L3 – Unit 2-5: Report Types

• Narrative Report:
  • Written from the information gathered in the officer’s field notes. Factually based and should not include opinion, prejudice, or bias.
  • Narrative reports should amount to a short, concise summary of the incident, and should be written in everyday language for all to understand.

• Pre-Printed:
  • This is a “fill-in-the-blank” type report. Many have check-boxes, and these types of reports may or may not have an area to write a summary of events.

After your report has been complete:

• Proofread the report to ensure:
  • that all information has been added and is accurate and complete
  • that the report flows with the timeline of the incident
  • that the report can be understood by others
  • that the Who, What Where, When, Why and How are covered