5.3 Avoiding Common Pitfalls in Written Incident Reports

Navigating the Hazards of Report Writing

Even candidates who understand the mechanics of writing complete sentences and analyzing fact sheets can lose points in Section IV by falling into common traps. Under the pressure of a timed exam, it is easy to make careless mistakes that compromise the accuracy and professionalism of your written answers. This section details the most frequent pitfalls encountered on the NPOST and provides strategies to avoid them.

Trap 1: Sentence Fragments and Run-on Sentences

While Section 5.2 emphasized the necessity of complete sentences to avoid fragments (incomplete thoughts missing a subject or verb), the opposite error is equally damaging: the run-on sentence.

A run-on sentence occurs when two or more independent clauses (complete thoughts) are joined together improperly, without appropriate punctuation or conjunctions.

• Example of a Run-on: The suspect entered the store he demanded money the clerk handed over the cash.
• Corrected Version: The suspect entered the store and demanded money. The clerk then handed over the cash.

Run-on sentences make reports difficult to read and can confuse the sequence of events. On the exam, strive for concise, clear sentences. It is better to write two short, correct sentences than one long, rambling run-on. Keep your answers direct and focused precisely on what the question is asking.

Trap 2: Using External Assumptions and Opinions

This is perhaps the most critical error candidates make. A police incident report must be an objective recitation of facts. On the NPOST, you must base your answers exclusively on the information provided in the fact sheet.

Do not invent details to "fill in the blanks," and do not state your personal opinions or assumptions.

• The Scenario: The fact sheet states, "The suspect was swaying, his speech was slurred, and a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage emitted from his breath."
• The Flawed Answer: "The suspect was drunk and swaying."
• The Correct Answer: "The suspect was swaying, had slurred speech, and smelled of an alcoholic beverage."

In the flawed answer, the writer concluded that the suspect was "drunk." While that may seem obvious, it is a conclusion, not a fact stated in the text. The fact sheet only provided observable behaviors (swaying, slurred speech, odor). You must stick to those observable facts. If the fact sheet does not explicitly say the suspect was drunk, you cannot write that they were. This strict adherence to objectivity is fundamental to police report writing and is heavily tested on the NPOST.

Trap 3: Copy-Pasting Numbers Incorrectly

Police reports are heavily reliant on numbers: dates, times (usually in military format), addresses, dates of birth, badge numbers, license plate numbers, and currency values. A single transposed digit changes the factual accuracy of the report entirely.

• Example: If the fact sheet says the incident occurred at "1340 hours," and you write "1430 hours" in your answer, the answer is wrong. It does not matter if the rest of the sentence is grammatically perfect; the factual data is incorrect.

To avoid this pitfall, utilize the "point and verify" method. When writing a number in your answer, physically point to the number on the fact sheet with your finger or pen, and verify that the digit you are writing matches the digit you are pointing at. Double-check every single number. Pay special attention to dates (e.g., distinguishing between 10/12/2024 and 12/10/2024) and times, as these are frequently tested elements.

Trap 4: Careless Misspellings and Grammar Errors

As discussed in the previous section, spelling matters. Beyond just copying proper nouns correctly, you must be careful with common homophones—words that sound the same but are spelled differently and have different meanings. Mixing these up demonstrates poor written communication skills.

• Their / There / They're:
  • Their vehicle was stolen. (Possessive)
  • The suspect stood over there. (Location)
  • They're responding to the scene. (Contraction of they are)
• To / Too / Two:
  • The officer went to the station. (Direction)
  • The suspect was running too fast. (Excess/Also)
  • There were two witnesses. (Number)
• Its / It's:
  • The dog lost its collar. (Possessive)
  • It's raining at the scene. (Contraction of it is)

Take the time to review your answers before submitting your exam. A quick proofread can catch these simple errors that you might have made while writing quickly. Look specifically for missing periods, uncapitalized first words, and transposed letters or numbers.

Conclusion: The Ideal Answer

When you review your written answers for Section IV, ask yourself the following questions:

1. Is it a complete sentence with a subject and a verb?
2. Does it start with a capital letter and end with a period?
3. Does it directly answer the specific question asked?
4. Is every fact, especially names and numbers, exactly as it appears in the fact sheet?
5. Have I excluded all personal opinions and external assumptions?

If you can answer "yes" to all these questions for every response, you are well-positioned to achieve a high score on the incident report writing section of the NPOST.