MARYLAND POLICE AND CORRECTIONAL TRAINING COMMISSIONS LESSON PLAN COURSE TITLE: Police Officer Training LESSON TITLE: Report Writing PREPARED BY: Lawrence Smith DATE: April 2 2015 TIME FRAME Hours: 6 hours over 3 sessions Session 1 is 1.75 hours; the remaining 4 Sessions are each 3.5 hours. Day/Time: PARAMETERS Audience: Police Of?cers Number: 50 Space: Classroom PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES 7.1 Describe the citizensljuveniles and police office rs. 7.2 Identify policy andlor procedure to be followed by an Individual officer releasing information concerning police matters. 7.2.1 Identify agencies or individuals who may use police slang, and howthey may be used, such as administration, supervisors, attorneys, courts. and media. 7.2.2 Identify the content ofvarious types of language. 7.2.3 Identify the process to release citizens. 7.4 Demonstrate ability to perform under hostile pressure. 7.4.1 Identify the minimum communication when dealing with the public. 7.4.2 Identify uses of officer?s stance and dialogue. ASSESSMENT TECHNIQUE 1. Identify characteristics as essential to dealing with public. 2. Identify questions that should be answered in talking to hostile juveniles 3. Given mock situations which require police action. PCTC Lesson Plan Page 2 INSTRUCTOR MATERIALS Overheads Videotapes: Slides Posters Documents: _X_Lesson Plans: There are four companion Lesson Plans and PowerPoint Presentations that supplement this overview. Each companion Lesson Plan and PowerPoint reiterates the Course Objectives in speci?c areas within this overview. They are attached and labeled by Session and time needed for instruction. EQUIPMENTISUPPLIED NEEDED WFlipchart Stands Player _Flipchart Markers Point CD __Televisions _Video show _Overhead Projector _Pr0jector Screen . _Videotape Player STUDENT HANDOUTS Needed Title RW06 RW07 Guide Study Guide Study Guide Study Guide Study Guide Prepared Witness Statement Prepared Witness Statement and Added Information ?Narrative Writing? from PPT Session 2 Presentations: Report Characteristics and Qualities Basic Description - Basic Interrogatives - Field Interviews - Report Considerations Session 3 Presentations: - Police Report Writing Narrative Writing Session 4 Presentations - Witness Statements Application I Charging Documents Session 5 Presentation Statement of Probable Cause PCTC Lesson Plan Page 5 Lecture w/slide presentation, Practical Report Writing Exercise REFERENCES 0 International Association of Chiefs of Police, Training Key Volume 11, Keys 260 and 263 0 Howard County Police Department Lesson Plan Interview and Interrogation, 1996 For The Record: Report Writing In Law Enforcement 6th Edition; Hess, Karen M. Innovative Systems Publishers, Inc. 2008 GENERAL COMMENTS led Ex erien ill 0 Basic sentence, grammar and narrative report writing skills 0 Communication and interviewing skills - Note?taking abilities - Identifying community resources 0 Agency policy procedures - Primary police patrol functions and responsibilities 0 Application and interpretation of Criminal Law LESSON PLAN TITLE: Report Writing Session 1 (1.75 hours) PRESENTATION GUIDE TRAINER NOTES I. ANTICIPATORY SET Time 0:10 PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES Reference Guide II. INSTRUCTIONAL INPUT (CONTENT) Time 5:00 Living Document Begin Powerpoint - Every day an Of?cer works adds a new chapter Slide #2 to the ?Living Document? of Police Work. Clear Communication is key to mastering the art Video: Example 0f01631? of Report Writing. communication 1. Introduction to Police Report Writing A. Purposes of police reports Police reports become the collective memory of the agency. In whatever form they take hard paper copy, computer disk or tape, audio/video recordings they establish for as long as records are kept, the performance history of the agency. 1. Police reports are permanent Slide 3 of?cial records of law OBJ 07-05-09 enforcement activity taken during the investigation of crimes or incidents. 2. Reports document all law enforcement operations to include patrol activity, special operations, surveillance observations and arrests. 3. Reports record facts, actions, statements and observations; i.e. details of crime scenes, location of evidence, witness information, identi?cation of other of?cers present at scenes. II. Uses of Police Reports Since police? reports in one form or another are generated by every functional unit in the agency, they are sought by a variety of organizations As police agencies become active partners with their communities, requests for information increase. When reports are created, it is not always clear who will have access to it. It becomes critical that the writer write each report as if it will be read by judges, Supreme Court Justices, newspaper editors, civic leaders and supervisors. A. Reports serve as source documents for the ?ling of criminal charges. B. They provide information useful to the prosecutor in preparing for trial. 1. Reports used by both prosecutors and defense attorneys to prepare their cases. 2. Successful prosecution is based on presentation of facts. 3. Which must logically convince a judge or juror that a crime occurred and the accused is responsible. 4. The report is the statement of those facts and must include all the elements of the crime and support the charges against the accused. 5. Officer?s report may be a primary resource used by the prosecutor and therefore, if it is incomplete or inaccurate, could jeopardize the case. 6. Of?cers? who are preparing to go to criminal court, should confer with the prosecutor and ensure that the prosecutor has copies of all relevant reports on the case and review them with the prosecutor. Slide 4 OBJ. 07.09.05 PISR quote OBJ 07.01 Slide 5 OBJ 07.01 Slide 6 C. They aid other police agencies which are Slide 7 involved in similar or related offenses. D. Reports form the basis of crime analysis and criminal trends and provide information which can be shared with the community. E. They aid in establishing beat OBJ 07.02.01 con?gurations, manpower deployment and patrol assignments which are more responsive to the needs of the community. F. Reports assist with the identi?cation, Slide 8 apprehension and prosecution of criminals. G. They are used by supervisors and administrators when evaluating performance or transfer requests. H. They help of?cers prepare for testimony by refreshing their recollection. I. Reports are routinely provided to media representatives. Slide 9 Ef?netions of Reports Generally speaking, police OBJ 07.02.01 reports are matters of public record. With some restrictions, they are available for review by those who have legitimate need. However, by their very nature, some reports are likely to be a value to a select group or agency. TYPES . Law enforcement reports can be classi?ed into two major groups: . Administrative Operational . Administrative reports deal with routine functioning of the agency or department. 1. Operational reports deal with the activities of law enforcement of?cers. A. Crime Incident reports are the of?cial record of criminal investigations. As With arrest reports, they have value to OBJ 07.02.02 prosecutors, defense attorneys, other criminal iustice agencies and the media. Slide 10 Record facts. Identify witnesses, victims, complainants, law enforcement personnel and other investigative contacts. Include statements of involved parties. Record officer?s observations and actions. Document descriptions and locations of physical evidence. Identify and value stolen/damaged property. Record types and locations of injuries and wounds. Generally has two parts: a. Fill-in, and b. Narrative sections Arrest Reports are completed to document taking a person into police custody to answer to a criminal charge. 1. 2. Includes names, aliases, nicknames. Contains complete physical description of arrested person. Identi?es accomplices and others present at the arrest scene. Documents circumstances of the arrest and lists the criminal charges. Used as an investigative lead to locate a person wanted for subsequent crimes. Agency speci?c reports may be used in another form to record taking a juvenile into custody or for motor vehicle related offenses. OBJ 07.02.02 Slide 11 OBJ 07.02.02 Accident Reports Accident investigation reports are standardized for ease of data-entry. These reports are used by traf?c engineers, insurance companies, automotive engineers and other police agencies. 1. Accident Report Uses Standardized form insures data will be useable by police departments, traf?c engineers, insurance companies and other interested agencies throughout the state. Useful to report accidents that are not normally investigated. Narrative is kept to a minimum with most ?elds requiring only coded entries. Agency policy determines when standardized accident reports are used in lieu of departmental incident reports. Basis for accident analysis and engineering changes. Event Speci?c Reports Some crimes or incidents receive particular attention and require either a separate report or a specially designed report. 