Written Communication Skills Flashcards

An officer writes: 'Me and my partner responded to the scene.' What is the grammatical error?

Answer: 'Me' should be 'I' because it is part of the subject of the sentence

As part of the subject performing the action, the pronoun should be 'I,' not 'me,' which is an object pronoun.

Which of the following best illustrates the use of 'specific' language in a police report?

Answer: The suspect was a white male, approximately 6'1", 190 lbs, with brown hair and a beard.

Specific physical descriptors (height, weight, race, hair color, facial hair) allow for accurate identification and are required in professional reports.

Which of the following is an example of a run-on sentence?

Answer: The officer arrived she secured the scene.

A run-on sentence joins two independent clauses without proper punctuation or a coordinating conjunction.

An officer's written report uses the phrase 'the perpetrator allegedly assaulted the victim.' The word 'allegedly' is used because:

Answer: It protects legal presumption of innocence before conviction

'Allegedly' signals that the act has been reported or claimed but not yet proven in court, protecting the presumption of innocence.

What does 'clarity' mean in the context of police report writing?

Answer: Writing so the meaning is easily understood without ambiguity

Clarity means the reader can quickly and accurately understand the information without confusion or misinterpretation.

Which of the following correctly uses a semicolon?

Answer: The officer secured the perimeter; the detective interviewed witnesses.

A semicolon correctly joins two independent clauses that are closely related without using a coordinating conjunction.

When an officer uses the phrase 'at approximately 2145 hours' in a report, this demonstrates:

Answer: Precise time documentation using the 24-hour clock format

The 24-hour clock format used in law enforcement eliminates AM/PM ambiguity and is the professional standard for official records.