SOME TIPS ON REPORT WRITING FOR THE DETECTIVE/INVESTIGATOR

No matter how you slice it, a major part of the detective’s duties involves writing reports. “If it’s not in a report it didn’t happen” is a phrase we have all heard, and uttered, over and over again. According to the text “Professional’s Guide to Investigative Report Writing”, some basic tips can be followed. Remember, strong reports “are like athletes: trim, lean, and moving swiftly to the finish line”. Padding reports with repetitive wording serves little value. Report the facts, trim the fat. Will your report tell a story to someone who was not there (i.e. the Jury)? That’s the purpose of the report, isn’t it? When referencing the investigator (writer of the report) some like to use indirect terms, such as “this writer” or “this investigator”, as they feel it implies greater neutrality, or just plain sounds better. But isn’t this awkward phrasing best eliminated by simply using the term “I” or “we”?