Tactical Report Writing

Registration Deadline: November 1, 2025 

This course has been approved by ILETSB for the following mandates:

Legal Updates - .50
Procedural Justice - .50 
Lead Homicide Investigator – 3.0

Course Description: 

Report writing is often considered an afterthought or a necessary evil of the job that many find mundane and unimportant. Still others, while recognizing the need for written reports, fail to perceive and understand the importance and benefits of a well-written report documenting the facts and details of a case. Poorly written reports are problems lying in wait, setting officers and agencies up for failure through damaged credibility, unsuccessful prosecutions, and lawsuits. The goal of this course is to identify the need for and characteristics of well-written reports, as well as raise officer awareness of the benefits of thorough documentation. This course also discusses strategies for preparing effective, written documentation of law enforcement field activities. 

Course Objectives: 

At the end of this course, the learner will be able to: 

•    Identify the nature and scope of law enforcement work and associated problem areas 
•    Identify and explain why proper documentation is needed 
•    Understand the goals of writing effective reports 
•    Identify and understand problems caused by deficient reporting 
•    Identify the legal requirements of effective reporting 
•    Minimize risk associated with report writing 
•    Identify strategies for writing thorough and defensible reports 
•    Accurately and effectively document uses of force

THIS IS NOT A PUBLIC MEETING