ABSTRACT

In the event a controversial or high-profile deployment occurs, steps can be taken to minimize the impact on the agency, community, and the entire less lethal program. Once the force event has concluded, documentation from many areas must be gathered and compiled to justify the actions and ensure that procedures were followed to limit liability on the officer and the department. Thorough documentation procedures will help prepare for inquiry or court proceedings, including what evidence can be analyzed by forensic scientists and other crime laboratory personnel to objectively affirm officer and witness statements. The common approach to police report writing is to

Make Your Report Go to 11 262 Considerations When Writing a Use-of-Force Statement 262

Threat Assessment and Urgency 263 Environmental Conditions 264 Emotions 265

Lewinski and Force Science: Understanding Behavior under Stress 265 The Suspect’s Actions 267

Informational versus Educational Report Writing 268 Sweat the Small Stuff: Do Not Overlook Forensics 270 Aftercare of Suspects Subjected to Less Lethal Options 273 Forensic Photography 274 Video Evidence: Police and Civilian 276 The Courtroom: Testifying to the Whole Truth 276 The Report Is Your Safety Net 278 Unscrupulous Opposing Attorneys and Experts 279 Education Is the Key to Successful Testimony 280 Preparing for the Worst in the Aftermath 281 References 281

incorporate some sort of acronym or technique to assist the officer in recalling central components to include in the report. The most prevalent would be the “who, what, where, when, why, and how” method of writing reports. Some acronyms have their place and can assist an officer in remembering important facts, such as the Sid Heal SALUTE (size, activity, location, unit, time, equipment) when reporting on a gaggle of anarchists approaching a line of outnumbered officers [1]. Lessons learned from incidents that were either improperly, poorly, or just plain not documented emphasize the need to go beyond traditional police report-writing approaches when explaining a less lethal deployment.