Professional Report Writing for Law Enforcement Officers

Certification

This course is certified by the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board.

Training Mandates

• Constitutional & Proper Use of Law Enforcement Authority (1.0 hrs.)
• Cultural Competency (1.5 hrs.)
• Human Rights (0.5 hrs.)
• Procedural Justice (2.0 hrs.)
• Lead Homicide Investigator (8.0 hrs.)

Description

I believe one of the greatest forms of public service is an accurate, clear, complete, chronological police report. Both law-abiding citizens & business owners need a quality report for their insurance companies to recover stolen or damaged property.

Throughout this course, I discuss with Officers, Field Trainers, Supervisors, & Commanders the importance of knowing your audience, of understanding their perception of the police, of working to build trust every shift through regular contact. We discuss the importance of using the same procedures consistently for searches of subjects & vehicles, regardless of age, race, ethnicity, religion, sex, or sexual orientation. We discuss using the vehicle’s dash-cam as a recorded witness to consistent fair treatment.

Throughout the class emphasis is placed on compliance with Department professional standard operating procedures premised in Illinois & Federal statutes to avoid the appearance of bias or preferential treatment. Emphasis is also place on committing the same professional law enforcement efforts towards finding a suspect & bringing the victim and loved ones’ justice. Every contact is an opportunity to build trust through fairness and respect, aligned with Procedural Justice goals.

How the incident is handled & investigated reflects the credibility & ethics of that Officer, Detectives, the Supervisor >Chief/Sheriff, that Law Enforcement Agency & the profession.

Topics

• Discuss all aspects of police report writing from dispatch to information gathering
• Officer’s initial observations of victim & scene
• Statements & interviews
• Documenting persons on scene & quality canvass
• Discuss how building community trust in daily contacts aids cooperation & building strong cases
• Examine clear, accurate, chronological writing & the role of proofing & editing

Instructor

Deadline

Please register for this course by August 27.