A crime report is a document that law enforcement uses to describe an incident and gather evidence about whether someone committed a criminal act. It usually includes what happened, who was involved, what was taken or lost, and what witnesses told law enforcement. A crime report helps investigators and prosecutors make decisions about what to do next. A well-written police report can improve the quality of an investigation and help a case go smoothly in court.
An excellent police report can also help a department better understand what is happening in their area and statewide. For example, the state’s Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program tallies certain offenses reported to and arrested by local police departments and sheriff offices and publishes them each month on a public law enforcement website called eJusticeNY. This enables police and prosecution to see what is happening across the state and respond to any increases in crime.
The SFPD has worked hard to improve its crime reporting over the years. For example, it has changed the training curriculum for new officers by putting more emphasis on teaching recruits how to write an effective narrative statement that records the steps of their investigation, relates their personal observations, and identifies possible suspects.
The SFPD has also introduced a standardized format for police reports to make it easier for other departments to review and use them. However, there is still room for improvement in the quality of police reports. A recent Coro Foundation study found that poor police report writing is one of the most common reasons the District Attorney’s Office turns down cases for prosecution.
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