How to Write a Report
How to Write a Report
By Jim Goding
The ability to write a comprehensive, complete and coherent report, which can be easily and fully understood, and which makes the information presented comprehensible to the reader, is one of the most important of skills for Surveillance and Security officers.
It has often been said that the ability to write a report is at least, if not more, valuable to a Surveillance or Security officer than the ability to spot the risks they are there to handle and prevent.
We are not going to talk about styles of report—whether to write in first person, third person, what to capitalize or not—as these are points that vary between properties and according to the preferences of the person in charge. What we are going to talk about here is how to get all of the correct information into the reports and how to avoid the pitfalls of report writing.
Required Information
What is the information needed in a report? Remember the five W’s and the H:
- Who
- Where
- What
- When
- Why
- How
The amount of detail required in a report is proportional to the seriousness of the violation or potential liability of the situation being reported.
Who
Let’s start with WHO: . . . . .
- Approximately three pages of detailed information has been deleted here.
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Avoiding the Common Pitfalls
Include all facts, and only facts, no opinions or speculation.
Write the report for the person who will use it. Avoid using slang, jargon or technical words that will not be understood by a person who is not acquainted with gaming or Surveillance.
Always report on chain of command. Even if you have to bypass the chain in order to get a correction done fast, always send the written report of the incident on the chain of command.
Writing the Report
- 1. Gather your information
- Video Evidence
- Any applicable documentation
- Names
- Locations
- Specifics such as table numbers, slot numbers, etc.
- Notes on what happened
- Times
- 2. Start the Report
- List names: get every person involved, including witnesses, victims, staff members and supervisors on duty as applicable, and perpetrators when known (even if just a description). Identify the people as to their roles: Joe Blow; Slots floorperson; John Aspen, Security Officer; Bill Street, perpetrator; etc.
- 3. Identify all involved locations in both general and specific terms
- Game number, and the position of each person involved
- Position where a person fell, etc.
- 4. Write your narrative.
- Begin with a summary statement: “On [date and time] George Jones, a patron of the casino, slipped in a spilled drink on the steps near the main entrance to the casino. He was not injured and declined all first-aid and medical attention.”
- Continue with a chronological narrative of what occurred, including times, places and personnel involved.
- Include in the narrative the details of how the incident occurred. Include how the actions involved violated rules, regulations, procedures or laws, as applicable. You may wish to quote the rules, laws, etc., violated. Write the narrative in a chronological sequence, following the introductory statement. Tie together the events with the times the events occurred, verifying the times with the recorded video.
- 6. Handling of Evidence: Include in the narrative the details of the available evidence and its disposition. A note of which recording covers each event should be included at the end of the description of the event.
- 7. Who was the incident reported to? This includes the standard notifications of executives, security and applicable departmental managers.
- 8. Final outcome when known: Was there an arrest, disciplinary action, transport to hospital, etc.? Include the incident number from the responding agency, as well as the identities of responders from law enforcement, medical aid, etc.
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Ending the Report
- 9. When applicable, include references to any prior reports on recent similar situations (in cases of procedural violations or criminal activity), other situations involving the same people, etc.
- When possible, attach photographs or documentary evidence that identifies or backs up the information in the report:
- Photos
- Reports from databases
- Reference to reports from security
Polishing
- Spell-check the report, read it over, verify spelling of names.
- Get someone else to read it and make sure that it is understandable.
Final Action
When completed, the report is turned over to the appropriate Supervisor. The Supervisor gets any missing or incomplete information clarified, vets the report for any possible speculation or opinion, and forwards on his own chain of command to the appropriate executives or regulatory personnel.
When action is decided upon by the appropriate executives, and the action is carried out, the Manager informs the reporting investigator regarding the final disposition.
This is added to the file copy of the report.
