Patrol, Observation, and Report Writing
What this domain tests
This domain tests patrol awareness and the quality of written documentation. The exam expects objective, chronological reports that can support discipline, insurance claims, or criminal prosecution-without opinion, guesswork, or gaps.
Core rules
- Patrol requires purposeful observation: check doors, lights, alarms, access points, and unusual behavior; vary routes and times; record times and locations.
- Notes should be taken at the time or as soon as safely possible. Record who, what, when, where, why, and how, plus exact words in quotation marks and full descriptions of people and vehicles.
- Reports must be factual, complete, concise, and timely. Write in past tense, first person, and chronological order. Avoid conclusions such as “the man was drunk”; describe slurred speech, odor, stumbling, and bloodshot eyes.
- Identify all parties, witnesses, injuries, property damage, evidence handled, and police response. Note camera locations and evidence preservation.
- Correct errors with a single line, initials, and date; never erase or rewrite a completed report.
Worked example
A visitor slips near a wet floor. A weak report says: “Visitor fell; she wasn’t watching.” A defensible report says: “At 14:12 I observed a female visitor supine on the terrazzo floor near the east elevator. A yellow wet-floor sign was 12 feet away. She stated, ‘I didn’t see any water.’ I called 911 and did not move her. I photographed the floor and preserved the sign.”
Traps
Opinions and labels; omitted times; late reports; losing original notes; and describing conclusions instead of observable facts.