| Copyright © 2006 - 2008 - Barry M. Baker - CareerPoliceOfficer.com |
| Disclaimer |
| CareerPoliceOfficer.com is not responsible for the contents of any linked site or any link contained in a linked site, or any changes or updates to such sites. Links are provided only as a convenience, and the inclusion of any link does not imply endorsement by this site. |
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| Follow-up Report |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
If you join a police department that views the
integrity of its reporting system seriously,
you're going to be writing a lot of follow-up
reports. In fact, just about any incident that
is not concluded during the course of the
initial investigation will require follow-up
reporting. Even when an investigation is
complete, pertinent information could be
developed later, and that information would
be documented on a follow-up report.
There's nothing difficult about completing
the follow-up report. In most cases you'll
simply contact the complainant or victim in
the previously reported incident to learn if
that person has any additional information to
report.
The way follow-up reporting will be assigned
to you will depend upon different factors. If
you're working in a small police department,
you may be responsible for conducting all the
follow-ups for incidents where you've taken
the initial report. In larger departments, you
could be assigned follow-ups for incidents
initially investigated by any number of
different police officers.
If you're working in a department where
your entire reporting system is computerized,
that should simplify your follow-up
procedures for tracking and accountability.
Whether you're writing your follow-ups on a
computer screen or on paper, just remember
that follow-up reporting is important.
If your reporting system is fully
computerized, you'll be able to get your
follow-up screen with all the original
information, date, time, location, victim, etc.
ready to go. Always check the original
information, because a human being entered
integrity of its reporting system seriously,
you're going to be writing a lot of follow-up
reports. In fact, just about any incident that
is not concluded during the course of the
initial investigation will require follow-up
reporting. Even when an investigation is
complete, pertinent information could be
developed later, and that information would
be documented on a follow-up report.
There's nothing difficult about completing
the follow-up report. In most cases you'll
simply contact the complainant or victim in
the previously reported incident to learn if
that person has any additional information to
report.
The way follow-up reporting will be assigned
to you will depend upon different factors. If
you're working in a small police department,
you may be responsible for conducting all the
follow-ups for incidents where you've taken
the initial report. In larger departments, you
could be assigned follow-ups for incidents
initially investigated by any number of
different police officers.
If you're working in a department where
your entire reporting system is computerized,
that should simplify your follow-up
procedures for tracking and accountability.
Whether you're writing your follow-ups on a
computer screen or on paper, just remember
that follow-up reporting is important.
If your reporting system is fully
computerized, you'll be able to get your
follow-up screen with all the original
information, date, time, location, victim, etc.
ready to go. Always check the original
information, because a human being entered
Case Number
20074H-47065
20074H-47065
Crime / Incident
Burglary (residential)
Burglary (residential)
Date / Time of Original Report
10 Aug 2007, 1400 hrs
10 Aug 2007, 1400 hrs
Complainant / Victim's Name (Last, First, Middle) (Firm Name if Business)
Jones, John James
Jones, John James
Res. Phone
788-555-6785
788-555-6785
Complaint / Victim's Residence Address (City - County - State - Zip Code
787 Roundview Cir, Baltimore, MD 21000
787 Roundview Cir, Baltimore, MD 21000
Bus. Phone
788-555-1200
788-555-1200
Date / Time of Original Crime / Incident
7 Aug 2007 to 10 Aug 2007, 1700 to 1400 hrs
7 Aug 2007 to 10 Aug 2007, 1700 to 1400 hrs
Date / Time of This Report
12 Aug 07, 1800 hrs
12 Aug 07, 1800 hrs
Narrative
After a thorough inventory of his home, Mr. Jones discovered that
the following additional items were taken in the burglary:
One (1) Television; Sony; 12 inch; serial number unknown;
Value: $50.00
Two (2) pillow cases; pink in color (taken from second floor rear
guest bedroom)
Value: $20.00
Total Additional Value: $70.00
Mr. Jones further reports that one of his neighbors had observed
two men loitering in the block during the time frame of this incident.
I responded to the neighbor's residence where I spoke with the
following witness:
Mr. Rueben Castle
M-W-55; DOB: 12 Feb 1952
782 Roundview Cir
Baltimore, MD 21000
Res. Phone: 785-555-3824
Bus. Phone: Same (Self Employed)
Mr. Castle reports he observed two white males placing items into a
dark colored, late model SUV which was parked in front of the
victim's residence. Mr. Castle states he earlier noticed the men
when they were sitting inside the vehicle for an extended period of
time. Later, he noticed the men standing beside the vehicle looking
around as if they were waiting, or looking for someone. His last
observation occurred when he saw the men placing two (2) bags
inside the vehicle.
I asked Mr. Castle if he remembered the color of the bags? Mr.
Castle paused for a moment and then stated, "You know, they
looked like they were pink." Asked if he could describe the size and
shape of the bags and the type, Mr. Castle responded, "Just
bags...some kind of cloth bags." Mr. Castle's description of the bags
he observed is consistent with the two pink pillow cases reported
taken in this report.
