Report Writing, Incident Documentation and Evidence Handling
Facts, not conclusions
This domain tests incident reports, notebooks and evidence handling. A good report is contemporaneous, factual, chronological and usable in a disciplinary or court process.
Core rules
- Record the five Ws and one H: who, what, when, where, why and how. Use exact times from a reliable clock, full names and designations.
- Write in the first person and past tense. Separate what you saw, heard, did and were told. Attribute hearsay clearly.
- Do not use opinions, insults or conclusions such as 'he was drunk' unless you can support it with observations: slurred speech, smell, unsteady walk.
- Do not alter or destroy original notes. Correct errors with a single line, initials and date. Sign and date the report.
- Evidence: wear gloves, photograph before moving, package separately, label, seal and record every transfer in the chain of custody. Preserve CCTV before it overwrites.
Worked example
A staff member reports a missing laptop. The guard records the time, location, description and serial number, secures the area, checks CCTV, calls police, and logs who entered and left. Reasoning: the report separates facts from the staff member's suspicion and preserves evidence for investigation.
Traps that cost marks
Writing 'the usual suspect' instead of a description; backdating entries; using correction fluid; handling a weapon or cash without protection; and failing to record the chain of custody.