Incident Report (IR) Writing

Whether you’re a bodyguard, police officer, sheriff’s deputy, corrections officer, private investigator or corporate security specialist… incident reporting writing is a skill you need to develop and maintain.

The best way to ensure you have the information you’ll need while writing your IR is to ensure you take field notes throughout the day. Record problems as they occur. Also record anything out of the ordinary in addition to things that just make you curious.

In taking good notes, remember the six KEY words that drive your focus: Who, What, When, Where, Why & How.

1. Who was the victim or suspect? Who was injured? Who are the witnesses?

2. What exactly happened? What was damaged or affected?

3. When did the incident or smaller event (contained within the incident) occur?

4. Where was the exact location of the incident? If you don’t have an address, room number or floor, etc – use landmarks or common areas to pinpoint the location. (buildings; fences; landmarks; monuments; etc)

5. Why did the incident happen? Was a window / lock broken? Was a door left open? Remember, a lot of times it will be difficult to answer the ‘why’… so don’t jump to conclusions.

6. How did the incident occur? Answering this will, in of itself, help you discover facts. The answer will normally be a process or sequence of events. It will cause you to look at ‘actions’ that took place, ‘conditions’ of the environment and even seemingly unrelated events before the incident.

Finally, let’s discuss the 3 C’s of Report Writing. The Police Sciences Institute published an article defining the 3 C’s as:

I. Clear
The facts should be stated in a manner that leaves no room for misinterpretation.

II. Complete
The report should contain ALL necessary information that is known at the time.

III. Concise
The report should contain only the essential information. Upon proof reading, if you discover irrelevant info… remove it prior to submitting your report.

-end-

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Brian K. Allen is a coach, trainer and entrepreneur in Arizona. For
FREE Bodyguard info, goto this site and request the FREE module:
http://www.TheBodyguardCourse.com
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