NCJ Number
62819
Journal
Police Chief Volume: 46 Issue: 11 Dated: (NOVEMBER 1979) Pages: 68-71
Date Published
1979
Length
4 pages
Annotation
THIS POLICE WRITING COURSE WAS DESIGNED BY OFFICER STUDENTS AND AN INSTRUCTOR. THE COURSE WAS CONCERNED WITH ACTUAL WRITING OR REPORTS THAT WOULD STAND UP IN COURT.
Abstract
ALTHOUGH THE HONOLULU COMMUNITY COLLEGE OFFERED A COURSE IN POLICE REPORT WRITING, EXPERIENCE SHOWED THAT AVAILABLE TEXTS DID NOT FIT THE NEEDS OF EXPERIENCED OFFICERS TAKING THE COURSE. THE GENERAL OBJECTIVE OF THE CLASS WAS TO IMPROVE ORGANIZATION AND PRESENTATION OF WRITTEN REPORTS SO THAT PRECISE INFORMATION WOULD BE CONVEYED. THE CLASS WORK INVOLVED IN STUDENTS' DESIGNING THEIR OWN COURSE AND TEXTBOOK IS OUTLINED; IT INCLUDED TAPING ALL CLASSES, MAKING MATERIALS AVAILABLE TO OFFICERS WHO HAD CLASS/DUTY CONFLICTS, RECORDING RECURRENT PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED IN ON-THE-JOB WRITING, AND SELECTION OF EDITORS TO SUPERVISE THE FINAL WORK. THE CLASS INSTRUCTOR ASKED FOR UNIVERSITY EVALUATION OF THE TEXT. THE NEXT YEAR, UNDER THE NEWLY DEVELOPED FORMAT, THE CLASS HAD DOUBLED IN SIZE, WITH MORE SENIOR OFFICERS ATTENDING. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT STUDENTS IN A CLASS CAN PROVIDE INSIGHT AND INPUT AS TO THE DIRECTION A CLASS CAN GO, AND CAN HELP IN SOLVING THEIR OWN PROBLEMS IN POLICE REPORT WRITING. A VERY BRIEF BIBLIOGRAHY COMPLETES THE TEXT. (RFC)