Lesson Proper for Week 1 (cdi5)

POLICE REPORT

Primarily, report is defined as an account of any occurrence prepared after thorough investigation.It is also
defined as an account or statemen describing in detail an event, situation, or the likes, usually as the result of
observation or inquiry.

It deals with the story of action performed by police personnel. It is a chronological or step-by-step account of an
incident that transpired in a given time, at a given place. It is also defined as an account of some subjects
specifically investigated, or an official statement of facts.

Police reporting has become one of the most significant processes in modern police operations. A police officer,
after rendering his/her duty, must render a report. His immediate supervisor must be aware of the things he/she
had done in the field during his/her tour of duty, and submitting a report is the only way to do that.

POLICE REPORT WRITING

Police report writing is considered technical writing, and as such, one needs to develop special skills and
techniques. Police report writing is the backbone of criminal investigation and prosecution. Police Report Writing
are also used to train personnel and to get people to follow procedures and policies. Report writing is a skill or
competence that is difficult to master. That is why it needs to be learned or studied.

Note: The success of police operation depends upon the quality of the reports and the ability of the police officer
to write them effectively. The PNP for instance, relies on written reports to relay information to superiors, co-
workers, the courts and numerous other agencies.

PURPOSE OF WRITTEN REPORTS

A. To Preserve Knowledge. Knowledge when in use can be shared and Used by others for greatest possible
benefits. It can pass on from generation to generation;

B. To Provide Accurate Details. Regardless of the length of time the details recorded in a written report will
be available for future time and for any purpose with accuracy.

C. To Aid the Personnel and Other Agencies. Witten report provides valuable assistance to other members
of investigation agencies and other law enforcement agencies. Record and report are important part of achieving
mutual cooperation among agencies national, local or private entities; and,

D. To Coordinate the Activities within the Organization. A report by an individual may be concerned of
another office within the organization. Mutual and supportive roles would result to closely coordinate activities
when the report is widely disseminated or not limited to a few.

QUALITIES OF A GOOD POLICE REPORT

All police reports must contain certain qualities, which can be categorized as Accurate, Clear, Complete, Concise,
Factual, Objective and Prompt.
A. Accurate. This means that the report is in exact conformity to fact (errorless). A fact is something that has
been objectively verified. You must report the facts correctly and without error. If it is a criminal incident report,
the elements of the crime are a must for accuracy. One must restrict his/her report to the facts of the incident as
one saw it or as victims and witnesses reported them. One must accurately report the conditions of the scene as
he/she found them;

B. Clear. The language and format in one's report must be simple and direct to the point. Clear means plain
or evident to the mind of the reader. One should use simple words so the reader will know exactly what he/she
needs to know. Avoid use of words that can have double meanings, slang, jargon and unnecessary abbreviations;

C. Complete. A report must answer the Who, What, When, Where, Why and How questions (5W's and 1 H).
It must also contain the elements of the offense. One's memory is not sufficient to assure the completeness of
reports. Proper note-taking techniques can assure one to write complete reports;

D. Concise. This means that the report says much with a few words as possible. Conciseness relates to the
elimination of unnecessary words and does not mean short. Writing concise reports includes using active voice,
avoiding wordiness, eliminating unnecessary words, prepositional phrases, and using ordinary and commonly
understood words. Most sentences in police reports consist 12 to15 words;

E. Factual. A report must be factual. A fact is something that has been objectively verified and is presented
objectively. One must report the facts correctly and without error. Avoid reporting opinion or inferences (drawing
conclusions), suppositions (assumptions of truth) or hearsay as though they were facts;

F. G. Prompt. A report must be completed in a timely manner and submitted at the soonest possible time.
One's credibility may be open to speculation if this quality of police report is not followed.

STEPS IN REPORT WRITING PROCESS

Report or Technical Writing is a five-step process.

1) Interviewing - is defined as asking somebody a series of questions to gather information. This is the first step
in the process. The investigator's interview of the victims, witnesses, and suspects is the backbone of the
preliminary investigation. Frequently, the first officer at the scene of the crime has the best opportunity to conduct
interviews. If he/she fails to conduct successful interviews, his/her action on preliminary investigation is
incomplete.

