When comparing multiple documents, officers should use a checklist to make sure the answers are consistent. Because it can mean the difference in the verdict, officers should verify every piece of information, even if it requires an extra phone call or yet another trip to the communication center. Furthermore, officers who spot errors or inconsistencies before or during the trial should bring them to the prosecutor's attention. The observations an officer makes at the scene of an incident, such as the demeanor of a DUI suspect or the extent of injuries to a crime victim, constitute subjective information. Unlike the length of a skid mark, this information cannot be measured.
Subjective observations can convict criminals.
The key is witness credibility, which officers can ensure through accurate report writing. Although it is virtually impossible to generate a written report that exactly captures all of the observations made during an investigation, the defense will try to get officers to say that it can be done. Officers who know the purposes of written reports and can explain them during cross-examination will diffuse the defense attorney's efforts. The following facts apply to all written reports. They are made at or about the time of an event for investigative purposes, and everything contained in them is accurate to the best of the officer's knowledge at the time it was written.