CHAPTER 1 - Investigative Report Writing

Module TECHNICAL ENGLISH 2: Legal Forms
CHAPTER 1
Investigative Report Writing
At the end of this module, the learner should be able to:
 Recognize the essential part of Investigative

Report Writing
 Evaluate the Types of Report Writers
 Remember the Good Criteria of Investigation
Report
Introduction:
An investigation report is an
objective statement of the investigator’s
findings. It is an official record of the
information relevant to the investigation
which the investigator submits to his
superior.
The effectiveness of an
investigator is judged to a large extent by
his investigation reports. The reputation of an investigator is measured to a
large extent by the kind of report he submits. The report on finished cases
provides the vehicle for higher headquarters to take action on the matter.
Purposes of an Investigation Report:
The investigator writes his report in order to achieve the following

objectives:
Page 1 of 6
a. Record – The reports provide a permanent official record of the relevant

information obtained in the course if the investigation.
b. Leads – The reports provide other investigators with information
necessary to further advance their own investigation.
c. Prosecution Action – The report is a statement of facts on which
designated authorities may base a criminal, corrective or disciplinary
action.
Criteria of a Good Investigation Report:
a. It must be grammatically correct.

b. Abbreviation must be used appropriately and correctly.
c. The report should avoid slang, colloquialisms or unnecessary technical
terms.
Requisites of a Good Investigation Report:
a. Accuracy – The report should be a true representation of the facts to the

best of the investigator’s ability. Information both favorable and
unfavorable to the suspect should be included. Information should be
verified by statements of other witnesses and by reference to official
records or to other reliable sources.
b. Completeness – The question of “WHEN,” “WHO,” “WHAT,” “WHERE,”
“WHY,” and “HOW?” should be answered. The elements of the crime
should be established, and the additional facts developed should tend to
prove these elements. The report should be documented by apprehending
important statements/ letters, findings of other agencies, and laboratory
reports.
c. Brevity – irrelevant or unnecessary materials should be omitted.
d. Fairness – the investigator should take the facts as he finds them, and if
ever he has theories, it must be consistent with these facts.
e. Form and Style – The arrangement of the materials presented should be in
a manner which will make the report easy to read. Form includes proper
paragraphing, underscoring, capitalization, and heading. The report should
be written in the third person, the investigator referring to himself as the
“investigator.”
Page 2 of 6
f. Prompt – The report must be completed in a timely manner. Your

credibility may be opened to speculation if this rule is not followed.
TYPES OF REPORT WRITERS:
a. Those who write without thinking.

b. Those who write and think at the same time.
c. Those who think first and write afterwards.
HOW THE INVESTIGATORS ARE RELATED ON REPORT WRITING:
a. Points Considered:
1. Conciseness
2. Clarity
3. Organization
4. Thoroughness
5. Accuracy
6. Adequacy and pertinence of leads
b. Errors of Form:
1. Misspelling
2. Typographical errors
3. Wrong file number
4. Wrong block
5. Others of the same nature
c. Errors of Substance:
1. Delay in the Investigation
2. Delay in reporting
3. Omission in investigation whether intentional or not
4. Mis-statements of facts
5. Incomplete description
6. Neglect to state that the subject is dangerous or has homicidal
tendencies
7. Failure to cover obvious leads
8. Inadequate interviews
9. Lack of imagination in solving the case
10.Improper handling of evidence
11.Failure to report having done things which obviously were done
Page 3 of 6
12.Failure to include essential facts which show jurisdiction,

prosecutive action taken and basis for investigative steps taken.
13.Failure to include essential facts which were undoubtedly available
and known to the investigator.
The investigator should not be faulted too much

for errors of form, but errors of substance are
seriously considered due to their effects on the
lives of people and the agency itself.
SUPERVISION OF REPORTS:
a. Assure Good Reports:

1. The Chief must sincerely want good reports.
- He should insist on training and insist that his men write good
reports.
2. Standards of good reporting should be set up so that all will know

what is expected of them.
- Training must be given so that the men will understand what is
expected of them.
- Supervisory personnel must be trained to recognize basic errors
in reports. They must, of course, know the rules themselves.
3. Systems of spot-checking must be set up to make sure that

corrections are being made and to assure uniformity.
- Do not sign the report unless it is completely correct. If you do
not check reports, you lose control over them.
b. Protect the reputation of the department and its officers.

