Deck 9: Police Reports and Other Correspondence

Question 1

Which of the following is/are considered to be the basis for most police reports?

A)Direct observations
B)Field notes
C)Witness accounts
D)Evidence from the crime scene

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Unless an agency has a special policy,a police officer should preserve notes until:

A)the report is turned over to the prosecution.
B)the report has been reviewed by a supervisor.
C)a witness verified its content.
D)the case is final.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

One of the biggest problems in report writing is:

A)use of abbreviations.
B)misspelled words.
C)lack of clear content.
D)use of the passive voice.

Answer 3

A

Question 4

Effective field notes are noted for which of the following?

A)Accuracy
B)Brevity
C)Clarity
D)All of the above

Question 5

A suite of computer applications designed primarily for small-to-medium size police departments is called:

A)efficiency domino.
B)pro-law.
C)Enterpol.
D)interpool.

Question 6

It is of utmost importance that a police report accurately reflect:

A)information pertinent to the officer.
B)only physical evidence.
C)all facts discovered by the police officer.
D)only the information that will be a permanent record.

Question 7

What is considered as the basis for most police incident reports and should be taken as soon as practicable after an incident?

A)Victim statements
B)Field notes
C)Witness statements
D)Answers a and c only

Question 8

Which of the following is an essential element of any police investigation?

A)Dictation of report
B)Use of mobile data terminals
C)Proofreading reports
D)Recording of witness recollections

Question 9

Most agencies records systems contain original reports and are retained for approximately how long?

A)1-2 years
B)2-4 years
C)8-10 years
D)Forever

Question 10

Which type of report accompanies items of evidence?

A)Evidentiary reports
B)Narrative reports
C)Chain of custody reports
D)Crime lab reports

Question 11

Memory tools designed to ensure that the officer covers all facts in the investigative report include all EXCEPT:

A)"who."
B)"what."
C)"when."
D)"whether."

Question 12

The outline method of report writing engages the use of:

A)headings.
B)roman numerals.
C)paragraphs.
D)creative writing.

Question 13

Arrest records are kept in which of the following manners?

A)Numerically by case number
B)Alphabetically by the name of the arrestee and offenses for which they have been arrested
C)By the name and shift of the arresting officer
D)By agency number

Question 14

Most agencies records systems contain the originals of police reports that are retained for how long?

A)Three to five years
B)One to two years
C)Five to ten years
D)Six months

Question 15

What type of report should accompany all items of evidence?

A)Crime lab report
B)Forensics report
C)Chain of custody report
D)None of the above

Question 16

Computer terminals limited to basic functions that do not allow officers direct access to criminal justice databases,automated field reporting,or the department's intranet and wireless network are known as:

A)limited access terminals.
B)dumb terminals.
C)anti-entry terminals.
D)dispatch terminals.

Question 17

Which section of the police report is used to report facts of incidents?

A)Opening section
B)Writing section
C)Narrative section
D)Supplemental section

Question 18

Once the officer has gathered the necessary information,the next step is to ensure the report is accurate,complete and ___________.

A)free of all typos
B)fair
C)reasonable
D)references all evidence

Question 19

Police officers should use which certain type of information to ensure that everything is included?

A)Building blocks
B)Emergency calls
C)Supplemental facts
D)Physical descriptions

Question 20

Which of the following method of report writing can save time?

A)Abbreviated report writing
B)Dictating your report
C)Computerized reports
D)Police jargon report writing

Question 21

__________ are considered to be the basis for most police reports.

Question 22

Most police departments are currently using laptops or other computerized data entry devices to assist the officer in writing or developing the required reports.

Question 23

Building blocks are memory tools designed to ensure that the officer covers who,what,when,where,why,and how in each investigation.

Question 24

Memory tools designed to ensure that the officer covers all facts in the investigative report include who,what,when,where,why,and __________.

Question 25

The police officer's supervisor should mark evidence obtained by an officer and the supervisor should transfer the evidence to the evidence locker.

Question 26

Completeness is essential in all police reports.A prosecutor should be able to read a police report and answer all the who,what,when,where,why,and how questions.

Question 27

The __________ section of the police report is used to report facts of incidents.

Question 28

The first rule in writing the narrative section is that the police report must be factual.It is essential that the integrity of the officer and the agency never be questioned.

Question 29

The outline method of report writing engages the use of __________.

Question 30

It is of utmost importance that a police report accurately reflect all __________ discovered by the police officer.

Question 31

It is permissible to make jokes on the stand when testifying in court.

Question 32

Writing,unlike oral communication,is not a permanent form of communication.

Question 33

It is of the utmost importance that a police report accurately reflect all the facts discovered by an officer.

Question 34

Field notes are notes made at the scene of the crime for the purpose of compiling facts in the order in which they presented themselves.

Question 35

A police officer's narrative report should never attempt to answer the question of motive.

Question 36

Often at a busy scene,officers hand out statement forms,go about their business,then collect the statements and move on.

Question 37

In the outline format of police report writing,"source of activity" documents the police officer's observations while at the location of the incident.

Question 38

The "arrest" section of the police report is used to describe the reporting officer's actions at the time of arrest.

Question 39

A prosecutor does not necessarily have to read a police report and be able to answer the who,what,when,where,why,and how questions.

Question 40

Police reports were traditionally written in a very formal style and filled with technical words and phrases.

Question 41

__________ reports should accompany all items of evidence.

Question 42

Police reports were traditionally written in a very formal style and filled with __________ words and phrases.

Question 43

A suite of computer applications designed primarily for small-to-medium size police departments is called __________.

Question 44

__________ reports accompany items of evidence.

Question 45

Effective field notes are noted for accuracy,brevity and __________.

Question 46

Once the officer has gathered the necessary information,the next step is to ensure the report is accurate,complete,and ___________.

Question 47

__________ a report is a method of report writing that can save time.

Question 48

Most agencies records systems contain the originals of police reports that are retained for __________ years.

Question 49

Computer terminals limited to basic functions that do not allow officers direct access to criminal justice databases,automated field reporting,or the department's intranet and wireless network are knows as __________.

Question 50

One of the biggest problems in report writing is use of __________.