Detailed report writing rules and procedures in effect for the department are set forth in the report writing manual.

Reporting Requirements:

Every incident which occurs or is alleged to have occurred within the jurisdiction of the Saint Paul Police Department shall be reported in one or more of the following categories:

  • Citizen reports of crime.
  • Citizen complaints.
  • Citizen requests for service when:

     o   An officer is dispatched;

     o   An employee is assigned to investigate;

     o   An employee is assigned to take action at a later time.

  • Criminal and non-criminal cases initiated by law enforcement officers.
  • Incidents involving arrests, citations, or summonses.

Documentation of the above listed categories shall be by one or more of the following: completed field report, citation, field interview card, complaint card or computer-aided dispatch entry. All incidents are also entered into the agency s RMS computer system via the Evidence Manager or original report.

Information to be Included in Report:

Upon receipt of an initial complaint, an attempt shall be made to obtain the following information:

  • Complete all relevant forms and fields in paper and computer report writing or evidence management systems.
  •  Date and time of the initial reporting.
  • Name (if available) of the citizen requesting the service, or victim s or complaint s name.
  • Nature of the incident.
  • Nature, date and time of action taken (if any) by law enforcement personnel.
  • If property is recovered by officers and turned into the property room, that property shall be entered under the appropriate category in the Evidence Manager or Tow Manager before any original report is completed.

Report Writing Review:

Because of the many details, procedures, etc. that is involved in the presentation of reports and the transposing of a street situation into writing, the following procedures will be adhered to. The purpose of these procedures is to ensure turned in reports and investigations are complete and as correct as possible.

  1. If two officers are assigned to a squad, both officers will review each other s reports -- as both names are on the reports. Additionally, the senior officer on the squad is responsible for the content of the reports.
  2. Major crime reports (e.g., homicides, robberies, major burglaries, sizeable thefts and/or any unusual incidents) will be submitted as soon as possible for information and review.
  3. When a watch commander is on-duty all arrest reports and serious and/or high profile incidents (e.g., homicides, critical incidents, fatal crashes, etc.) will be turned over to the watch commander for information, review, and sign-off. In the absence of a watch commander, a supervisor will perform this duty.
  4. To ensure quality and compliance with procedures, supervisors must review and sign-off on all other reports written by their subordinates. Exceptions to this policy may include serious and/or high profile incidents whereby officers may be directed to submit their reports to the investigating unit for review and approval.
  5. All police department paperwork (data) produced will be submitted to the records unit for filing and distribution purposes.
  6. Evidence gathered during an initial or ongoing investigation should be submitted to the property room according to General Order 439.01 Property and Evidence Procedures

 Revised June 6, 2016

Last Edited: March 20, 2017