Mr. Castle's observations occurred between 1200 and 1300 hrs on
8 Aug 2007.
Mr. Caste provided the following suspect descriptions:
Suspect #1: M-W-20 to 25; 5-10 to 6-00; thin build; 130 to 150 lbs;
medium length red hair; freckles on face and arms; white tee shirt;
blue jeans with holes in both knees; white tennis shoes; NFD
Suspect #2: M-W-20 to 25; 5-08 to 5-10; stocky build; 180 to 190
lbs; short dark hair; dark sun tan; large tattoo on right forearm;
green tee shirt; blue jeans; dark color shoes; NFD
Vehicle: Dark colored late model SUV with Maryland registration
possibly containing the letters: B and F; NFD
the following additional items were taken in the burglary:
One (1) Television; Sony; 12 inch; serial number unknown;
Value: $50.00
Two (2) pillow cases; pink in color (taken from second floor rear
guest bedroom)
Value: $20.00
Total Additional Value: $70.00
Mr. Jones further reports that one of his neighbors had observed
two men loitering in the block during the time frame of this incident.
I responded to the neighbor's residence where I spoke with the
following witness:
Mr. Rueben Castle
M-W-55; DOB: 12 Feb 1952
782 Roundview Cir
Baltimore, MD 21000
Res. Phone: 785-555-3824
Bus. Phone: Same (Self Employed)
Mr. Castle reports he observed two white males placing items into a
dark colored, late model SUV which was parked in front of the
victim's residence. Mr. Castle states he earlier noticed the men
when they were sitting inside the vehicle for an extended period of
time. Later, he noticed the men standing beside the vehicle looking
around as if they were waiting, or looking for someone. His last
observation occurred when he saw the men placing two (2) bags
inside the vehicle.
I asked Mr. Castle if he remembered the color of the bags? Mr.
Castle paused for a moment and then stated, "You know, they
looked like they were pink." Asked if he could describe the size and
shape of the bags and the type, Mr. Castle responded, "Just
bags...some kind of cloth bags." Mr. Castle's description of the bags
he observed is consistent with the two pink pillow cases reported
taken in this report.
Mr. Castle's observations occurred between 1200 and 1300 hrs on
8 Aug 2007.
Mr. Caste provided the following suspect descriptions:
Suspect #1: M-W-20 to 25; 5-10 to 6-00; thin build; 130 to 150 lbs;
medium length red hair; freckles on face and arms; white tee shirt;
blue jeans with holes in both knees; white tennis shoes; NFD
Suspect #2: M-W-20 to 25; 5-08 to 5-10; stocky build; 180 to 190
lbs; short dark hair; dark sun tan; large tattoo on right forearm;
green tee shirt; blue jeans; dark color shoes; NFD
Vehicle: Dark colored late model SUV with Maryland registration
possibly containing the letters: B and F; NFD
The above example is just an example, but the way this follow-up investigation
turned out happens all the time. When you learned that two pillow cases had
been taken in the burglary, you immediately knew that the burglar(s) used the
pillow cases to carry property from the house. When you asked the witness the
color of the bags he saw being carried by the two men, you already knew they
were pink.
Had another, less interested police officer, taken this follow-up report, his or
her reaction to the victim's comment about the neighbor seeing two men
loitering, might have received less attention. In fact, the comment may have
only inspired a mental note of, "Yea, okay."
Remember...every, and I mean every, investigation you conduct will be
important. Yes, some will be more important than others, but all are important.
It just comes down to the amount of time and effort you devote to your
investigations. The answers are always somewhere, and the competent police
officer will always follow every lead no matter how minor it may seem at the
time.
turned out happens all the time. When you learned that two pillow cases had
been taken in the burglary, you immediately knew that the burglar(s) used the
pillow cases to carry property from the house. When you asked the witness the
color of the bags he saw being carried by the two men, you already knew they
were pink.
Had another, less interested police officer, taken this follow-up report, his or
her reaction to the victim's comment about the neighbor seeing two men
loitering, might have received less attention. In fact, the comment may have
only inspired a mental note of, "Yea, okay."
Remember...every, and I mean every, investigation you conduct will be
important. Yes, some will be more important than others, but all are important.
It just comes down to the amount of time and effort you devote to your
investigations. The answers are always somewhere, and the competent police
officer will always follow every lead no matter how minor it may seem at the
time.
the information, and people do make errors. If you're doing your follow-up on
paper, the heading information, as shown in this example, will be minimal.
paper, the heading information, as shown in this example, will be minimal.
The Elements of Style
Amazon.com
Composition teachers throughout the English-speaking world have been pushing this
book on their students since it was first published in 1957. Co-author White later
revised it, and it remains the most compact and lucid handbook we have for matters
of basic principles of composition, grammar, word usage and misusage, and writing
style.
Amazon.com
Composition teachers throughout the English-speaking world have been pushing this
book on their students since it was first published in 1957. Co-author White later
revised it, and it remains the most compact and lucid handbook we have for matters
of basic principles of composition, grammar, word usage and misusage, and writing
style.