2) Note Taking - It means brief notation concerning specific events while fresh in one's mind and used to prepare
a report. An investigator takes notes to assist his/her memory with specific details, such as names, date of birth,
serial numbers, addresses and phone numbers. Neat and accurate notes add to one's credibility and demonstrate
one's high level of proficiency and professionalism. Since notes are made of all pertinent information during an
investigation, they would be of great help especially when an investigator is Subpoenaed or Summoned to appear
in court.

3) Organizing - Organizing means to arrange the Components of something in a way that creates a particular
structure. Since during the note taking, all information gathered are fragments, the investigator must organize the
information into logical manner. The sequence of events must be followed in order to portray the incident clearly.
4) Writing the Narrative - This is the fourth stage in the preparation of thee report. The task is not only to express
your ideas, but to make an impression upon the mind of the reader as well. In other words, you must write for the
benefit of the reader. Place yourself in his/her position and try to visualize his/her interest his/her knowledge of
the subject and his/her dependence upon the report Writing the narrative should be the easiest part of report
writing. Before you begin writing the narrative, stop and think about what you have done and what you have yet
to do.

5) Proofreading - The results of an investigation must be reduced to writing. During the investigation, one must
complete each of the steps, or else, the final report will lack substance.
Lesson Proper for Week 2 (cdi5)

GUIDELINES IN REPORT WRITING:

1. Word Usage: Police officers from all over the country tend to Use similar words and phrases but you should
always make sure you know the correct definition and spelling of the words you will use in the reports.
a. Slang is usually a nonstandard vocabulary developed by a group of people. You may be familiar with
street slang, criminal slang, and police slang. It is inappropriate to use slang in your report, unless you
are quoting someone's statements; and,
b. Jargon is usually the specialized language of a profession. Criminal justice professionals, just like
other professionals, use a great deal of jargons. You should avoid use of jargon in your reports.
2. Tone (First Person and Third Person): You may write your reports in either the first-person or third-person
style, both are acceptable. First-Person writing style is preferred and the most widely used. You should refer
to yourself as an active participant. The alternative to first person is the Third Person writing style. You refer
to yourself as assigned officer the undersigned or this officer. Usually, department policy specifies which style
as assigned to the office you use. Police reports should be written in an easily understandable which style the
Philippine National Police organization caters.
3. The Contents of a Police Report (5Ws and 1H): The police officer needs not be a literary genius to write a
good police report. It the officer obtains responses for the six interrogatives, i.e., WHO, WHAI, WHERE,
WHEN, WHY and HOW, his report will be complete even though it might not be a literary masterpiece. The
5Ws and 1H can be a useful guide to report writers, especially the beginners. The following is a list of the
variations that can be derived from the above.
a. WHO
i. Complete and correct name. Wrong name usually results in failure to locate a witness or
apprehend a suspect. The spelling of the name of witness, victim and suspect should be correct.
Name including middle name must be exact.
ii. Exact home address, be it residence or a hotel, and telephone address.
b. WHAT
i. What type of property was attacked, e.g., building, residence, alley, vacant lot, etc.
ii. What type of property was stolen, lost or found. What items related to the crime were found at
the crime scene. An accurate description of all such properties stolen, lost or found should be
entered in the notes.

iii. What offense was committed, e.g., murder, homicide, rape, physical injuries, robbery, theft,
and violation of special laws.
iv. What type of evidence was found or recovered?
c. Where
i. This question is concerned with the geographical location of the crime Scene, property or
evidence.
d. When
i. This question includes the date and the time when the offense was committed; property found,
suspect apprehended, etc.
 e. WHY
i. Under this heading is listed the object of desire which motivated offense
ii. In crime against person, the object of the attack might be revenge ransom, or sexual pleasure.
iii. In crime against property, the reason may be to acquire money and property.
f. HOW
i. This question refers to the general manner in which the crime was committed.

