POLICE

CORRESPONDENCE

the writing of memoranda,

police reports, and
civilian letters.
 CHARACTERISTICS OF
EFFECTIVE POLICE
CORRESPONDENCE

1. Correctness. No error, fault, mistake,

or departure from truth. In order to avoid
error which may be inadvertently done in
spelling, punctuation, price, specification,
sentence structure and grammar among
others, the correspondence should be
thoroughly edited.
2. Conciseness. Brief or limited in words. We
should always consider that our superiors as
well as the subordinates are always busy. They
therefore have no ample time to read wordy
letters that would only tarry their work. In fact,
most of them only spot the essential information
in a written correspondence. However,
concision (brief) does not mean deleting words
that count and make your statements brusque
(rough in manner).

Brevity means using necessary words only as

you retain the natural tone of your sentences.
2a) AVOID REDUNDANCIES OR
SUPERFLUOUS WORDS

true facts new innovation

for recreation purposes in the event of
whether or not hold in abeyance
general consensus a large number
were as follows a total of 42
joined together basically not aware of
strangled to death new recruits
controversial issue past experience
future plans protest against
completely eliminated qualified expert
definite decision reason why
totally destroyed equipped with
never before in the past bring the matter to the attention
with reference to
in view of the fact that
notwithstanding the fact that
in the event that
a period of a week
sufficient amount of
at an earlier point in time
make use of
my personal opinion
lend assistance to
submitted hereunder
In addition
in relation to
for the reason that
in compliance with your
request
under the prevailing
circumstances
arrive at an agreement
other alternatives
earlier, before
end product
was in communication
with
enclosed hereto/herewith
attached herewith
kind consideration
true facts new innovation
for recreation purposes in the event of
whether or not hold in abeyance
general consensus a large number
were as follows a total of 42
joined together basically not
aware of
controversial issue past experience
future plans protest against
completely eliminated qualified expert
definite decision reason why
totally destroyed equipped with
never before in the past bring the matter to
new recruits attention of
2b) AVOID GOOBLEDYGOOK

These are impressive, bombastic and

unnecessary use of long words and stuffy
style that complicates the message of a
letter or memorandum and makes it less
understandable or readable to the receiver.
Examples:
Aerodynamic personnel decelerators - parachutes
Interlocking slide fasteners - zippers
Wood inter-dental stimulators - toothpick
Example of gobbledygook paragraph

This pertains to your delivery that

I ordered last 10 April 2007 and was
delivered yesterday, Tuesday, 26 April
2005 by your delivery men in our new
address in 101 central Avenue,
Quezon City that contains several
broken items.
Better paragraph : Your delivery dated
10 April 2007 contains 20 broken
chandeliers.
Here are two well-known proverbs with
gobbledygook:

Feathered bipeds of similar plumage will

live gregariously.

Too great a number of culinary

assistants may impair the flavor of the
consomme’.
2c) Avoid triteness (tired old
phrases or clichés)
Examples:

in the final analysis

hard as a rock
last but not the least
bite the bullet
cold as ice
like a new born babe
2d) Avoid misleading euphemisms or use
euphemisms sparingly (expressions aimed
at politeness or at making unpleasant
subjects seem less offensive)

Examples:
meet our Creator (dying)
policy of disinformation (lying to the public)
conflicts and collateral damage ( wars and
civilian casualties)
downsized workers (laid-off workers)
2e)Avoid weak phrases
Weak Better
wealthy business person - tycoon
business prosperity - boom
carrying a child - pregnant
long years - years
one year old boy - one year of
age boy
2f) Avoid generality
General Specific
traveled in another country - traveled in
Japan
one kilo of rice - one kilogram
of rice
visit the province - visit Batangas
my better-half - my husband;
my wife
Significant to conciseness is the readability
formula suggested by Robert Gunning
(1984) –THE FOG FORMULA

It is a device used to estimate the

reading level appropriate to your written
correspondence. Keep in mind that most
successful correspondence write to a
general reading level of ninth grade or third
year high school or lower. Try conducting a
Fog Index on a sample correspondence and
compare it with your own writing.
Procedures:
Step 1. Select a 100 – word sample of writing.
Step 2. Find the average number of words per
sentence in the sample. If the 100th word is in
the middle of a sentence, count the rest of the
words in the sentence and use that number to
compute the average.
Step 3. Count the number of words in the 100
– word sample that have three or more
syllables. Do not count proper names or three
syllable verb forms ending in - ing, - ed, o –es.
Step 4. Add the average number of words per
sentence to the number three – syllable words
and multiply by 0.4.
The result is an estimate of the reading
level required to understand your writing.
Fog index is affected mainly by two
factors :

the level of vocabulary ; and

the length of the sentences.

The purpose of using the Fog Index is

to make sure your writing can be
understood by the reader.
READABILITY INDEX

Level of 8 is easy to comprehend

Level of 16 is quite difficult
Level over 20 is very difficult.