1. Some agencies utilize separate specialized reports for certain crimes, such as crimes against persons, sex offenses, vehicle theft, child abuse, domestic violence, hatefbias crimes, etc. Event speci?c reports document detailed information from which a thorough victimfvvitness assistance follow-up can be conducted. Generally, only cosmetic differences exist between incident reports of different departments. Slide 12 Slide 13 Slide 14 All incident reports require the same basic information. Specialized reports normal-1y follow a clearly established distribution to ensure they are received by the appropriate support agency. a. Effective follow-up requires prompt noti?cation to allied agencies. b. Reporting requirements may differ from one incident to another, but all require prompt submission of initial report. c. Incidents that are of most concern to the public, i.e. hate/bias, domestic violence, child abuse, etc., require particular diligence when investigating and reporting. Administrative Reports Administrative reports are generated for various reasons in the normal course of police business. 1. Memoranda used for internal communications. Requests for leave, special assignment, transfer. Replies to citizen inquiries, complaints. Slide 14 continued Slide 15 Slide 16 10 H. Police reports are considered the same as business records as exceptions to the hearsay rule and are subject to the same restrictions. 1. True test copies are generally introduced into evidence rather than original documents. Records/reports can be introduced by the author or by the of?cial custodian of records (Record Section Supervisor). Reports can be read verbatim as proffer testimony. Report Con?dentiality Of?cers are cautioned to be familiar with agency policy and the law as they relate to the release of information. 1. Identification of juveniles charged as delinquents is con?dential. If a juvenile is ?waived? to adult court, he or she is then treated the same as an adult. Victims of sex crimes have no legal claim to anonymity, but as a general rule, media have elected to insure their privacy. Criminal suspects are identified only by description until formal charges are placed by warrant or indictment. Information Release 1. Of?cers cannot release information that is in the custody of another criminal justice/public agency unless it is required as part of the investigation. Slide 17 OBJ 07.05.09 Slide 18 Slide 19 OBJ 07.02.03 11 IX. Requests for driving records or registration information are frequently made. by friends, relatives or business people. a. Release of the MVA information can only be made by the Motor Vehicle Administration (custodian of the records) after a formal request by the person wanting the information. Criminal history data is another frequent request and is likewise protected by law. Signi?cant civil penalties can be assessed against any public of?cial (including police of?cers) who release information without authority. When in doubt, don?t give it out! Refer requests to the Record Division or confer with your supervisor. Report Characteristics and Qualities Reports may differ as to type and purpose, but all must possess the same characteristics and qualities. A. Accurate and Factual 1. Only factual data as known to the reporting of?cer should be included. 2. Accuracy is the paramount characteristic of a police report. 3. All data should be checked and veri?ed before report is submitted. Slide 19 cont. OBJ 07.02.03 Slide 20 OBJ 07.05.04 Slide 21 OBJ 07.05.04 12 Names should be properly spelled, numbers double checked and locations veri?ed. Reports come under intense scrutiny prior to trial and inaccurate data becomes a source of attack for the defense and an embarrassment for the of?cer and prosecutor. Since courts accept reports at face value, it is imperative that they not contain false or inaccurate data. Of?cers submitting false reports can face internal administrative charges. Oral testimony that contradicts written reports can create serious problems at trial. It is important to community members to have their involvement accurately portrayed in a police report. Concise 1. Rambling narratives make understanding dif?cult. Including only factual data helps eliminate unnecessary information. Reports should be brief and to the point Without ?ourish and embellishment. Brevity should not achieved at the expense of other characteristics. Slides 21-22 Slide 23 OBJ 07.05.04 13 C. 1. Clear All relevant details must be included as it is not possible to predict which might be the essential link between suspect and crime. Complete reports should answer the basic interrogatives and leave nothing to the reader? imagination. Reports must include all the elements of the reported offense. Identi?cations should be by name rather than function (ex: ?Lab Technician Matthew Brady responded and photographed the scene?, rather than ?the scene was photographed by a lab technician?) Clarity can be achieved by using appropriate language and organization. Information should be organized logically, sequenced in the manner in which it was obtained or the investigation proceeded. Information should not create doubt nor should it create additional questions. Language should be simple and easily understood. Plain English, no jargon, slang or profanity unless it is part of a necessary quote. Technical, scienti?c or medical terms should be avoided unless their inclusion is absolutely necessary and their meaning generally understood. Write to inform, not impress; you?ll be more successful with the former than with the latter. Slide 24 OBJ 07.05.04 Slide 25 OBJ 07.05.04 OBJ 07.05.06 l4 Legible 1. In the age of computers and word processors it is hard to imagine submitting reports that are illegible. Hand written reports, while acceptable by most departments, must be easily read with a minimum number of corrections. Generous use of correcting ?uid should prompt a report to be rewritten. Police reports re?ect the people writing them and should be a ?nished copy ready for scrutiny. Objective 1. Since reports are factual documents they should be free of bias, opinions, conclusions, judgments must be avoided. A report that is biased inhibits impartiality and casts suspicion on the investigation. Readers should be able to draw their own inferences from the factual data reported by the of?cer. Citizens are entitled to objective, unbiased reporting of events, incidents and crimes. If an of?cer is compelled to include an opinion in any report, it must be clearly identi?ed as such and include a signi?cant reason for its inclusion in the report. Opinions can be challenged and refuted and can Show a bias or prejudice. Slide 26 OBJ 07.05.04 Slide 27 OBJ 07.05.04 OBJ 07.05.07 15 A complete report should be- able to provide answers for each of the basic interrogatives, who, what, when, where, how and why. A. M9. 1. Complainants, victims, suspects, witnesses, etc. 2. Involved of?cers and police personnel by title and name. 3. Reporting person. 4. Recovered evidence, located evidence. 5. Was present at the scene before and during the incident. 6. Known associates, relatives of suspects who might provide investigative leads? B. 1. The elements of the offense, crime. 2. Actions of victims, suspects, witnesses, etc. 3. Events that took place. 4. Actions of investigator and assisting of?cers. 5. Evidence was located, weapon used. 6. Injuries, wounds. 7 . Property that was stolenfdamaged. C. When 1. Time incident occurred. 2. Time it was reported. 3. Time officer(s) arrived at scene. 4. Time suspect was arrested. 5. Includes time frame between then and now Slide 28 OBJ 07.05.05 Slides 29?35 OBJ 07.05.05 detailed in Slides 29-35. l6 Where Was the crime committed. Was evidence located. Location of point of entry. Location of wounds, injuries, marks, scars, tattoos. 5. Address of witnesses, suspects, etc. 6. Location of critical importance when establishing venue or jurisdiction. ewme 1. Method used to commit crime (modus operandi). 2. Suspect made a getaway (vehicle, on foot). 3. Police heard about the incident. 4. Route of escape which might reveal additional witnesses. 5. Was crime discovered? Intent of crime (motive) (Can not always be determined). Witnesses? reluctance to provide information. A particular person was a victim (victimology). E"l 5" FE Action Taken 1. Crime scene processed? 2. Interviews conducted? 3. Witness statements taken? 