SECURITY CLASSIFICATIONS OF DOCUMENTS

Classified information is a material that the government deems to contain sensitive information and requires
protection of confidentiality, integrity, or availability. Access is restricted by law or regulation to particular groups
of people, and mishandling can incur criminal penalties and loss of respect. A formal security clearance is often
required to handle classified documents or access classified data. Documents and other information assets are
typically marked with one of several (hierarchical) levels of sensitivity, e.g. restricted, confidential, secret and
top secret.

These levels of sensitivity are explained as follows:

A. TOP SECRET - A document which unauthorized disclosure of its contents would cause exceptionally grave
damage to the nation, politically economically or from security aspect. This category is reserved for the nation's
closest secrets and is to be used with great reserve. This kind of document has the highest level of sensitivity.
Examples:
1. Very important political documents dealing with such matters as negotiations for our country.
2. Major governmental projects such as drastic proposals to adjust the nation's economy before official
publications.
3. Matters relating to new and far reaching experimental, technical, and scientific development in methods
of warfare, defense against biological warfare, or matter affecting future operation strategy. A TOP
SECRET grading is justified if:
a) It is likely to influence military strategy materially;
b) If gives us a prolonged military advantage over the nation;
c) It is liable to compromise some other project similarly graded.
d) The critical information relates to vital strategic areas and the supply of vital strategic materials.
e) The information indicates the capabilities or major successes of our intelligence services which would
imperil secret sources.
f) The critical information on cryptography relates to devices and equipment under development.
g) It is a compilation of data or items which individually may be classified as SECRET or lower, but which
collectively should be put in a higher grade.
Classification Authority
1. Original classification authority for assignment of TOP SECRET classification rests exclusively with the head
of the Office. This power may however, be delegated to authorized offices in instances when necessity for
such arises.
2. Derivative classification authority for TOP SECRET classification (authority may be granted to those officers
who are required to give comments or responses to a communication that.
B. SECRET MATTER - A document which unauthorized disclosure of its contents would endanger national
security, cause serious injury to the interest or prestige of the nation or to any governmental activity or would be
of great advantage to a foreign nation. Examples:
1. High level directives dealing with important negotiations (as distinct from major negotiations which would
be in the TOP SECRET category) with other countries.
2. Proposals for new schemes of government or other controls, foreknowledge of which would seriously
prejudice their operation.
3. Matter relating to certain new methods of warfare or defense including scientific and technical developments,
not classified as TOP SECRET e.g. new design or service aircraft., guided projectiles/missiles, tanks, radar
and anti-submarine devices. A SECRET grading is justified if:
a) It materially influences a major aspect of military tactics; projects.
b) It involves a novel principle applicable to existing important
c) It is sufficiently revolutionary to result in a major advance in existing techniques or in the performance
of existing secret weapons; d. It is liable to compromise some other projects already so graded.

