Law enforcement depends on information for its effectiveness and efficiency, and facts contained in a police report can make the difference between a suspect's conviction or acquittal. The ability to take field notes and collect information from victims, witnesses, and suspects and put this information into a usable and understandable format is a critical skill for police officers. The quality of a police report is often the determining factor in the decision to take a case forward to trial or drop charges. Police reports can be of two types, administrative and incident. Administrative reports are generally written for police supervisors, while incident reports are usually written for courts and juries. The report writing process is detailed, and tips to make the report logical and grammatically correct are offered. 6 references