As a general rule, the lower the

readability index, the easier is the
comprehension.
3. Completeness

This means perfection, fullness or

sufficiency of the correspondence as
regards to information and parts. Check
the document if it caries all the
necessary messages intended to be
transmitted. This prevents possible
clarification calls or replies that may only
delay transactions including desired
actions to messages.
4. Courtesy

This is akin to acts or expressions

that manifest politeness, civility,
affability, urbanity, considerateness and
respectfulness. Expressions like
please, kindly, thank you so much, we
are glad, we appreciate in both oral and
written communication promote
goodwill.
5. Visual appeal. Any written communication should be
attractive, has visual impact and generally looking good
but not multicolored.

1. Us quality paper (Substance 20), and prescribed

font size and style (Arial, 12) should be used.

2. Format, spacing, margin and indention are matters to

be carefully visualized.

3. Avoid crafting written communications by using full

uppercase letters or full lowercase letters all throughout
the document.

4. Vividness may be instituted through boldface in titles,

names and on significant information for purposes also
of emphasis. We should always remember that prints
with vigor, vividness and retentiveness make a
document important to the reader.
6. Tonal appeal.

Statements may exude tense, hostility,

artificiality, friendliness, naturalness or
sincerity of the communicator. In several
communication situations, there are no
substitutes for simplicity, straight, forward,
modern and readers words and phrases.
Hence we should organize a letter sounding
like we are talking personally to our reader.
7. ACCURACY – Use the words that
exactly serve your purpose. What exactly do
you mean? Have you made your readers see
and feel what you want them to see and
feel? i.e. in labeling an action of a
crimeGWhat do you want them to
understand?

Example:

“Crime”? “Offense”? “Sin”? Or “Vice”?

Or” Infractions”?
About Genderism
Modern writing requires us to refrain from
using terms that discriminate or show biases in
the treatment of males and females. Neutral
terms should be used to manifest, fairness and
equality between sexes.

Bias Fair
if a woman drives - if a person drives
businessman - businessperson
man-made - artificial; synthetic;
manpower - human power ; workforce
chairman - chairperson
salesman - salesperson; sales clerk
foreman - construction supervisor
 MEMORANDUM
It is a note, a reminder, or a statement that one
wishes to remember or preserve for future use.
It evolved from a Latin term memorandus
which means to be remembered or memorare
to remind.
Its various tense forms may be done by
shortening memorandum to memo so that
conjugation can be done like memoing, memos
and memoed.
Memorandum is definitely singular while its
plural form may be memoranda or
memorandums.
TONES OF MEMORANDUM
1. MEMORANDUM FOR is used by a
subordinate official in communicating to a
superior on matters which are
recommendatory/advisory or informative in
nature, briefings, or reports.
The tone of the memorandum from a
subordinate office must be formal.
2. Officials of equal positions shall use
MEMORANDUM FOR in inter-office
communications but the tone may be
personal.
3. MEMORANDUM TO is used by a superior or
higher office/position to a subordinate
office/position.
- This is used to issue administrative
instructions to a subordinate that requires
compliance by or information of the majority
or all of the subordinate offices or personnel
in the same office/unit.
- It may also be of limited application such
as those directed to, or requiring performance
or action by an individual or group within a
particular directorate, command, service, office,
station , or unit.
- The tone of memorandum is impersonal.
4. The MEMORANDUM FOR serving as a
Decision Paper shall be used in lieu of
Staff Disposition Form (SDF) as it is
applicably addressed also to a head of
an office who can make a decision.
The tone must be formal. The recurring
line should be incorporated in the basic
memorandum form as :

THRU: Deputy Chief for Administration

and The Chief Directorial Staff.
 GUIDELINES: MEMORANDUM
In order to conform with the civilian character of the
PNP, BJMP, and BFP the “subject-to-letter format”
which is the standard military type of communication
should not be used anymore in all correspondence
and instead be replaced with the “Memorandum”
format which is the standard and acceptable type
among civilian offices.

As per Letter Directive No. 95-09-26 DHRDD,PNP-

NHQ dated October 27,1995, the use of Memoranda
and Memorandum from the DHRDD Director dated
February 11,1998, is limited to the preparation of
decision papers, proposals, reports, requests and
replies to queries.
For distinction however, memorandum shall
be used between offices within the
PNP,BJMP,and BFP only. Letters shall be
used for communications intended for
offices outside the PNP,BJMP,and BFP.
Memorandums shall be numbered
consecutively by calendar years. The first
two digits shall represent the last two digits
of the calendar years when the issuance
was prepared, and the number after the
hyphen shall represent the serial number of
the specific issuance. The last two digits
shall be immediately below the last letter of
the issuance category or type, as

MEMORANDUM
No.92-9
Punctuations shall be used in accordance
with grammatical principles pertaining
thereto.