d) It refers to plans or details of schemes for the defense of areas other than vital strategic areas, including
plans or particulars of operations connected with them.
e) It involves vital military information, including photographs, etc. relating to important defenses,
establishment and installation
f) It refers to intelligence which is not in the TOP SECRET category but which would reveal a secret
source, or the value of which dene concealing the fact that we possess it.
g) It is about cryptographic devices and equipment unless specifically assigned to a lower classification.
h) It is a compilation of data or item which individually may be classified CONFIDENTIAL or lower,
but which collectively should be put in d higher grade.
C. CONFIDENTIAL MATTER - A document which unauthorized disclosure of its contents, while not
endangering the national security, would be prejudicial to the interest or prestige of the nation or any governmental
activity or would Cause administrative embarrassment or unwarranted injury to an individual or would be of
advantage to a foreign nation. Examples:
1. Plans of government projects such as land development, hydroelectric Schemes, road development, or
development of areas.
2. Routine Service Reports, e.g. on operation and exercises, which contain information of value but not of vital
interest to a foreign power.
3. Routine Intelligence Report.
4. Technical matter not of major importance but which has a distinct military value or required protection
otherwise., e.g. new weapons calculated to influence minor tactics or service test of war equipment of a
standard pattern. A CONFIDENTIAL grading is justified if:
a) it is more than a routine modification or logical improvement of existing materials and is sufficiently
advanced to result in substantial improvement in the performance of existing CONFIDENTIAL weapons;
b) It is sufficiently important potentially to make it desirable to postpone knowledge of its value reaching a
foreign nation; It is liable to compromise some other projects already so graded; iv. It involves personnel
records and staff matters;
c) Certain compilations of data or items which individually may be classified RESTRICTED, or which may
be unclassified, but the aggregation of which enhance their security value;
d) Matters, investigations and documents of a personnel and and disciplinary nature, the knowledge of which
is desirable to safeguard for administrative reasons;
e) Identification of personnel being investigated for misconduct, anomaly of fraud prior to the filing of
appropriate charges or completion of the findings of boards created for such purpose.
Any officer is authorized to assign CONFIDENTIAL Classification to any matter in the performance of his duties.
D. RESTRICTED - A document which requires special protection other than that determined to be TOP
SECRET, SECRET or CONFIDENTIAL. Examples:
1. Departmental Books of Instructions and Training and technical document intended for official use only or
not intended for release to the public; stores;
2. Routine information relating to the supply and procurement of military
3. Minor modifications and routine test of equipment;
4. Certain compilations of data or item which individually maybe unclassified and which in its aggregate
warrants a classification.
5. Authority for Classification, Reproduction, Dissemination and Destruction
Authority to classify shall be the same as for CONFIDENTIAL matter. Reproduction is authorized.
Transmission shall be through the normal be dissemination system. Destruction shall be the same as for that of
CONFIDENTIAL matter.
Lesson Proper for Week 3

BASIC GRAMMAR REVIEW

This lesson is geared towards directing the learner on reviewing the basics of English grammar. The skills
acquisition on correct grammar is important, before the learner engages in the actual writing process of this course,
he needs to go back and review on the basics. Though English grammar has already been taught in other English
subjects, still the writer needs to reinforce his learning through constant review, repetition, and practice. The basic
elements of grammar like the Eight Parts of Speech, which are the Nouns, Pronouns, Verbs, Adverbs, Adjectives,
Prepositions, Conjunctions, and Interjections, are reviewed in this unit to reinforce previous leanings. The
sentence and its kinds are also emphasized to aid the learner in composing parallel paragraphs using a

ppropriate transitional markers, and sentences free from errors of comma splices and dangling modifiers.
Moreover, agreement and grammar rules are reviewed to remind the learner that correct grammar and usage are
important factors in good writing, because a well written material will lose its significance when correct grammar
usage is not followed.
Basic Elements of Grammar The words in the English language can be designated to one of the eight
categories, known as the Parts of Speech. The meaning and the way the words are used in a sentence determine
what part of speech it is. These parts of speech are considered as one of the basic elements of grammar. Each of
the part functions in accordance with the standard rules of grammar. The eight parts of speech are discussed in
details in the next pages.

1. Nouns - The largest of the parts of speech categories constitute nouns. It names a person, place or a
thing. The chart below shows the kinds of nouns with its corresponding description and examples:
a. Abstract Nouns- name something that is non-physical that one cannot readily perceive through
any of the five senses. Examples: (nationalism, terrorism, delinquency, morality love,
credibility). As used in a sentence: A Policeman's credibility and morality is in question if he
is involved in illegal activities.
b. Compound Nouns- composed of two or more words acting as a single unit. Examples:
(fingerprint, shot gun, police officer in charge Director General) As used in a sentence: The
Director General ordered the police officer in-charge of the case to submit a written report
about the incident.

