As a law enforcement officer, going on a call for service is never the same. No matter the service call, the incident will always have a difference in details and outcomes. You must write everything down. You may go to a call for service at 3 pm and not have a chance to type the report until 11 pm that night. A lot can happen between that time, and the possibility of you remembering it all is unlikely. As criminal justice professionals, not only must we be professional, we also must write professionally, meaning in a clear, concise manner.

Review the video of a missing person call for service. Document what you believe is important in a word document that will act as your notebook in the field. After you document your notes, type out your incident report in the discussion post, and upload your "notes" in a word document. Remember, your report must be in chronological order and documented so that anyone can read it and know what has occurred. 

Watch VideoPolice Officer Writing Sample- Practice Scenario
Duration: 7:43
User: Liz Reed – Added: 4/29/14