Patrolling, Observation, and Reporting
What the candidate must know
Patrol is the officer's primary tool: visible, unpredictable, and purposeful. Understand patrol types (foot, vehicle, bicycle, fixed post), the value of randomized routes and timing, and the concept of target hardening through presence. Observation requires knowing what is normal for the site so anomalies stand out - the broken window, the propped door, the unfamiliar vehicle, the person who avoids eye contact and lingers. Know the elements of a good report: who, what, when, where, why, how, in chronological order, using objective language, quoting statements verbatim, and distinguishing fact from inference (write "appeared to be intoxicated," not "was drunk"). Reports are contemporaneous, complete, accurate, legible, and signed. Note-taking at the scene is a best practice.
Traps
Questions test whether you can spot subjective or conclusory language ("the subject was acting suspicious") versus observable facts ("the subject walked to the same door three times in ten minutes and did not enter"). Another trap: omitting the officer's own actions from the report. Watch for questions where the officer adds opinion about guilt - reports document observations, not verdicts.
Rule of thumb
If it isn't written, it didn't happen. Write for a reader who wasn't there and will read it in a year.