4. Anything that was done by you or other parties to bring the event to a satisfactory conclusion. l7 Field Interviews XI. Field Interviews A. For most of?cers, it takes a long time to develop expert interviewing skills. Interviews associated with some investigations can be especially dif?cult if there is a high level of emotional involvement on the part of the of?cer and/or the interviewee. With practice and time, of?cers can develop excellent basic interviewing skills, which will assist them in conducting professional, thorough and successful interviews. In addition to the techniques contained in this section, of?cers are reminded to always be professional. Of?cers should introduce themselves at the beginning of the interview, be polite and be good active listeners. It is often helpful to explain the purpose of the contact. Safety is also important. Of?cers should position themselves about an arms length away from the interviewee, while maintaining good balance with their weight evenly distributed on both feet. The of?cer?s gun side should be turned away from the interviewee, with their body positioned at a 45 degree angle. While it is necessary to give attention to the interviewee, an awareness of the overall environment should also be maintained. Be reminded that an interview is. a verbal dialogue between an officer and a victimfwitnessiinvestigative contact. The police of?cer attempts to learn information about an event through the use of open ended and speci?c questions. Slide 36 (image and title only) OBJ 07.04 18 XII. Interview Subjects: - Victim I Witness 0 Complainant Field Interview Technigues The primary subjects of a ?eld interview are: A. Victim . Depending on the nature of the crime, a victim interview can be businesslike or a dif?cult experience. It is important to remain calm and act in a professional, empathetic manner when dealing with an emotional victim. It is often helpful to explain to the person the reason for the interview; to explain that you must fully understand the circumstances of the event before you can take police action. Be careful not to become overly sympathetic with the victim. Doing so may cause you to lose your impartiality and fairness during the investigation. B. Witness 1. Often a. witness. does not realize the value of the information they have relative :to the event. Your job is to. draw out. the exact details which are not volunteered by the witness. Do not construe their failure to provide details as lack of cooperation. You must remember that, chances are, you know a lot more about the event, or related events, than the witness. Sometimes information is not volunteered because the Slide 37 (Images of various people) l9 witness is uncertain about its relatedness and fears embarrassment. C. Complainant l. The: complainant is not necessarily a witness to an event. They may have contacted the police to report a suspicious noise or person, and may have no knowledge that a crime has occurred. The complainant, just like a witness, may not understand the value of the information they possess. The same guidelines that apply to witnesses should be applied here. D. Interview Steps 1. Separate all individuals you intend to interview. Choose one person to begin; select a quiet, private setting, and explain the reason for the interview. Ask the interviewee what happened, and allow them to explain their account of the event. Be a good listener, and use the time to evaluate the information for its value to your investigation. When the interviewee is ?nished, direct them back to the beginning and recount the information one piece at a time. Take notes as the conversation progresses. Ask for expanded details where needed. Review your notes with the interviewee to ensure that you have accurately recorded their version and perspective of the event. Slide 38-39 OBJ 07.04.04 20 5 . Make certain that you understand all of the information before concluding the interview. 6. Note information which should be veri?ed after the interview. This can be accomplished by comparing information from a variety of interviewees, and by consulting with knowledgeable sources outside the investigation. Recording the Inte?ie? A. Written notes should be taken by the interviewing of?cer during any interview. The notes should document what was said. Equipment that facilitates ?eld note taking for the police of?cer include a ball point pen, note book and a watch to be able to verify the date and the time that the interview began and ended. After listening to the interviewees version of an event, note taking. can begin with a review of what the interviewee stated. Go over the entire event chronologically and document each piece of information. The notes Should be orderly, legible and thorough. By being an attentive listener during the interviewee?s ?rst account of the event, it is more likely that the individual will provide all of the information they possess. If they perceive that you are not listening because you are focused on note taking, they may feel slighted, and end the interview. 21 Don?t: C. It is possible to use your notes as an adopted statement from the- interviewee. This is done by having the person read your notes, or you reading the notes to them. If the interviewee concurs that your notes are an accurate account of what they said, have the individual :sign at the end of the notes. The notes can be admitted during court proceedings to verify the. person?s truthfulness. D. Written Statements: On occasion a written statement is obtained as a means of documenting a person?s statement. The following are guidelines: Hand the individual a statement form, wait for them to complete it, collect it and turn it in with the report. Tell them what to write. Leave the form with them to ?ll out later and return another time. Remain with the individual while they complete the form. Review the written statement and compare it with information provided by the same person during the verbal interview. Review the written statement with the person to identify areas where vital information may have been left out. Write questions asked and answers given at the end of the statement so as to include missing information or to clarify or expand on the statement. Slide 40 22 XIV. Figld Note Taking (Some equipment to help with Field Note Taking are pen, watch, note pad, etc.) A. Characteristics Even with modern technology; in-car computers, word processors, electronic recording, of?cers are in no position to write their reports during the investigation. Reports still must be written after the fact (sometimes long after the fact) and thus will rely on memory or ?eld notes as their basis of information. Of the two, only ?eld notes can ensure any accuracy. 1. Notations concern speci?c events that are recorded while fresh in the investigators mind of the super six - who, what, when, where, how and why? 2. Individual formats which are comfortable to follow still contain essential information. a. b. Names, locations, dates, times, etc. Case or incident number, type of incident, time of dispatch and arrival. Statements, key phrases, direct quotations. Notations are fragmented pieces of data that are collected without prior judgment as to their value or inclusion in the report. Information from unrelated investigations must be recorded on separate pages or sheets of paper to avoid including wrong data in the reports. Slide 41 Slide 42 Slide 43 OBJ 07.04.01 23 Uses of ?eld notes 1. Field notes serve as the basis for the formally written incident or crime report. Aids in interviewing since they can be written as information is obtained and are less distracting than trying to complete an incident report. Taking copious notes at the scene eliminates the need to re-contact involved persons to get forgotten details; a situation which can be disconcerting to victims and witnesses or indicate a poorly organized investigation. Field notes can be used as an aid to testimony since they were written contemporaneously to the investigation and are accurate re?ections of an of?cer?s actions. When used as a memory jogger, they are subject to the scrutiny of the court and examination by the defense council. Extraneous information should be left out of the ?eld notebook lest it detract from the relevance of the notes. Inconsistencies between ?eld notes and the police report can cause signi?cant problems for the prosecution since the report was presumably based on the ?eld notes. Field notes, to be used by witness of?cer, must be in the witness officer?s own handwriting. Of?cers cannot testify from another of?cer?s ?eld notes since that would constitute hearsay. Slide 44 OBJ 07.04.02 Slide 45 OBJ 07.04.02 24 XV. A. If the verb is modi?ed by was as in the knife was found by, you can be sure it is in the passive voice. Better to write ?Off. Doright found the knife? which puts the statement in the active voice and makes clear who did what. MW Plan ahead 1. Report should be organized in your head before trying to write it down. a. First drafts without prior- 2. Rules of grammar still apply. a. 3. Reports should contain a series of paragraphs rather than one the goes for several pages. 4. Be prepared to rewrite if ?rst effort is less than acceptable. planning rarely turn out as acceptable reports. Maj or incidents can be lost on poorly planned reports that are fragmented, disorganized or unclear. Sentence structure, punctuation, syntax are all relevant to reports. Sentences should be simple rather than complex, yet they should be varied for easier reading. Narrative should be written in the active voice rather than passive, for clarity. (1)Person doing the action generally precedes the verb. Slide 46 Slide 47 25 Do not submit a faulty report because you are too lazy to write it over. Excellence does not come without effort. Language of police reports should be simple, understood by all. a. Avoid using scienti?c, legal and unnecessary technical terms. Using terms such as paranoid, drunk and punk rocker are descriptive, judgmental generalizations and may not be readily understood by all who read the report. Use of such terms can show a bias by the writer. Likewise, opinions are to be left out of police reports unless absolutely necessary and clearly identi?ed as such. Obscenities are permitted only if part of an actual quote as the words and phrasing may have some investigative signi?cance. Routine Obscenities are no more welcome in reports than they are in conversations with the public. Remember who potentially has access to your report. Slide 48 OBJ 07.05.06 OBJ 07.05.06 OBJ 07.05.06 26 B. Con?dential Information Slide 49 1. To protect involved parties, OBJ 07.01 of?cers are responsible for maintaining the con?dentiality of information contained in their police reports. a. Care should be taken not to leave a report in a vehicle or other location where it could be read by unauthorized persons. b. The report should be turned in as soon as it is completed. 