1. Good reports reflect favorably on the officers preparing them and
on the department they represent.
2. Good reports help refute false charges against officers and
department they represent.
Page 4 of 6
c. Methods of Supervision.
1. Tickler system.
2. Assignment record.
3. All reports should be read and signed by the supervisory official.
Do not let an officer’s report let you see things

that are not there. Evaluate it for what it is really
worth. Be objective about it. It is possible that the
report is just a “story” and nothing more.
APPROVED Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) IN THE INVESTIGATION OF

CASES AT THE PNP.
a. Upon receipt of the case, the duty NCO/Desk Officer enters it in the
complaint logbook/blotter and then refers it to the OIC/Chief of the
Investigation Unit.
b. The OIC/Chief of the Investigation Unit assigns the case to an
investigator. The chief investigator should maintain a logbook of all the
cases referred to him, either in person or trough communications,
recording therein the nature of the case, name of complainant, the name of
the investigator and the date it was assigned. Likewise, the Duty
NCO/Desk officer should also reflect upon the complaint logbook the name
of the investigator to whom the particular case was assigned.
c. If the nature of the case so warrants, the officer-on-case should
immediately respond to the crime scene, conduct an ocular inspection and
interview the complainant, witnesses, and all persons who shed light on
the case.
d. Based on the initial investigation, the officer-on-case should prepare any
of the following Police Reports:
1. ALARM REPORT – for theft and robbery cases
2. ADVANCE INFORMATION – for crime against person like murder,
parricide, homicide, etc.
3. CRIME REPORT – for all other cases like estafa, crimes against
chastity, white slavery, etc.
Page 5 of 6
4. INFORMATION REPORT – for some cases initially taken cognizance

of by a police station but later turned over to or found out to be
handled by a special operating support unit.
5. The investigator should then take the sworn statements of the
complainant(s), witnesses, and if possible, suspect(s). At this stage,
the officer-on-case should exert all efforts to unearth and gather
all evidence relevant to the case.
6. Invitations for suspect to appear before any investigating group
should be signed by the Group Commander and duly recorded in a
book intended for this purpose. The result of invitation should be
reflected in the case folder to form part of the records of the case.
7. A PROGRESS REPORT should be submitted by the investigator
regarding the apprehension of suspects, recovery of evidence and
all other developments on the case.
8. Once suspect has been apprehended and duly investigated, the
officer-on-case should prepare the corresponding referral to the
inquest fiscal/prosecutor for appropriate recommendation.
9. Before the investigator files the case with the Prosecutor’s Office,
the case should first be endorsed, thru channel, to the Legal
Division for appraisal, evaluation, recommendation or legal advice
and such other legal measures as maybe necessary.
10.A final investigation report, using the format of the Progress Report,
should be prepared by the investigator in all cases involving high
government agency or entity; big and essential case; or those
involving prominent personalities and those with insurance
coverage.
References:
Technical Report Writing 2
POLICE REPORT INVESTIGATIVE WRITING
By
Prof. Normita Mercado
Page 6 of 6

CHAPTER 1 - Investigative Report Writing

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

CHAPTER 1 - Investigative Report Writing

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

CHAPTER 1 - Investigative Report Writing

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Module TECHNICAL ENGLISH 2: Legal Forms

Investigative Report Writing

At the end of this module, the learner should be able to:

 Recognize the essential part of Investigative

Purposes of an Investigation Report:

The investigator writes his report in order to achieve the following

a. Record – The reports provide a permanent official record of the relevant

Criteria of a Good Investigation Report:

a. It must be grammatically correct.

Requisites of a Good Investigation Report:

a. Accuracy – The report should be a true representation of the facts to the

f. Prompt – The report must be completed in a timely manner. Your

TYPES OF REPORT WRITERS:

a. Those who write without thinking.

HOW THE INVESTIGATORS ARE RELATED ON REPORT WRITING:

12.Failure to include essential facts which show jurisdiction,

The investigator should not be faulted too much

a. Assure Good Reports:

2. Standards of good reporting should be set up so that all will know

3. Systems of spot-checking must be set up to make sure that

b. Protect the reputation of the department and its officers.

Do not let an officer’s report let you see things

APPROVED Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) IN THE INVESTIGATION OF

4. INFORMATION REPORT – for some cases initially taken cognizance

You might also like