report Writing Stages

• Pre-writing involves any activity that takes place before the actual writing of the draft.

Guidelines for Report Writing

• Completeness: The report should include all relevant facts of the incident as witnessed by victims and witnesses.
• Brevity: The report should be concise and omit unnecessary information.
• Fairness/Objectivity/Factual: The report should be based on facts and verified theories.
• Avoid Opinions: Opinions, inferences, suppositions, or hearsay should not be reported.
• Objectivity: The investigation should be unbiased and not influenced by emotion, personal prejudice, or opinion.
• Specificity: The report should be precise and specific, avoiding misleading ideas.
• Promptness: The report should be completed and submitted in a timely manner.