0. Draft copies should be shredded rather than discarded in the trash. 2. Supervisors bear the same responsibility while reviewing and approving reports. 3. Juveniles - delinquents information contacted in police reports, particularly the identi?cation is con?dential. 4. Ultimately, the Record Section Supervisor is responsible for maintaining a secure storage facility where the report cannot be accessed by unauthorized individuals. XVI Pr ct] IE 8 Slide 51 Exercise 1 Staged Instructor Scenario Two subjects enter the classroom and begin yelling at each other, acting OBJ 07-04, (.01), (.02), (03), disruptive, challenging the current instructor, then leave. 07'05? Purpose of Exercise: Gauge student?s ability to observe, interpret and record an eventaccurately. 27 Homework 1 - Using Rw01 Blank statement the students must write a descriptive narrative on observing the Staged Instructor Scenario. XI Depending upon agency policy and procedure, it may be helpful to explain the different requirements of various reports such as: homicide, rape, burglary, unattended death, etc. It is envisioned that several additional hours will be spent having recruits prepare selected incident and crime reports as part of this or other training units. As a minimum, each recruit must prepare a complete report based on a mock situation. (Reference Objective #008). LESSON PLAN TITLE: Report Writing Session 2 (3.5 hours) PRESENTATION GUIDE TRAINER NOTES I. ANT ICIPATORY SET Time 2:00 Lesson Objectives (Slide 1) II. INSTRUCTIONAL INPUT (CONTENT) Time 0:00 0 Session 2 0 Report Characteristics and Qualities 0 Basic Descriptions 0 Interrogatives 0 Field Interviews Repg? and Qualities: Reports may differ as to type and purpose, but all must possess the same characteristics and qualities. Begin PowerPoint Slide 1 Slide 2 OBJ 07.05.04 28 Accurate and Factual Slide 3-4 El Only factual data as known to the OBJ 0735.04 reporting of?cer should be included. CI Accuracy is the paramount characteristic of a police report. All data should be checked and veri?ed before report is submitted. Names should be properly spelled, numbers double checked and locations veri?ed. Reports come under intense scrutiny prior to trial and inaccurate data becomes a source of attack for the defense and an embarrassment for the of?cer and prosecutor. El Since courts accept reports at face value, it is imperative that they not contain false or inaccurate data. El Of?cers submitting false reports can face internal administrative charges. Oral testimony that contradicts written reports can create serious problems at trial. It is important to community members to have their involvement accurately portrayed in a police report. 0 Concise El Rambling narratives make Slide 5 understanding dif?cult. El Including only factual data helps OBJ 07'05'04 eliminate unnecessary information. 29 El Reports should be brief and to the point without ?ourish and embellishment. El Brevity should not achieved at the expense of other characteristics. 0 Complete El All relevant details must be included as it is not possible to predict which might be the essential link between suspect and crime. Complete reports should answer the basic interrogatives and leave nothing to the reader?s imagination. Reports must include all the elements of the reported offense. Identi?cations should be by name rather than function (ex: ?Lab Technician Matthew Brady responded and photographed the scene?, rather than ?the scene was photographed by a lab technician?) Clarity can be achieved by using appropriate language and organization. Information should be organized logically, sequenced in the manner in which it was obtained or the investigation proceeded. Information should-not create doubt nor should it create additional questions. Language should be simple and easily understood. Plain English, no jargon, slang or profanity unless it is part of a necessary quote. Slide 5 cont. Slide 6 OBJ 07.05.04 Slide 7 OBJ 07.05.04 OBJ 07.05.06 30 El Technical, scienti?c or medical terms should be avoided unless their inclusion is absolutely necessary and their meaning generally understood. Write to inform, not impress; you?ll be more successful with the former than with the latter. 0 Legible . El In the age of computers and word Shde 8 processors it is hard to imagine OBJ 07-05-04 submitting reports that are illegible. Hand written reports, while acceptable by most departments, must be easily read with a minimum number of corrections. El Generous use of correcting ?uid should prompt a report to be rewritten. El Police reports re?ect the people writing them and should be a ?nished copy ready for scrutiny. 0 Objective Slide 9 El Since reports are factual OB 07.05.04 documents they should be free of bias, opinions, conclusions, judgments must be avoided. El A report that is biased inhibits impartiality and casts suspicion on the investigation. El Readers should be able to draw their own inferences from the factual data reported by the of?cer. Citizens are entitled to objective, unbiased reporting of events, incidents and crimes. El If an of?cer is compelled to include an opinion in any report, OBJ 07.05.07 it must be clearly identi?ed as 31 such and include a signi?cant reason for its inclusion in the report. El Opinions can be challenged and refuted and can show a bias or prejudice. Basic Descriptions (Title) The purpose for a ?Description? is to eliminate the broad ?eld of possibilities and allow the focus to narrow on a particular person or thing. People race, gender, height, weight, hair/facial, wearing. (red jacket, blue jeans, tennis shoes, and an Oriole baseball cap) Vehicle Color, year, make, model, describe number of doors, damage, equipment, (MD registration BIL 123) The more attributes, qualities or details that can be obtained in reference to describing a person or thing, the. more likely to create a ?uniquely identi?able? ?lter that eliminates other potential variables, and hones in on the ONE person or thing. 0 People Example Satisfying the standard descriptors, but including things like scars, marks, or tattoos. 0 Vehicle Example Satisfying the standard descriptors, but including things like damage, light patterns, stickers, or interior items. Practical Ex i 0:00 minute Exercise 1 Basic Description techniques. Using the Image in the PPT as focal point and every student must write a description of the subject using Handout RW05, the description blank note taking sheet Slide 10 Image Pirate for basic exercise OBJ 07.04.03 Slide 11 OBJ 07.04.03 Slide 12 OBJ 07.04.03 Slide 13 Image Kevin Spacey from ?Usual Suspects? movie. 32 Mamm? A complete report should be able to provide answers for each of the basic interrogatives, who, What, when, where, how and why. 0 Who UBDEID Complainants, victims, suspects, witnesses, etc. Involved of?cers and police personnel by title and name. Reporting person. Recovered evidence, located evidence. Was present at the scene before and during the incident. Known associates, relatives of suspects who might provide investigative leads? The elements of the offense, crime. Actions of victims, suspects, witnesses, etc. Events that took place. Actions of investigator and assisting officers. Evidence was located, weapon used. Injuries, wounds. Property that was stolenfdamaged. Time incident occurred. Time it was reported. Time of?cer(s) arrived at scene. Time suspect was arrested. Includes time frame between then and now Slide 14 OBJ 07.05.05 Video Copper Clappers Slides 15~21 OBJ 07.05.05 detailed in Slides 15-21. 33 0 Where Was the crime committed. Was evidence located. Location of point of entry. Location of wounds, injuries, marks, scars, tattoos. Address of witnesses, suspects, etc. Location of critical importance when establishing venue or jurisdiction. El El Method used to commit crime (modus operandi). Suspect made a getaway (vehicle, on foot). Police heard about the incident. Route of escape which might reveal additional witnesses. Was crime discovered? UBDEID Intent of crime (motive) (Can not always be determined). Witnesses? reluctance to provide information. A particular person was a victim (victimology). a Band3 0 Action Taken Crime scene processed? Interviews conducted? Witness statements taken? Anything that was done by you or other parties to bring the event to a satisfactory conclusion. 34 Field Interviews Slide 22 (image and title only) 0 Field Interviews OBJ 07.04 0 For most of?cers, it takes. a long time to develop expert interviewing skills. Interviews associated with some investigations can be especially dif?cult if there is a high level of emotional involvement on the part of the of?cer and/ or the interviewee. 0 With practice and time, of?cers can develop excellent basic interviewng skills, which will assist them in conducting professional, thorough and successful interviews. 