Written Communication Skills Flashcards

When writing an RCMP occurrence report, which sentence structure is most appropriate?

Answer: Short, active-voice sentences with clear subjects and verbs

Active-voice, concise sentences improve clarity and readability in police reports.

A witness statement reads: 'The man, who was wearing a red jacket and was approximately 6 feet tall, ran quickly.' What is the best way to revise this for a report?

Answer: The suspect wore a red jacket, stood approximately 6 feet tall, and fled on foot.

The revised sentence is concise, uses parallel structure, and avoids vague language while retaining key details.

Which word best replaces 'utilized' in the sentence 'The officer utilized a flashlight during the search'?

Answer: Used

'Used' is the simplest, clearest word and is preferred in plain-language police reports.

In a police report, the phrase 'at this point in time' should be replaced with:

Answer: Now

'Now' is the shortest and clearest replacement, consistent with plain-language writing standards.

Which of the following best demonstrates the correct use of chronological order in a police report?

Answer: Describing events in the order they occurred, from first to last

Chronological order helps investigators and courts reconstruct events accurately and logically.

An officer writes: 'It appeared to this officer that the vehicle in question was moving at a high rate of speed.' What is the main problem with this sentence?

Answer: It is wordy and uses indirect language instead of a direct observation

Writing 'The vehicle was travelling at high speed' is more direct and eliminates unnecessary hedging.

Which of the following is an example of biased language that should be avoided in an RCMP report?

Answer: The accused, being a known troublemaker, was arrested.

Phrases like 'known troublemaker' introduce bias and are based on opinion rather than fact.