Advanced Report Writing

The Notebook

B Phaneuf 2014

Report Writing

Security guards are required to complete written reports of occurrences, duties performed and comprehensive descriptions of their tasks/observances.

Security guards are required to write a variety of reports for different audiences. It is imperative that reports are written in a clear, standardized format to ensure information is conveyed accurately and without bias. We will be discussing:• The importance of using a notebook and the rules and format for taking

accurate notes• Different types of reports depending on the situation (ie. incident, use of

force, witness statements)• The basic elements of report writing (ie. date, time, location,

actions/behaviours, description of individuals, observations, time of completion, etc.)

• Content of reports (ie. factual information only)• The legal implications of reports (ie. necessary for audits or evidence in court)• The difference between statements and reports

Reports and Logs

As a key communication tool:Reports and logs are necessary to good management. • They enable the security department and management to evaluate security

needs and detect problem areas by tracking and categorizing incidents.

• The info obtained from reports and logs is converted into statistical data.

• Data is then analyzed and will be used to justify necessary changes in an organization or security detail.

• Reports and logs provide proof that site has adequate security.

• Reports and logs are also useful for insurance purposes.

• They are valuable documents for proving or disproving claims in a court of law.

Note Taking

A notebook is arguably your most important tool – it is used on a daily basis to provide an account of the events that unfolded on that day.

A notebook should be kept as neat as possible, be organized chronologically, and should not be tampered with. Overall, the accuracy and the transparency of the notebook will reflect the integrity and reliability of the security guard.

It is the security guard’s responsibility to make sure that their notebook is secure. However, the notebook is ultimately the property of the security guard’s employer, so entries should be as legible as possible, with an emphasis on accurate spelling of names and locations.

Note Taking

Reports should stick to factual information and observations, rather than opinions and assumptions, and should contain answers to the following questions:

• Who? (names of suspects, victims, complainants, witnesses, etc.)• What? (description of what happened, what each person involved

did, what evidence is available, etc.)• When? (time, date, sequential account of what happened from start

to finish)• Where? (location where the incident took place, where each person

involved was situated, where evidence was found, etc.)• Why? (describe the motives for what happened, if they are evident)• How? (how the incident happened, how each person involved was

acting, etc.)

Reports as Evidence

Security guards may receive a subpoena and be called upon to testify in court in relation to a situation they dealt with.

They may be asked to recall specific details about the situation, so it is imperative for the security guard to keep thorough and accurate notes.

When on the witness stand, the security guard may be permitted to refer to his or her notes.

Prior to appearing in court, the guard should carefully review all notes and try to remember as many details about the situation as possible.

Statements

A security guard may be required to take a statement to secure the information provided by a witness. The key purpose of taking a statement is to ensure an accurate record of the recollection of an event or occurrence by the witness.

General good practice is for statements to include the following:• Full name of the witness, date of birth, identification.• Employment of the witness and contact information.• Address of the witness, location of statement.• Date of interview.• Time commenced and concluded.• Name of security guard and company who took the statement.• An introduction paragraph including day’s events and observations.• Verbatim (word for word) transcription of the witness’ recollection of

the events.• Closing paragraph that ends the statement.

Statements (Continued)

For example, the closing statement can read:“I, (witness name), have read the above six-page statement and find it to be accurate to the best of my recollection. I have been advised that I could omit, delete or change any part of the statement prior to signing it.”

Writing Notes and Reports

All writing involves these four factors:

Audience: who you are writing to – all of the possible readers

Purpose: why you are writing – to record, inform, persuade, entertain, etc.

Format: how you will write – the style. For example: notes, report, letter, list, proposal, poem, article, short story, etc.

Voice: how you want it to “sound” – the tone. For example: formal/informal, personal/impersonal, serious, funny, sarcastic, etc.

Writing Notes and Reports

A simple example of writing is a grocery list, but even it involves these four factors:

Audience: yourself

Purpose: to remind yourself what to buy

Format: list

Voice: informal – may include slang, personal abbreviations, misspelling

What factors are involved in note taking?

Audience

Purpose

Format

Note taking factors (1 of 3)

There are some important things that you need to do as soon as you start taking notes, so that they become a habit:

• Write your name and other identification information at the front of the book.

• Only use the special notebook with numbered pages that your employer gives you.

• Write the date the book was started and finished, and the book number.

• Use only one notebook at a time.

Note taking factors (2 of 3)

• Start each day with the time using the 24-hour clock, the date, your location, your supervisor, your partner, weather conditions and any unusual circumstances.

• Record the time before each entry and arrange your notes in the order that things happened (chronological order).

• Use a pen, not a pencil.

• Draw a single line through mistakes, and write your initials beside the line.