0 In addition to the techniques contained in this section, of?cers are reminded: to always be professional. Of?cers should introduce themselves at the beginning of the interview, be polite and be good active listeners. It is often helpful to explain the purpose of the. contact. 0 Safety is also important. Of?cers should position themselves about an arms length away from the interviewee, while maintaining good balance with their weight evenly distributed on both feet. The. of?cer?s gun side should be turned away from the interviewee, with their body positioned at a 45 degree angle. While it is necessary to give attention to the interviewee, an awareness. of the overall environment should also be maintained. 0 Be. reminded that an interview is a verbal dialogue between an of?cer and a victimiwitnesinnvestigative contact. The police of?cer attempts to learn information about an event through the use of open ended and speci?c questions. 35 Interview Subjects: Victim Witness Complainant The primary subjects of a ?eld interview are: 0 Victim El Depending on the nature of the crime, a victim interview can be businesslike or a dif?cult experience. El It is important to remain calm and act in a professional, empathetic manner when dealing with an emotional victim. It is often helpful to explain to the person the reason for the interview; to explain that you must fully understand the circumstances of the event before you can take police action. El Be careful not to become overly sympathetic with the victim. Doing so- may cause you to lose your impartiality and fairness during the investigation. 0 Witness El Often a witness does not realize the value of the information they have relative to the event. Your job is. to draw out the exact details which are not volunteered by the witness. Cl Do not construe their failure to provide details as lack of cooperation. You must remember that, chances are, you know a lot more about the event, or related events, than the witness. Sometimes information is not volunteered because the Slide 23 (Images of various people) 36 witness is uncertain about its relatedness and fears embarrassment. 0 Complainant El The complainant is not necessarily a witness to an event. They may have contacted the police to- report a suspicious noise or person, and may have no knowledge that a crime has occurred. CI The complainant, just like a witness, may not understand the value of the information they possess. The same guidelines that apply to Witnesses should be applied here. 0 Wm . '3 Separate all individuals you Slide 24-25 cm 07.04.04 intend to interview. Choose one person to begin; select a quiet, private setting, and explain the reason for the interview. El Ask the interviewee what happened, and allow them to explain their account of the event. Be a good listener, and use the time to evaluate the information for its value to your investigation. El When the interviewee is ?nished, direct them back to the beginning and recount the information one piece at a time. Take notes as the conversation progresses. Ask for expanded details where needed. El Review your notes with the interviewee to ensure that you have accurately recorded their version and perspective of the event 37 Make. certain that you. understand all of the information before concluding the interview. Note information which should be veri?ed after the interview. This can be accomplished by comparing information from a variety of interviewees, and by consulting with knowledgeable sources outside the investigation. 0 0 Written notes should be taken by the interviewing of?cer during any interview. The notes should document what was said. Equipment thatfacilitates ?eld note. taking for the police of?cer include a ball point pen, note book and a watch: to be able to verify the. date and the time that the interview began and ended. 0 After listening to the interviewees version of an event, note taking can begin with a review of what the interviewee stated. Go over the entire event chronologically and document each piece of information. The notes should be orderly, legible and thorough. By being an attentive listener during the interviewee?s ?rst account of the event, it is more likely that the individual will provide all of the information they possess. If they perceive that you are not listening because you are focused on note taking, they may feel slighted, and end the interview. 38 Don?t: 0 It is possible to use your notes as an adopted statement from the interviewee. This is done by having the person read your notes, or you reading the. notes to them. If the interviewee concurs that your notes are an accurate account of what they said, have the individual sign at the end of the: notes. The notes can be admitted during court proceedings to verify the person? truthfulness. 0 Written Statements: On occasion a written statement is obtained as a means of documenting a person?s statement. The following are guidelines: Hand the individual a statement form, wait for them to complete it, collect it and turn it in with the report. Tell them what to write. Leave the form with them to fill out later and return another time. Remain with the individual while they complete the form. Review the written statement and compare it with information provided by the same person during the verbal interview. Review the written statement with the person to identify areas where vital information may have been left out. Write questions asked and answers given at the end of the statement so as to include missing information or to clarify or expand on the statement. Slide 26 39 Eigld Note laking (Some equipment to help with Field Note Taking are pen, watch, note pad, etc.) 0 Characteristics Even with modern technology; in?car computers, word processors, electronic recording, of?cers are in no position to write their reports during the investigation. Reports still must be written after the fact (sometimes long after the fact) and thus will rely on memory or ?eld notes as their basis of information. Of the two, only ?eld notes can ensure any accuracy. El Notations concern speci?c events that are recorded while fresh in the investigators mind of the super six - who, what, when, where, how and why? Individual formats which are comfortable to follow still contain essential information. Names, locations, dates, times, etc. Case or incident number, type of incident, time of dispatch and arrival. Statements, key phrases, direct quotations. Notations are fragmented pieces of data that are collected without prior judgment as to their value or inclusion in the report. Information from unrelated investigations must be recorded on separate pages or sheets of paper to avoid including wrong data in the reports. Slide 27 Slide 28 Slide 29 OBJ 07.04.01 40 0 Uses of field notes El Field notes serve as the basis for the formally written incident or crime report. Aids in interviewing since they can be written as information is obtained and are less distracting than trying to complete an incident report. Taking copious notes at the scene eliminates the need to re?contact involved persons to get forgotten details; a situation which can be disconcerting to victims and witnesses or indicate a poorly organized investigation. Field notes can be used as an aid to testimony since they were written contemporaneously to the investigation and are accurate re?ections of an of?cer?s actions. When used as a memory jogger, they are subject to the scrutiny of the court and examination by the defense council. Extraneous information should be left out of the ?eld notebook lest it detract from the relevance of the notes. Inconsistencies between ?eld notes and the police report can cause signi?cant problems for the prosecution since the report was presumably based on the ?eld notes. Field notes, to be used by witness of?cer, must be in the witness of?cer?s own handwriting. Of?cers cannot testify from another of?cer?s ?eld notes since that would constitute hearsay. Slide 30 OBJ 07.04.02 Slide 31 OBJ 07.04.02 41 Eractical Exercise 2 15:00 minutes Exercise 2 Note taking (Role Player/Witness) Using handout RWOS and RWOSA, designated role players and provided information cards, the class is divided into equal groups and the students conduct a ?eld interview on the role players. Handout RWOS Description and blank note taking sheet RWOSA Handout to Role Players (assign each a number scenario for their group) - 0 Plan ahead Report should be organized in your head before trying to write it down. El First drafts without prior- planning rarely turn out as acceptable reports. Major incidents can be lost on poorly planned reports that are fragmented, disorganized or unclear. El Rules of grammar still apply. El Sentence structure, punctuation, syntax are all relevant to reports. Sentences should be simple rather than complex, yet they should be varied for easier reading. Narrative should be written in the active voice Slide 32 Slide 33 Slide 34 Slide 35 42 rather than passive, for Slide 35 (cont) clarity. (1)Person doing the action generally precedes the verb. If the verb is modi?ed by was as in the knife was found by, you can be sure it is in the passive voice. Better to write ?Off. Doright found the knife? which puts the statement in the active voice and makes clear who did what. Reports should contain a series of paragraphs rather than one the goes for several pages. Be prepared to rewrite if ?rst effort is less than acceptable. El Do not submit a faulty report because you are too lazy to write it over. El Excellence does not come without effort. Remember! Slide 36 . 