Report Writing Flashcards

When documenting a use-of-force incident under Act 235, which element is most critical to include first in the narrative?

Answer: The specific behavior or threat that prompted your response

The narrative must begin with the specific behavior or threat that justified the use of force to establish legal grounds.

A security officer completes an incident report two days after the event. What is the primary problem with this delay?

Answer: Memory fades and critical details may be lost or inaccurate

Delayed reports risk memory distortion, which undermines accuracy and credibility in legal proceedings.

Which of the following best describes 'objective' language in a security incident report?

Answer: Factual, observable descriptions free of personal bias or emotion

Objective language describes only what was observed, without interpretation or emotional coloring.

Under Act 235 standards, who typically receives a copy of a lethal-force incident report?

Answer: The officer's employer, local law enforcement, and potentially the Pennsylvania State Police

Lethal-force reports must be distributed to the employer and law enforcement, and may be reviewed by state authorities.

What does the acronym 'FIDO' stand for in security report writing best practices?

Answer: Findings, Investigation, Disposition, Outcome

FIDO (Findings, Investigation, Disposition, Outcome) is a structured framework for organizing security incident narratives.

An officer writes 'the suspect looked guilty' in a report. This is an example of:

Answer: Subjective language that should be replaced with specific observed behaviors

Statements about how someone 'looked' are subjective; reports must describe specific, observable actions instead.

When recording times in an Act 235 incident report, what format is strongly preferred?

Answer: 24-hour military time to avoid AM/PM ambiguity

24-hour military time eliminates AM/PM confusion and is the standard in professional security and law enforcement reports.