Police officers need to know how to incorporate objectivity into their police reports. This PowerPoint covers the do's (stick to observable facts) and don'ts (writing down your thoughts, reasoning, and conclusions).

1. Objectivity in Police
Reports
by Jean Reynolds, Ph.D.

2. Objectivity in Police
Reports
by Jean Reynolds, Ph.D.

3. Let’s look inside the brain of an
experienced police officer.

4. We can see a lot of mental activity:
Reasoning, intuition, problem solving.

5. A police officer’s knowledge,
experience, and thinking skills are
powerful weapons against crime.

6. But they don’t belong in a police
report.

7. Does that surprise you?

8. Police reports have to be objective.
That means recording only what you
see, hear, touch, or smell…not what
you think.

9. When you write down what you saw
or heard, you’re writing an objective
report. (That’s good!)

10. When you write down your thoughts,
you’re writing a subjective report.
(That’s bad!)

11. Why is objectivity so important in
police reports?
•It showcases your professionalism
•It makes you credible in court
•No one can argue with objective
facts

12. What does an objective police report
look like?

13. An objective report sticks to factual
information.

14. Here are more examples of objective
facts.

15. Be careful also not to make judgments
about a victim’s or suspect’s
statements.

16. “Joe threatened Betty with a baseball
bat” is subjective (unless you heard
him make the threat).

17. Maybe you thought Betty was telling
the truth about the threat—but that’s
an opinion, not a fact.

18. Betty told me that Joe threatened
her with a baseball bat.
Here’s how to say it objectively:

19. One more
thing: Don’t be
fooled by
gimmicks!

20. Objectivity isn’t about verbal tricks.
“I” is just as objective as “this
officer.”
“Karen Santos” is just as objective
as “Victim 1.”

21. You can learn more about objectivity
at www.YourPoliceWrite.com.

22. All the resources there are FREE:
www.YourPoliceWrite.com.

23. And if you’re
looking for a
low-cost,
practical book…

24. Criminal Justice Report
Writing is available
from www.Amazon.com
for just $19.95.
View a free sample
online.

25. An e-book edition is
available from
www.Smashwords.com
for only $9.99.

26. A discount price is
available for class sets
(minimum five books).
A free Instructor’s Manual
is available for instructors
and administrators.
Send an e-mail request
from your official account
to jreynoldswrite at
aol.com.