03.] 07.05.06 Language of pollce reports should be simple, understood by all. Avoid using scientific, legal and unnecessary technical terms. 0 Using terms such as paranoid, drunk and punk rocker are descriptive, judgmental generalizations and may not be readily understood by all who read the report. 0 Use of such terms can show a bias by the writer. d. Likewise, opinions are to be left out of police reports unless absolutely necessary and clearly identi?ed as such. 43 e. Obscenities are permitted OBJ 07.05.06 only if part of an actual quote as the words and phrasing may have some investigative signi?cance. 0 Routine Obscenities are no more welcome in OBJ 07-05-06 reports than they are in conversations with the public. g. Remember who potentially has access to your report. 0 Con?dential Information Slide 37 To protect involved. parties, OBJ 07.01 of?cers are respons1ble for maintaining the con?dentiality of information contained in their police reports. El Care should be taken not to leave a report in a vehicle or other location where it could be read by unauthorized persons. El The report should be turned in as soon as it is completed. El Draft copies should be shredded rather than discarded in the trash. El Supervisors bear the same responsibility while reviewing and approving reports. El Juveniles - delinquents information contacted in police reports, particularly the identi?cation is con?dential. El Ultimately, the Record Section Supervisor is reSponsible for maintaining a secure storage facility where the report cannot be accessed by unauthorized individuals. 44 Bractical Exercise Exercise 3 Applying the rules learned during the segment, write a basic narrative on Handout (Students should use and include the information from Part 1 Exercise, Part 2 Exercise and scenario, and the source information on Handout RWOS) to complete a handwritten narrative. Write the narrative on Handout RW01, a Blank statement page. Homework 1 Complete Exercise 3 Summary Regie? Slide 38 OBJ 07.04, (.01), (.02), (03), 07.05, (.02), (.03), (.05), (.06), (.08) 45 LESSON PLAN TITLE: Report Writing Session 3 (3.5 hours) PRESENTATION GUIDE TRAINER NOTES I. ANTICIPATORY SET Time 2:00 Lesson Objectives (Slide 1) II. INSTRUCTIONAL INPUT (CONTENT) Time 5:00 Session 3 - Report Writing Begin PowerPoint 0 Police Report Writing Slide 1 0 Crime Report 0 Narrative Writing introduction to Police Begum; Writing A. Purposes of police reports Police reports become the collective memory of the agency. In whatever form they take hard paper copy, computer disk or tape, audiofvideo recordings they establish for as long as records are kept, the performance history of the agency. 1. Police reports are permanent Slide 2 of?cial records of law OBJ 07-05-09 enforcement activity taken during the investigation of crimes or incidents. 2. Reports document all law enforcement operations to include patrol activity, special operations, surveillance observations and arrests. 3. Reports record facts, actions, statements and observations; i.e. details of crime scenes, location of evidence, Witness information, identi?cation of other of?cers 46 present at scenes. Uses 9! Reports Since police reports in one form or another are generated by every functional unit in the agency, they are sought by a variety of organizations As police agencies become active partners with their communities, requests for information increase. When reports are created, it is not: always clear who will have access to it. It becomes critical that the writer write each report as if it will be read by judges, Supreme Court Justices, newspaper editors, civic leaders and supervisors. B. Reports serve as source documents for the ?ling of criminal charges. They provide information useful to the prosecutor in preparing for trial. 1. Reports used by both prosecutors and defense attorneys to prepare their cases. Successful prosecution is based on presentation of facts. Which must logically convince a judge or juror that a crime occurred and the accused is responsible. The report is the statement of those facts and must include all the elements of the crime and support the charges against the accused. Officer?s report may be aprimary resource used by the prosecutor and therefore, if it is incomplete or inaccurate, could jeopardize the case. Of?cers? who are preparing to go to criminal court, should confer with the prosecutor and ensure that the prosecutor has copies of all relevant reports on the case and review them with the prosecutor. Slide 3 OBJ. 07.09.05 PISR quote OBJ 07.01 Slide 4 OBJ 07.01 Slide 5 47 D. They aid other police agencies which are involved in similar or related offenses. E. Reports form the basis of crime analysis and criminal trends and provide information which can be shared with the community. F. They aid in establishing beat con?gurations, manpower deployment and patrol assignments which are more responsive to the needs of the community. G. Reports assist with the identi?cation, apprehension and prosecution of criminals. H. They are used by supervisors and administrators when evaluating performance or transfer requests. I. They help of?cers prepare for testimony by refreshing their recollection. J. Reports are routinely provided to media representatives. Functigns 9f Regents Generally speaking, police reports are matters of public record. With some restrictions, they are available for review by those who have legitimate need. However, by their very nature, some reports are likely to be a value to a select group or agency. TYPES Law enforcement reports can be classi?ed into two major groups: Administrative Operational Administrative reports deal with routine functioning of the agency or department. Operational reports deal with. the activities of law enforcement officers. XVII. A. Crime Incident reports are the of?cial record of criminal investigations. As with arrest reports, they have value to prosecutors, defense attorneys, other criminal justice agencies and the media. 48 Slide 6 OBJ 07.02.01 Slide 7 Slide 8 OBJ 07.02.01 Slide 9 OBJ 07.02.02 Record facts. Identify witnesses, victims, complainants, law enforcement personnel and other investigative contacts. 3. Include statements of involved parties. 4. Record of?cer?s observations and actions. 5. Document descriptions and locations of physical evidence. 6. Identify and value stolen/damaged property. 7. Record types and locations of injuries and wounds. 8. Generally has two parts: a. Fill-in, and b. Narrative sections Arrest Reports are completed to document taking a person into police custody to answer to a criminal-charge. 1. Includes names, aliases, nicknames. 2. Contains complete physical description of arrested person. 3. Identi?es accomplices and others present at the arrest scene. 4. Documents circumstances of the arrest and lists the criminal charges. 5. Used as an investigative lead to locate a person wanted for subsequent crimes. 6. Agency speci?c reports maybe used in another form to record taking a juvenile into custody or for motor vehicle related offenses. 49 OBJ 07.02.02 Slide 10 OBJ 07.02.02 Accident Reports Accident investigation reports are standardized for ease of data-entry. These reports are used by traf?c engineers, insurance companies, automotive engineers and other police agencies. 1. Accident Report Uses Standardized form insures data will be useable by police departments, traf?c engineers, insurance companies and other interested agencies throughout the state. 2. Useful to report accidents that are not normally investigated. 3. Narrative is kept to a minimum with most ?elds requiring only coded entries. 4. Agency policy determines when standardized accident reports are used in lieu of departmental incident reports. 5. Basis for accident analysis and engineering changes. Event Speci?c Reports Some crimes or incidents receive particular attention and require either a separate report or a specially designed report. 1. Some agencies utilize separate specialized reports for certain crimes, such as crimes against persons, sex offenses, vehicle theft, child abuse, domestic violence, hate/bias crimes, etc. 2. Event speci?c reports document detailed information from which a thorough victim/witness assistance follow-up can be conducted. 3. Generally, only cosmetic differences exist between incident reports of different departments. Slide 11 Objective 07.07.02 Slide 12 Slide 13 50 All incident reports require the same basic information. Specialized reports normally follow a clearly established distribution to ensure they are received by the appropriate support agency. a. Effective follow?up requires prompt noti?cation to allied agencies. b. Reporting requirements may differ from one incident to another, but all require prompt submission of initial report. c. Incidents that are of most concern to the public, i.e. hatefbias, domestic violence, child abuse, etc., require particular diligence when investigating and reporting. Administrative Reports Administrative reports are generated for various reasons in the normal course of police business. 