c. Concrete Nouns- name something that one can physically see, touch, taste, hear, or smell.
Examples: (criminal, police officer, jail, courtroom, patrol car gun, dead body, police station)
As used in a sentence: The gun used by the criminal is in the Police station.
d. Common Nouns- any one of a class of people, places, or things Examples: (victim, cop,
explosives, station, district, evidence) As used in a sentence: The victims of the explosion were
assisted by the cop.
e. Proper Nouns- name a specific person, place, or thing. Examples: (Crimgst. Paulino Pioquinto,
College of Criminology, Philippine National Police, Lapu-Lapu City Police Station) As used
in a sentence: Crmgst. Paulino Pioquinto is the Chaiperson of UCLM College of Criminology.
 f. Collective Nouns- name a group of people or things, its meaning may be either singular or
plural depending on how it is used in the sentence. Examples: (council, delegation, jury, team,
committee, troop. entourage). As used in a sentence: The biggest delegation of police officers
came from Cebu City.
2. Pronouns are words that help writers avoid awkward repetition of nouns. They are used in
replacement of nouns. Examples: (a) Mar is taking up BS Criminology at University of Cebu; he will
graduate next year. (b) The crime scene was secured. The police officer cordoned it. Antecedents -
Antecedents are nouns or words that take the place of nouns for which pronoun stands. The italicized
word in the examples below is the antecedent of the underlined pronoun. Examples (a) Before their
release, the victims paid a ransom. (b) While writing his notes, the police officer noticed errors in it.
The chart below shows the different kinds of pronouns with its corresponding description and
example:

Figure 2 – English Pronoun

Source: https://7esl.com/english-pronouns/
3. Preposition - repositions and postpositions, together called adpositions, are a class of words used to
express spatial or temporal relations or mark various semantic roles.
 Figure 3– Prepositions
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4. Verbs - Verbs are words or group of words that express time while showing an action, a condition, or
the fact that something exists. Every complete sentence contains at least 1 verb. The examples below
show the different kinds of verb with its corresponding one verb.

a. Action Verb - Make up the majority of the English verbs; they expressed either physical or
mental action - that is what someone or something does, did, or will do.
i. The suspect attempted to jump over the fence.
ii. The police officer blows his whistle incessantly. L
b. Linking Verb - These verbs serve a more passive function, because it just simply express a
condition showing that something exist.
i. John Raymond is an outstanding law enforcer.
ii. They are both senior officers of the Philippine National Police.
c. Be Verb - These are the most common linking verbs; when be verbs act as liking verbs, they
express the condition of the subject, and sometimes they merely express existence usually by
working with other words to show where the subject is located.
 i. The suspects are inside the interrogation room.
ii. The suspect will be subjected to a lie polygraph test.
(Examples: am, are, is, was, were, will be, was being, were being, have been, had been, and has
been)
d. Transitive Verb - These verbs direct actions toward someone or something that is named in the
same sentence; the word toward which transitive verb directs its action is called the object of
the verb.
i. He filed an affidavit of complaint.
ii. The medical examiner made an autopsy report of the victims.
e. intransitive Verb- These verbs do not direct action toward someone or something that is named
in the sentence; and they never have objects.
i. I washed, dressed, and went out
ii. Kevin couldn't read or write.
5. Adjectives - Adjectives are words that qualify the meaning of a noun or pronoun by giving description
about its appearance, location, and other characteristics. It can answer four questions about a noun, as
exemplified below:
i. What kind? (what kind of car?)
ii. Which one? (which witness?)
iii. How many? (how many pistols)
iv. How much? (how much ransom was paid?)

Figure 4 – Adjectives
Source: https://www.grammar-monster.com/lessons/adjectives.htm
6. Adverb is a word or an expression that modifies a verb, adjective, another adverb, determiner, clause,
preposition, or sentence. Adverbs typically express manner, place, time, frequency, degree, level of
certainty, etc., answering questions such as how?, in what way?, when?, where?, and to what extent?
Figure 5– Adverbs
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7. Conjunctions are words used to join or connect other words in a sentence. Below are the descriptions
and examples of the three kinds of conjunctions. There are three kinds of conjunctions, namely:
Coordinating, Subordinating, and Correlative.
8. Interjections- An interjection is a word or expression that occurs as an utterance on its own and
expresses a spontaneous feeling or reaction. It is a diverse category, encompassing many different
parts of speech, such as exclamations, curses, greetings, response particles, hesitation markers and
other words.