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Article Report On A Police Officer

Decent Essays

Orlando W. Wilson and Roy C. McLaren wrote that “Almost everything that a police officer does must be reduced to writing”. As a police officer you’re largely evaluated based on your written report skills. As an officer of the law you must be able to do your job well, and within the extent of the law (Hess & Orthmann, 2013). Not only that but the officer must be able to correctly record information and present it to those who were not there. 20 percent of an officer’s time is spent writing reports (Hess & Orthmann, 2013). It’s not just skilled investigating tactics that brings a criminal to justice, it is also the ability of the investigator to written a report that will withstand the scrutiny of judges, prosecutors, defense counsels, and jurors. An officers report has the ability to determine whether or not the guilty goes free. It’s the job of the supervisor to decide if the investigating officer followed the correct protocols and policies of the department. However, whether your report is being read by your supervisor; lawyers, social workers, judges, citizens, or the media, it should be easily comprehendible across the board. Most of the time, those reading your report will not have been present at the scene. It is the job of the officer to write a report that effectively communicate the who, what, where, when, and how to a general audience. You should never speak down on your audience, or try to make our report seem “more professional” by using difficult language.

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