1. Memoranda used for internal communications. Requests for leave, special assignment, transfer. Replies to citizen inquiries, complaints. Slide 13 continued Slide 14 Slide 15 51 Police reports are considered the same as business records as exceptions to the hearsay rule and are subject to the same restrictions. 1. True test copies are generally introduced into evidence rather than original documents. Recordsireports can be introduced by the author or by the of?cial custodian of records (Record Section Supervisor). Reports can be read verbatim as proffer testimony. Report Con?dentiality Officers are cautioned to be familiar with agency policy and the law as they relate to the release of information. 1. Identi?cation of juveniles charged as delinquents is con?dential. If a juvenile is ?waived? to adult court, he or she is then treated the same as an adult. Victims of sex crimes have no legal claim to anonymity, but as a general rule, media have elected to insure their privacy. Criminal suspects are identi?ed only by description until formal charges are placed by warrant or indictment. Information Release 1. Of?cers cannot release information that is in the custody of another criminal justice/public agency unless it is required as part of the investigation. Slide 16 OBJ 07.05.09 Slide 17 Slide 18 07.02.03 52 Requests for driving records or registration information are frequently made by friends, relatives or business people. a. Release of the MVA information can only be made by the Motor Vehicle Administration (custodian of the records) after a formal request by the person wanting the information. b. Criminal history data is another frequent request and is likewise protected by law. 0. Significant civil penalties can be assessed against any public of?cial (including police of?cers) who release information without authority. d. When in doubt, don?t give it out! Refer requests to the Record Division or confer with your supervisor. Class Regim; {grime Report (Title only) Present a standard ?fill-in? crime report face sheet. Review the entry blocks. Practical Exercise Exercise 1 View video 001. Use the video and provided scenario information (in the PPT) to complete a Crime Report ?face sheet?. (Fill In) Handout ?Blanl< Crime Report face sheets. (Allow the Class 15 minutes to complete the ?fill in? portion. Review a completed Crime Report as a class). Slide 18 cont. OBJ 07.02.03 Slide 19 OBJ 07.05 Image Crime Report attachment. Slide 20 Time 15:00 minutes OBJ 07.05, (.01), (.02), (.03), (.04), (.05), (.06), (.07), (.08), (.09) Video - Video 001 Assault clip 53 Class Review: Crime Report (Title only) Slide 21 Present a standard ??ll?in? crime report face sheet. OBJ 0105 Review the entry blocks. Image Crime Report attachment. Narrative Writing Slide 22 (Title) Police Reports Incident Template OBJ 07.05 Building the Model Slide 23 1) Dispatch Paragraph 0 Call Given 0 Observation 2) Observation Paragraph 3) Actions Taken Paragraph (3) 4) Disposition Paragraph . Slide 24 Dispatch Paragraph This is the initial paragraph that you will use to begin the narrative portion of your report. - The paragraph begins with the date and time you were either dispatched or made your initial observations which led to your investigation. The paragraph also gives the location and the type of call. Dispatch Paragraph (Call Given) Slide 25 Examples: Template On (date) at (time), I was dispatched to respond to (address) regarding (type of eatt). Actual On April 6, 2006 at I 3 00 hours, I was dispatched to respond to 6852 4th Street in Sykesvitie, Carrot! County, Marytaad regarding a trespassing complaint. Dispatch Paragraph - (Observations) Slide 26 Examples: Template On (date) at (time) while patrolling on (Jemima/address) I observed (observation that caused you to take action). Actual 54 011 April 6, 2006 at 1300 hours, while patrolling Slide 26 (cont) on southbound Route 32 in Sykesville, Carroll County, Maryland, a motorist ?agged me over in reference to abandoned property found on the roadside. Observation Paragraph Slide 27 This is the second paragraph that you are going to use to document your ?rst observationls and/or contact you made. Examples: Template Upon arrival at (time) I made contact with the (whoever that was, victim/complainant/witness etc. give FULL NAME). Mr.ers./Ms.lMiss advised that on (date) at (time), (he/she) (begin with the explanation of what the saw, heard, etc.) Observation Paragraph (Continued) Slide 28 ACTUAL Upon arrival at 1315 hours, I made contact with and interviewed the complainant, Matthew Josiah Jones. Mr. Jones advised that on April 6, 2006 at 1450 hours he observed two unknown males walking through his backyard. OR Upon arrival at 1315 hours, I observed approximately four subjects in the parking lot of Champs in (what appeared to be) a physical altercation. Action Taken Paragraph Slide 29 El This is your third and subsequent paragraphs where you will describe the action you took to resolve or investigate the call for service. Examples: Template: After speaking with (name), I interviewed (insert OBJ 07-04-02 full name), a neighborlfriendlwitness, etc. who lives at (complete address). According to Mr.ers. Etc. on (date) at (time), (he/she) (describe their observation, etc.) 55 Action Taken (Continued) Slide 30 ACTUAL After speaking with the Mr. Jones, I made contact with and interviewed Sarah Eh?zabeth Thompson, the next door neighbor to Mr. Jones who lives at 7777 Heavens Gate in Sykesviile, Maryland. Ms. Thompson advised that on April 6, 2006 at approximately 1450 hours, she observed two mates El These paragraphs would continue Chronologically as you do each interviewttask, etc. during your investigation. Action Taken (Continued) Slide 31 In the course of investigations professional checks including MVA, NCIC, Criminal History and Utilities OBJ 07-03, 7.04.02 or phone services are routinely made. If that information obtained is instrumental in establishing factors that support the elements of the crime you?re investigating, then they should be included in the narrative. Example: A query of the Motor Vehicle Administration records revealed that the Maryland registration plate bearing the letters PLA 123 was listed to a 1994 Cadillac sedan with 12345678987654, belonging to Shirley Jones, Asian Female, date of birth March 21, 1911, and residing at 123 Main St. Baltimore, Maryland 21286. Disposition Paragraph Slide 32 This paragraph details what you suggest the status of the case will be and or what you plan to do to continue with the investigation. It also states that you have noti?ed the complainant of the case status. Examples: Template Due to the above facts, I request the case be considered. (ease disposition and justification for same). I have noti?ed the victim/complainant of the case status. 56 Disposition Paragraph (Continued) ACTUAL: Due to the above facts, I request the case be closed. This report wilt be forwarded to the Department ofNaturat Resources potice for?trther investigation. I have noti?ed the complainant of the case status and provided him with contact numbers for the Department ofNaturat Resources. Practical Ezemjse Exercise 2 - View Video 001; using your knowledge of the incident, the dot?points on the PPT slide, additional information on Rw07, guide RW03 and keeping in mind the earlier exercises, a POLICE narrative. Handout RW 03 CIR Narrative Template handout RW 02 or RW04 Blank statement page as scratch copy. RW 07 Additional Information Homework Finish the exercise with clean, typed cepies. (All Recruits are provided blank copies of Crime Report and Supplemental narrative on their thumb drive) Titre completed prior to nextdate. umm Revie NEW Depending upon agency policy and procedure, it maybe helpful to explain the different requirements of various reports such as: homicide, rape, burglary, unattended death, etc. It is envisioned that several additional hours will be spent having recruits prepare selected incident and crime reports as part of this or other training units. As a minimum, each recruit must prepare a complete report based on a mock situation. (Reference Objective #008} Slide 33 Slide 34 OBJ 07.04, (.01), (.02), (.03), (.04), 07.05, (.01), (.02), (.03), (-04), (.06), (.07), (.08), 57 LESSON PLAN TITLE: Report Writing Session 4 (3.5 hours) PRESENTATION GUIDE TRAINER NOTES I. ANTICIPATORY SET Time 2:00 Lesson Objectives Slide 1 II. INSTRUCTIONAL INPUT (CONTENT) Time 2:00 Report Writing Session 4 0 Witness Statements I Charging Documents Exercise 1 Instructor Scenario Role Player will quickly run into the classroom, pick up aDry-Erase board eraser, throw it at the back of the room, yell, pick up another item and exit. The class will be paired and each student will take a Witness statement, and then give a Witness statement, and record a description of the Role Player. Handout RWS will be completed. Purpose of the Exercise is to demonstrate reliability of witness testimony in comparison to actual events. It reiterates the techniques learned in session 2 Note Taking, and Basic Descriptions. Witnesses Witnesses are people with ?rst-hand knowledge of speci?c information, that have been exposed to an incident and observed or noticed speci?c details that connect people, places and things. El You, as an of?cer, have a debt or responsibility to locate and identify potential witnesses