IN ACTIVE VOICE, THE SUBJECT OF THE SENTENCE ACTS
OFFICER JONES FOUND THE KNIFE. (OFFICER JONES IS THE SUBJECT)
PASSIVE VOICE
IN PASSIVE VOICE, THE SUBJECT OF THE SENTENCE IS ACTED UPON
THE KNIFE WAS FOUND BY OFFICER JONES. (THE KNIFE IS THE SUBJECT OF THE SENTENCE)
PROBLEMS WITH PASSIVE VOICE
THE KNIFE WAS FOUND CAN BE A COMPLETE SENTENCE, BUT IT FAILS TO TELL WHO FOUND THE KNIFE
PASSIVE VOICE TAKES MORE WORDS TO WRITE THAN ACTIVE VOICE
WRITE REPORTS IN ACTIVE VOICE, NOT PASSIVE VOICE
OFFICER JONES FOUND THE KNIFE.
NOT THE KNIFE WAS FOUND BY OFFICER JONES.
CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER
WRITE REPORTS IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER AS THEY OCCURRED TO YOU
WITHIN ANOTHER�S STATEMENT, WRITE EVENTS AS THEY OCCURRED TO THAT PERSON
DO SO REGARDLESS OF THE ORDER TOLD TO YOU
THE LOCATION OF THE OTHER�S STATEMENT PARAGRAPH IN YOUR REPORT WILL DEPEND ON YOUR CHRONOLOGY
IF TAKING THE OTHER�S STATEMENT WAS THE THIRD THING YOU DID, THE OTHER�S STATEMENT WILL BE THE THIRD THING IN YOUR REPORT
WORD CHOICES
ERROR #1 � USING BIG WORDS THAT DON�T COMMUNICATE
CONTACTED, RESPONDED, STATED, ADVISED AND INDICATED ARE EXAMPLES
USE SHORTER, MORE COMMON WORDS
ERROR #2 � NEEDLESS PHRASES
IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT, IN VIEW OF THE FACT THAT, IN REFERENCE TO THE AFOREMENTIONED ARE EXAMPLES
LEAVE THEM OUT
ERROR #3 - CONCLUSIONARY WORDS
PG. 106 OF RUTLEDGE�S SURVIVAL BOOK
REFUSAL, ATTACKED, ASSAULTED, ADMISSION AND SUSPICIOUS ARE EXAMPLES
ERROR #4 � IMPRESSIVE WORDS
DON�T TRY TO SHOW OFF A COLLEGE VOCABULARY
REMEMBER PULE
ERROR #5 � USING WORDS YOU DON�T KNOW HOW TO SPELL
USE WORDS YOU DO KNOW HOW TO SPELL
INSTEAD OF LACERATION, WRITE CUT
PARAGRAPHING
START NEW PARAGRAPHS FOR EACH OF THE FOLLOWING:
HOW YOU GOT INVOLVED
YOUR OBSERVATIONS/ACTIONS
EACH PERSON�S STATEMENT
BEGIN A NEW PARAGRAPH BY SKIPPING A SPACE BETWEEN PARAGRAPH CATEGORIES
IF ANY OF THE PREVIOUS CATEGORIES ARE LONG ENOUGH TO DIVIDE INTO PARAGRAPHS, INDENT WITHIN CATEGORIES
IF YOU BEGIN A PARAGRAPH WITH JONES SAID�, EVERY PRONOUN WITHIN THE PARAGRAPH WILL BE ASSUMED TO REFER TO JONES
THE ORDER OF THE PARAGRAPHS IS DETERMINED BY THE CHRONOLOGY OF THE EVENTS
WHAT HAPPENED FIRST (TO YOU) IS IN THE FIRST PARAGRAPH, ETC.
JARGON
JARGON IS LANGUAGE SPECIFIC TO AN ACTIVITY OR JOB
POLICE JARGON CONSISTS LARGELY OF CODE SECTION NUMBERS AND RADIO CODES
JARGON IS UNACCEPTABLE IN REPORTS
SLANG
SLANG IS STREET TALK
USE SLANG IN REPORTS ONLY WHEN NECESSARY
QUOTE SLANG EXACTLY
FACTS
FACTS ARE STATEMENTS UPON WHICH VIRTUALLY EVERYONE AGREES
USE FACTS IN REPORTS
INFERENCES
INFERENCES ARE FACTS DERIVED FROM OTHER FACTS
GIVE SUPPORTING FACTS BEFORE DRAWING INFERENCES
INFERENCES ARE NECESSARY IN REPORTS
OPINIONS
WITHOUT SUPPORTING FACTS, INFERENCES ARE JUST OPINIONS
OPINIONS ARE STATEMENTS BASED ON NO FACTS
DO NOT USE OPINIONS IN REPORTS