- As it names implies, police make these reports after arresting a suspect of a crime. These reports should not be confused with formal criminal charges. Only a district attorney's office may file a formal criminal complaint in court. Police records are not part of the judicial system and are usually unavailable to the public unlike court records. In most cases, arrest reports identify the perpetrator, victim, witnesses and circumstances that prompted police involvement as well as what happened upon their arrival at the crime scene.
- Incident and crime reports detail police responses to calls for assistance or about crimes in progress. This type of report may range from a domestic violence call to an unsolved homicide that will precede a much more detailed investigation. Oftentimes, these forms are broken down into checkboxes to maximize efficiency. For instance, a form for larceny may give selections for the location of the crime (e.g. liquor store), security system (e.g. dog) and items stolen (e.g. jewels).
- When cops commit crimes, internal affairs uses a special system of reporting to document police misconduct. Administrative reports are detailed written accounts of any crime or instance of unprofessional and unethical conduct by a police officer. The report states the offense, its location, time of occurrence, circumstances and causes. If necessary, the report will recommend the type of departmental trial for the offending officer.
- One police report you may have seen at one point or another is the speeding ticket. Moving violations are a common area of police reporting for patrolmen. Like arrest reports, the ticket details the perpetrator, location as well as the details of the offense. In this case, traffic violations go directly to court without any input from the DA's office. Fortunately, traffic reports rarely result in arrests unless the driver has engaged in driving that puts others at serious risk.
Arrest Reports
Incident & Crime Reports
Administrative Reports
Traffic Violations
Source...