that can provide information, which later may be elevated to testimony, in order to fully investigate a reported crime. Witness Information and statements have to be clari?ed and veri?ed before they can be elevatedto Begin PowerPoint Slide 1 Slide 2 Time: 15:00 Slide 3 Slide 4 58 testimony. (Veracity) For a few simple Limitations: Field Interviews of Witnesses 0 All people have different levels of processing information they observe. (Just because someone believes they?ve seen something a particular way doesn?t mean they are accurate.) Especially in a stressful situation 0 All people have different levels of cognitive powers. (Just because they see something, doesn?t necessarily mean they can recall it or understand it.) Often a witness does not realize the value of the information they have relative to the event. Your job is to draw out the exact details which are not volunteered by the witness. Do not construe their failure to provide details as lack of cooperation. You must remember that, chances are, you know a lot more about the event, or related events, than the witness. Sometimes information is not volunteered because the witness is uncertain about its relatedness and fears embarrassment. For most of?cers, it takes a long time to develop expert interviewing skills. Interviews associated with some investigations can be especially dif?cult if there is a high level of emotional involvement on the part of the of?cer andfor the interviewee. H. With practice and time, of?cers can develop excellent basic interviewing skills, which will assist them in conducting professional, thorough and successful interviews. I. In addition to the techniques contained in this section, of?cers are reminded to always be professional. Of?cers should 59 Slide 4 (cont) Slide 5 OBJ 07.04 introduce themselves at the beginning of the interview, be polite and be good active listeners. It is often helpful to explain the purpose of the contact. J. Safety is also important. Of?cers should position themselves about an arms length away from the interviewee, while maintaining good balance with their weight evenly distributed on both feet. The of?cer?s gun side should be turned away from the interviewee, with their body positioned at a 45 degree angle. While it is necessary to give attention to the interviewee, an awareness of the overall environment should also be maintained. K. Be reminded that an interview is a verbal dialogue between an of?cer and a witness contact. The police of?cer attempts to learn information about an event through the use of open ended and speci?c questions. Field Intervr The primary subjects Slide 6 of a ?eld interview are: - Victim 0 Complainant 0 Witness El The Witness approach is no different from collecting information from a victim or complainant. Simple basics apply! Interview Steps Slide 7-8 1. Separate all individuals you intend to interview. Choose one OBJ 0104.04 person to begin; select a quiet, private setting, and explain the reason for the interview. 2. Ask the interviewee what 60 happened, and allow them to explain their account of the event. Be a good listener, and use the time to evaluate the information for its value to your investigation. 3. When the interviewee is ?nished, direct them back to the beginning and recount the information one piece at a time. Take notes as the conversation progresses. Ask for expanded details where needed. 4. Review your notes with the interviewee to ensure that you have accurately recorded their version and perspective of the event. Make certain that you understand all of the information before concluding the interview. 6. Note information which should be veri?ed after the interview. This can be accomplished by comparing information from a variety of interviewees, and by consulting with knowledgeable sources outside the investigation. Recording the Witness Interview 0 Written notes should be taken by the interviewing of?cer during any interview of witnesses. The notes should document what was said. 0 After listening to the witness?s version of an event, note taking can begin with a review of what was said. Go over the entire event chronologically and document each piece of information. The notes should be orderly, legible. and thorough. By being an attentive listener during the witness?s ?rst account of the event, it is more likely that the individual will 61 provide all of the information they possess. If they perceive that you are not listening because you are focused on note taking, they may feel slighted, and end the interview. It is possible to use your notes as an adopted statement from the interviewee. This is done by having the person read your notes, or you reading the notes to them. If the interviewee concurs. that your notes are an accurate account of what they said, have the individual sign at the end of the notes. The notes can be admitted- during court proceedings to verify the person?s truthfulness. Written Statements: A written statement is the witness?s own words of their ?rst-hand account of events you may not have observed. The following are guidelines: Don?t: Hand the individual a statement form, wait for them to complete it, collect it and turn it in with the report. Tell them what to write. Leave the form with them to fill out later and return another time. Remain with the individual while they complete the form. Review the written statement and compare it with information provided by the same person during the verbal interview. Review the written statement with the person to identify areas where vital information may have been left out. Write questions asked and answers given at the end of the statement so as to include missing information or to clarify or expand on the statement. Slide 9 62 Written Statement Slide 10 El On occasion, a written statement can be obtained in the ?eld as a means of documenting a Victim or witness account in their own writing. 0 Written Statements can be submitted as evidence therefore each Department will have a standardized form to facilitate collecting a written statement. 0 It is at the Of?cer?s discretion, in certain crimes, when to take a written statement from a Victim. Erac?gg! Exercise Slide 11 Exercise 2 View Video 002, decide what crime are apparent. Decide course of action. The class is broken into equal groups. Select a role player from each group and make them the witness. After the of?cers take statements, use to clarify the statements. The Instructor monitors the Role Players for the exercise. (Use Handout and added info from RW 006.) Review Application for State of Charges Slide 12 Images Face sheet and narrative, Application for Statement of Charges OBJ 07.06, 07.07, (.01) Eractleal Exercise Slide 13 Exercise 3 View Video 002 (again) which is an Attempted robbery. The class is broken into equal groups. Select a role player from the group and have 07?05: 002), (.04), (.05), them Play the role as a witness. After the of?cers take statements, use to clarify the statements. The 07-06, 07-07: Instructor monitors the Role Players for the exercise. (Role PlayerK Witness has a set of information dot points from RW 006, and their group asks questions, then records the and A of the witness statement.) Handout RW06A Added information. OBJ 07.04, (.01), (.02), (03), 63 umm ie MW: Depending upon agency policy and procedure, it may be helpful to explain the different requirements of various reports such as: homicide, rape, burglary, unattended death, etc. It is envisioned that several additional hours will be spent having recruits prepare selected incident and crime reports as part of this or other training units. As a minimum, each recruit must prepare a complete report based on a mock situation. (Reference Objective #008} LESSON PLAN TITLE: Report Writing Session 5 (3.5 hours) PRESENTATION GUIDE TRAINER NOTES I. ANTICIPATORY SET PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES Time 0:10 Reference Guide II. INSTRUCTIONAL INPUT (CONTENT) On?View Arrest Arrest Packet Contains: 0 Arrest Report Crime Report and Narrative Statement of Charges and Probable Cause Miranda Warning Witness Statements Time 5:00 Begin PowerPoint Slide 1 Slide 2 Images of each report. Review each brie?y Time: 15:00 Video: RW002 64 Practical Exercise Exercise 1 Oil-View Arrest: View Video 002 (again); You now have additional information provided in Handout RW06B and RW06C. You must complete all paperwork necessary for an On?View Arrest. Handout Blank Arrest Report, Police Incident Report, Charging Documents Statement of Probable Cause, Miranda Waiver, and Victimeitness Statements. Homework Complete a clean, typed copy of all the documents needed for the Arrest Packet. gummy: Review Note to Instm 919;; Depending upon agency policy and procedure, it maybe helpful to explain the different requirements of various reports such as: homicide, rape, burglary, unattended death, etc. It is envisioned that several additional hours will be spent having recruits prepare selected incident and crime reports as part of this or other training units. As a minimum, each recruit must prepare a complete report based on a mock situation. (Reference Objective #008) sndes OBJ 07.04, (.01), (.02), (03), 07.05, (.02), (.03), (.04), (.05), (.06), (.07), (.03) 07.06, 07.07, (.01) Review of All Documents submitted during course. Time 1:00 hours 65