10 Days to Better Police Reports
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10 Days to Better Police Reports Here’s a 10-day program for sharpening your police reports. These suggestions will help you avoid errors, write more efficiently, and produce professional reports. Each suggestion takes only a few minutes to master. Day 1 Use names (John Clancy, Mabel Owen) and pronouns (I, he, her). Avoid outdated expressions like this officer and the abovementioned witness or victim 1. In the past some officers were taught that impersonal terminology guaranteed objectivity and accuracy. Not true! You have the same integrity whether you're calling yourself I or this officer. And think about this: if you had to appear in court, you would use everyday language (I, me, he, her) in your testimony. Follow the same practice in your reports. Day 2 Limit yourself to one idea per sentence. Resist the temptation to write long, tangled sentences. Short, straightforward sentences are easy to read and www.YourPoliceWrite.com 1
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Here are 10 easy and efficient steps to better police reports. And there's a bonus: The principles here are equally useful as you move up the career ladder in law enforcement.
Transcript of 10 Days to Better Police Reports
10 Days to Better Police Reports
Here’s a 10-day program for sharpening your police reports. These suggestions will help you avoid errors, write more efficiently, and produce professional reports. Each suggestion takes only a few minutes to master.
Day 1Use names (John Clancy, Mabel Owen) and pronouns (I, he, her).
Avoid outdated expressions like this officer and the abovementioned witness or victim 1. In the past some officers were taught that impersonal terminology guaranteed objectivity and accuracy. Not true! You have the same integrity whether you're calling yourself I or this officer. And think about this: if you had to appear in court, you would use everyday language (I, me, he, her) in your testimony. Follow the same practice in your reports.
Day 2Limit yourself to one idea per sentence.
Resist the temptation to write long, tangled sentences. Short, straightforward sentences are easy to read and understand, saving time for everyone. (You'll especially appreciate this timesaving tip when you're reviewing a report for a court hearing.) And think about this: When you write long, complicated sentences, you’re more likely to make an error.
Day 3Limit yourself to three commas per sentence.
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If a sentence has more than three commas, it's probably too complicated, and it may contain usage or punctuation errors.
Day 4Enlist a friend.
It’s easy to miss simple errors (a fuzzy sentence, an awkward or omitted word) when you read something you’ve written. Most professional writers ask friends to check over their work, and you can benefit by following their example. A degree in English isn’t necessary—anyone with common sense and a few spare minutes can help you out.
Day 5Start most sentences with a person, place, or thing.
Normal sentences begin with a noun, and the grammar is simple: Just put a period at the end. Complicated sentences, on the other hand, require complicated punctuation, and they open the door to sentence errors.
Day 6Use apostrophes only in “of” expressions and contractions.
Apostrophes signify “of” ideas (Mary’s books, Louis’ uniform). They’re also used in contractions (didn’t, couldn’t). They don’t mean “more than one”: The Johnsons are active in community affairs.
Day 7 Buy yourself a pocket-sized notebook.
Even expert writers have blind spots and “oops!” issues. Some people struggle with double letters in words like occasion and commitment. Others get confused by look-alike words (aide/aid, cite/site). Go to the Dollar Store and purchase a small notebook that you can carry with you. Jot down reminders about
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the words that trip you up—and refer to the notebook whenever you’re stuck.
Day 8Find a resource.
Better yet, find several of them. Here are some suggestions: www.Dictionary.com (or buy an up-to-date paperback dictionary and keep it in a handy place). You can get help with English usage at www.YourPoliceWrite.com and www.WritewithJean.com.Here’s another tip: Keep the library’s phone number handy. When you’re working on an important document that has to be right, a reference librarian can help you untangle a word or expression that’s confusing you. And remember that you can type questions into the search box at www.Google.com any time of the day or night—it’s a wonderful resource.
Day 9Be careful with ordinary words.
Which words are most likely to trip you up? For most people, it’s the everyday words like it’s/its, your/you’re, there/their/they’re, lose/loose…and you can probably think of others. When in doubt, check a dictionary or go to www.Dictionary.com.
Day 10Pay attention to extra ideas and sentences.
English teachers love to make grammar sound complicated with terminology like adverbial clauses, prepositional phrases, and antecedents. But English usage doesn’t have to be complicated. Think about this: Everything you say or write is either an extra idea (ending in a comma) or a sentence (ending in a period). Understanding that one concept can save you from many errors.
This is a sentence: My car wouldn’t start.This is an extra idea: Although it’s only two years old,
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Study these examples:My car wouldn’t start. It needed a new battery. CORRECTAlthough it’s only two years old, my car wouldn’t start. CORRECT
FinallyAnd that’s it! Focus on one step each day, and you’ll see rapid progress in your writing. And here’s a reminder to help keep you motivated: Writing skills are vital to success in almost every field—including criminal justice. Best wishes for success in your law enforcement career!
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