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Police Reports

Police Reports. Pages 15-20. Keep in Mind. A good investigation is the key to a successful prosecution!. Law Enforcement’s Role in Prosecution. Work with prosecutor Thorough investigation/report Multiple charges Testifying at trial. Building a Case Without the Victim.

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Police Reports

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  1. Police Reports Pages 15-20

  2. Keep in Mind A good investigation is the key to a successful prosecution!

  3. Law Enforcement’s Role in Prosecution Work with prosecutor Thorough investigation/report Multiple charges Testifying at trial

  4. Building a Case Without the Victim Done in murder investigations Victim will not be available for trial Treat victim like a witness

  5. Evidence-based Prosecution (1)Law Enforcement Section, pages 15-20 How to Write Reports & Collect Evidence

  6. Evidence-based Prosecution (2) 911 Tape Torn Clothing Written Statements

  7. Evidence-based Prosecution (3) Damaged Property Caller ID Medical Records Cell Phone

  8. Multiple Readings and Uses of a Police Report Used by different groups for different reasons

  9. Importance of a Well-Written Report Provides Vital Information Documentation Permanent Record

  10. What Should Be Included In Reports?

  11. Reports Should Include (1) • Injuries and “Context” • Damages to Property • Demeanor of Victim & Suspect • Interview of Children • Anticipate Manipulation

  12. Reports Should Include (2) • Excited Utterances • Document Weapons • History of Abuse

  13. Characteristics of a Well-Written Report Factual Objective Complete and clear Supplemental documents Protects confidentiality of the victim’s address.

  14. Reports Should Be Factual • Includes exact statements • Excited utterances in quotes • Demeanor of those present at the scene • Correct identification of all parties present • Detailed descriptions of weapons • Injuries documented

  15. Reports Should Be Objective Descriptive language Include all accounts, even if they are conflicting Detailed statement of suspect

  16. Report Should Be Complete Contains who, what, where, when and how And why, if done in an objective manner Arrest/request for warrant

  17. Keep in Mind Write the report in such a way that someone who wasn’t at the scene could read the report and feel as if they had actually responded

  18. Example of an Adequate Report • Who • What • When • Where • How • Why – based on the facts

  19. Example of a Good Report What do we know from this report? • Who - names, relationships • What - context, history • When • Where • How • Why – based on the facts

  20. Supplemental Documents/Forms  Supplemental Form with Body Chart  Medical Records Release Form  Victims’ Rights Form  Evidence Log Photo Log Officer’s Card & Case Number

  21. Medical Records Release Form  Use the form provided by your local medical center Authorization For Release of Information To:_____________________________________________________________________________ (Doctor or Hospital/Clinic) ________________________________________________________________________________ (Address) I hereby authorize and request you to release to:_____________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________ The complete medical records in your possession, concerning my injury or treatment during the period from: _____________________________ to ____________________________________ _____________________________ to __________________________________

  22. Victims’ Rights Form Illinois Attorney General’s Tear-off Sheet How to obtain an order of protection or civil no contact order Available community services 

  23. Evidence Log Case file, name, address and phone number Type of evidence, source and description 

  24. Photo Log Photo identification Date Time Subject Location Comment Source 

  25. LITCHFIELD POLICE DEPARTMENT CHIEF OF POLICE B.J. WILKINSON ID # XX-XXX Phone (217) 324-5991 Fax (217) 324-0470 Cell (217) 246-4535 120 East Ryder Litchfield, IL 62056 Email: polchief@litchfieldil.com Incident #

  26. Case History of Violence (1) A good police report should contain the characteristics of the case history of violence

  27. Case History of Violence (2) Known criminal history History of dispatched calls to scene Domestic violence history Protection order/condition of release history Medical treatment history

  28. Use of a Synopsis Concise Witness information Physical evidence

  29. Report Writing Include Dispatch Information and Get a Copy of 911 Tape

  30. Additional Points for Officers to Remember • Visible Injuries • Follow-Up Photographs • Document Strangulation • Suspect’s Demeanor

  31. Additional Evidence to Gather • Contact Information for Victim, Witnesses • Special Communication Needs • Visible Disabilities • Length of Relationship • Prior Residences

  32. What is Hearsay? “Out-of-court statement offered in evidence to prove the truth of the matter asserted.”

  33. Exceptions to Hearsay • Excited Utterances • Present-sense Impressions • Statement for Medical Diagnosis • Statement as to Physical Condition • Statement as to Mental Condition

  34. Excited Utterances (1) Statements made while the person is “excited” (while “under the stress of excitement caused by the event”) are less likely to be fabricated

  35. Excited Utterances (2) • Indicate the Excited Utterance by writing it in quotation marks to indicate they are the victim’s exact words • The Judge is more likely to admit the statement if the officer has it in “quotation marks” in the report

  36. Present-Tense Impressions Statements made while a person is perceiving an event or condition, or immediately thereafter

  37. Statements for Medical Diagnosis • Statements made to: • Medics • Emergency room/hospital staff • A Witness

  38. Statements as to Physical Condition Example: “My stomach hurts so much where he kicked me!”

  39. Statements as to Mental Condition Example: “I’m so terrified of him that I can’t breathe right.”

  40. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We would like to take this opportunity to thank those Individuals and agencies who have assisted us in the development of this presentation: Mark Wynn, Wynn Consulting - www.markwynn.com 4th Judicial Circuit FVCC Law Enforcement Committee OVW Rural Grant Committee, 4th Judicial Circuit

  41. This project was supported by Grant #2011-WE-AX-0055, awarded by the Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice, through the Illinois Violence Prevention Authority. The original project was supported by Grant # 2008-WR-AX-0016, awarded by the Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice, through the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority. Points of view, opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations contained within this document are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women, Illinois Violence Prevention Authority, or the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority.

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