Note taking factors (3 of 3)

• Fill each line of your notebook. If you leave a space between entries, draw a line through the space, and write your initials beside the line.

• Write or print neatly, so that others will be able to read it.

• Use only common abbreviations, for example AB for Alberta. If you make up your own abbreviations, make sure you explain them the first time you use them.

• You must make your notes right away or as soon as possible after the incident. They should always be done within 24 hours.

Note taking factors continued

If you follow these guidelines, your notebook will look clean and well organized. It will add to your image as a professional, and this will be important if your supervisor uses it to evaluate you.

A notebook with clear writing, where nothing is erased and no pages are removed, can be accepted as strong evidence if it is ever used in court.

V1

Note taking factors continued

Voice

When writing in your notebook you should always use an objective tone. This means you state the facts as you observe them without adding any personal opinions or judgments.

Here is an example of the difference:

Opinion: The suspect was drunk.

Fact: The man was staggering away from the building and when I approached him I could smell alcohol. His eyes were red and his speech was slurred.

Note taking factors continued

Remember, your notes are a permanent record. Personal comments could cause problems for you later on. If you stereotype people or write rude things about someone, your notes will not be taken seriously. They could even be used against you in court.

Put quotation marks around the exact words that a person says, so that it is clear that they are the other person’s words, not yours. Do not use slang or swear words in your notebook, unless you are quoting someone directly.

For example, an entry in your notebook may look like this: Suspect X yelled, “I’m going to waste that lying jerk.”

What types of things should I write in my notebook?

Get into the habit of recording anything that will help you fill out a report later. This could include things such as:

• suspicious looking people or vehicles

• safety hazards• special requests for equipment• anything that looks out of place• a security break• complaints or upset people• damage to equipment or

property• signs of criminal activity• evidence of a crime• description of the scene• weather conditions

• strange phone calls• bomb threats

Things to write continued

The key to writing good notes is to record as many details as possible.

It is better that you write too much instead of too little.

If you observe an incident that you know you will need to write a report about, make sure your notes include the answers to these important questions:

Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How.

5Ws and 1 H

Who was involved?suspects, victims, witnesses, people who made a complaint, property ownerfull names, addresses, phone numbers and descriptionsalways use the person’s real name and include known nicknames or aliases

What happened?details from start to finishactions taken by the people involvedevidenceDamages

When did it happen?time using the 24-hour clock and datewhen you last observed the area before the incidentwhen the event began and endedwhen you had contact with a witnesswhen the police, fire department, or ambulance were called. When they arrived

Where did it happen?name of company, exact street address, area where incident occurredif no address is available, describe the area. For example, in the children’s play area near the swingswhere you and others were when the incident took placewhere the evidence or a suspect was found Why did it happen?describe the reason if it is obvious, such as an accidentname the purpose (motive) for a crime if it is obviousdo not guess the reason if you do not know

How did it happen?describe how the incident took place and what action you took in response to itexplain how the incident came to your attention, how the suspect and the witnesses acted, how the evidence was recovered, and how the suspect was arrested

24-Hour Clock

The 24-hour clock is used by many people in many places when the exact time is very important. It is used in airports and train and bus stations. It is also used by the military, the police, and the security industry. You will need to write your notes and reports using the 24-hour clock. You will also use the 24-hour clock if you have to testify in court

24-Hour Clock continued

To change from 12-hour clock time to 24-hour clock timeIn the 24-hour clock system we give the number of hours since the beginning of the day for the first two digits, and the number of minutes since the beginning of the hour for the last two digits.

12-hour clock time 24-hour clock time3:06 a.m.|3 hours since beginning of day, so time is 030612:05 p.m.|12 hours since beginning of day, so time is 12055:00 p.m.|17 hours (12 +5) since beginning of day, so time is 17008:14 p.m.|20 hours (12+8) since beginning of day, so time is 201412:59 a.m.|0 hours since the beginning of day, so time is 0059

The Phonetic Alphabet

A Alfa (AL fah)B Bravo (BRAH VOH)C Charlie (CHAR lee)D Delta (DELL tah)E Echo (ECK oh)F Foxtrot (FOKS trot)G Golf (GOLF)H Hotel (hoh TELL)I India (IN dee ah)J Juliett (JEW lee ETT)K Kilo (KEY loh)L Lima (LEE mah)M Mike (MIKE)

N November (no VEM ber)O Oscar (OSS car)P Papa (pah pah)Q Quebec (keh BECK)R Romeo (ROW me oh)S Sierra (see AIR rah)T Tango (TANG go)U Uniform (YOU ne form)V Victor (VIC tor)W Whiskey (WISS key)X X-ray (ECKS ray)Y Yankee (YANG key)Z Zulu (ZOO loo)