This is a police report based on the Type 4 scenario you just read. If you’ve written your own version, compare it to the version below.
I saw smoke rising above a wooded lot at the intersection of Post Street and Pine Avenue. I was on my way to lunch at Cathy’s Cafe and pulled over onto the grassy area at the northwest corner to investigate.
Less than a minute later I saw two male youths walk out from between the trees. When they saw my patrol car, they began running south on Pine Avenue.
I called the fire department, reported the fire, and gave the location. I then followed the boys as they ran toward the E-Z Shoppe at the southwest corner of Pine Avenue and Carter Street. I parked in the E-Z Shoppe parking lot and exited my vehicle. The boys saw me standing there and froze. Neither boy was carrying anything.
I talked first to Jimmy Tonger (DOB 9/4/01, 1311 Conley Road). He told me he and Stone had a secret club that met in the wooded lot, and they didn’t start the fire. I then talked to Sam Stone (DOB 2/2/01, 1335 Conley Road). Stone said he and Tonger had a stash of “dirty magazines” that they kept in a cardboard box in the wooded lot. He said they smelled smoke, were afraid, and ran toward the street. He said he and Tonger were going home to report the fire.
I used my department cell phone to take a picture of Tonger and of Stone. I then called headquarters and spoke to Detective Camille Santos. I gave her the boys’ names and addresses for further investigation. I drove back to the wooded lot, parked my patrol car, and talked to firefighter Janice Wilkes, who told me the fire had already been extinguished.
I returned to the station house, downloaded and printed the pictures of Tonger and Stone, and gave them to Detective Santos.
At approximately 12:42 P.M, I was headed to cathy cafe where I was passing by an intersection of Post Street and Pine Avenue. Then I saw smoke rising from the interior of the wooded area. I stopped to investigate and saw two boys running south Along Pine Street.
Immediately called the fire department, reported a fire and gave the location.
Then I followed the boys running towards to southwest corner of Pine Avenue and Carter Street E-Z Shoppe lot. I apprehended the two boys and interviewed them.
Their names were
1.)Jimmy Tonged
dob 9/4/01
1311 Conley Road
2.)Sam Stone
Dob 2/2/01
1355 Conley Road
Jimmy and Sam were empty handed,
Jimmy informed me, he and Sam were in the woods for a secret club meet and didn’t start the fire.
Sam informed me they had a stash of “dirty magazines” that they kept in the cardboard box in the wooded lot and they were to to home to report the fire.
I took a picture of each of boy. I called headquarters informing Detective Camille Santos the boys names, address for further investigation.
I arrived back to the wooded lot and talked to firefighter Janice Wilkes, who updated me that the fire had already been extinguished
I arrived back at the station. I downloaded the Sam and Jimmy pictures and submitted it to Detective Santos.
End of Report.
I hope you read the version I posted and learned from it.
My problem is that you added details not in the original incident. ” He said they smelled smoke, were afraid, and ran toward the street.” Was not in the original scenario. Other than that, your report looked good!
Thank you for your advice, Jean! In a couple of weeks, I’m going to take a report writing test within the recruitment selection process of the Irish Police, and I’ve started my preparation watching your videos and reading your articles here on your website.
This test is based on a video of 5-10 minutes: candidates are supposed to take notes of every detail and then to write a report in 30 mn.
Do you maybe know any useful videos to watch to practise for this? I found the Cops tv ones on youtube, but they’re usually quite short.
Keep up the good work!
Hi, Max! I’m so pleased the advice was useful. I’m sorry I don’t have any videos that feature scenarios. You might want to contact a local police academy to see if they can help. You can also do a search for scenarios on my website (use the search box on the home page). You can compare your results to mine (I always post a report for comparison and study). I’d love to hear the results of your test if you have time to share them – and any tips and suggestions based on your experience are always welcome! Jean
Never mind, thank you very much anyway!
Indeed, I’ve already begun practising with your scenarios. I’m writing my reports in ink, because at the real test we won’t use a computer, I think. Yet, if I have time, I’ll try to share my results.
Max
Great plan – and I’m looking forward to hearing from you.
Good morning . I have the question that is there necessary to add these details, not appear from the original text, into report? Like the badge number ? Thank you for your time.
Hi, Frank!
There should be spaces on your laptop for recording your badge number, the date and time, and the address. There’s no need to repeat those in your narrative.
But some agencies haven’t updated their procedures, and they still require that the first sentence include that information. Follow your agency’s procedures (and update them when you get a promotion to a decision-making position).
Sir,
On 01-29-20 approx. 12:42 Hours, I saw smoke coming from a wooded area as I was going to lunch on intersection of Post Street and Pine Avenue. In less than a minute coming out of the woods were two boys, as they saw my patrol vehicle, they fled south down Pine Avenue.
I called the fire department and reported the location of the fire. After that, I proceeded to follow the two boys whom I saw coming out of the wood and fled down Pine Avenue towards E-Z Shoppe. As I saw the boys in the parking lot at E-Z Shoppe I radioed in to dispatch, my location of southeast corner of Pine Avenue and Carter Street. Then I made contact and questioned the two boy who identified them self as the following.
Jimmy Tonger, ( DOB: 09/04/2001, 1311 Conley Road). Mr. Tonger stated, that he and Mr. Stone had a club house in the woods. Jimmy also stated the they did not start the fire. Sam Stone, (DOB: 02/02/2001, 1335 Conley Road) Mr. Stone stated, that they had dirty magazines at the club house, and they were leaving the woods to report the fire.
I then, took photos of the two boys and called Detective Santos. I then, met up with the Detective and gave my field notes and photos to her for farther investigation. After that, I went back to the wooded area and met with the one of the fire fighters Mr. Wilkes, who stated that the fire had already been extinguished.
This is all I have at this time.
Respectfully, Patrolmen, R. Edwards #225