Prescribed formats shall be strictly

followed in the preparation of letter and
memoranda.

In the absence of institutional rules, rules

of technical writing shall prevail.
 Republic of the Philippines
Department of the Interior and Local Government
Philippine Public Safety College
Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City

MEMORANDUM
08-47

To : Name and Title

From : Your title
Subject: GUIDELINES FOR FORMATTING MEMOS
Date : Serves as a chronological record for future
reference
_____________________________________________________
1. References:

a. Memo from TCDS dated August 28, 2005.Subject:Formats;

b.

2. Body

3. Conclusion

Signature
LORENZO D BRAÑA

Distribution:
 Republic of the Philippines
Department of the Interior and Local Government
Bureau of Jail Management and Penology
Address

MEMORANDUM
08-47

TO : Name and Title

FROM : Your title
SUBJECT: GUIDELINES FOR FORMATTING MEMOS
DATE : Serves as a chronological record for future
reference
_____________________________________________________
1. References:

a. Memo from TCDS dated August 28, 2005.Subject:Formats;

b.

2. Body

3. Conclusion

Signature
LORENZO D BRAÑA
Jail Senior Inspector
 Republic of the Philippines
Department of the Interior and Local Government
Philippine Public Safety College
JAIL NATIONAL TRAINING INSTITUTE
Camp Vicente Lim, Calamba City

MEMORANDUM
08-47

FOR : Name and Title

FROM : Your title
SUBJECT: GUIDELINES FOR FORMATTING MEMOS
DATE : Serves as a chronological record for future reference

1.. References:

a. Memo from TCDS dated August 28, 2005.Subject:Formats;

b.

2. Body

3. Conclusion

Signature
LORENZO D BRAÑA
Jail Officer 1

Distribution:
GUIDELINES IN MEMORANDUM
FORMATTING

Subject Line
Announce the memo’s purpose of contents, to orient
readers to the subject and help them assess its
importance. An explicit title also makes filing by subject
easier.
Introductory Paragraph
Unless you have reason for being indirect, state
your main point immediately.
Topic headings
Headings help you organize and they help readers
locate information quickly.
 Body
-Interpret findings and draws conclusions
-Make general recommendations
-Expand on each recommendation
-Discuss benefits of following the recommendations
Signature Block
The signature appears above the printed name at the
signature block below, not after the line or sender line
above. A signature authenticates, corroborates,
confirms, attests or certifies the correctness, truthfulness
or veracity of the content of the instrument by which the
signature is affixed. A signature likewise carries
responsibility or accountability over the statement or
information indicated before it.
Paragraph Spacing
Indent the first line of paragraphs. Single space within
paragraphs and double space between them.
Second Page Headings
When the memo exceeds one page, begin the
second and subsequent pages with recipient’s name,
date, and page number.
Example:
Sgt. Co, June12, 2007, page 2.
Place this information three lines from the page top
and begin your text three lines below.
Copy Notation
When sending copies to people not listed on the “To”
line, include a copy notation two spaces below the last
line, and list, by rank, the names and titles of those
receiving copies.
KINDS OF MEMORANDUMS
1. Recommendation Memorandums

HOW TO THINK CRITICALLY AS YOU FORMULATE,

EVALUATE, AND REFINE YOUR CONCLUSIONS AND
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Conclusions should be logically derived from accurate
interpretations. Recommendations should propose an
appropriate response to the problem or question.
Express your conclusions and recommendations with
assurance and authority. Be direct and assertive. Let the
reader know where you stand.
If your analysis yields nothing definite, do not force a
simplistic conclusion on your material. Instead, explain
your position. Remember, a wrong recommendation is
far worse than no recommendation at all.
2. Justification Memorandums
As the name implies, it justifies the writer’s position
on some issue. It is a unique class of recommendation
memo. They are often initiated by the writer rather than
requested by the readers. Justification reports therefore
typically begin rather than end with the request or
recommendation. Such memo answer the key questions
for readers: Why should we?

Typically, it follows a version of this arrangement:

1. State the problem and your recommendations for
solving it.
2. Point out the cost, savings, and benefits of your plan.
3. If needed, explain how your suggestions can be
implemented.
4. Conclude by encouraging the reader to act.
3. Progress report

It serves as a paper trail on a project.

Summarize achievements to date
Describes work remaining, with timetable
Describes the problems encountered
4. Survey Report
It examines the conditions that affect
an organization.
Announce the purpose of the memo
Presents the date in tabular form, for
easy comparison
Names the source ( The report should
describe how the data were collected)
Discuss the conclusions to be drawn
from the table
5. Memorandum to Inform -

6. Memorandum to Answer a Question

7. Memorandum to Record a
Significant Event

8. Memorandum Serving as a Decision

Paper
 CIVILIAN LETTER

Letter refers to a message in writing,

which may be in any language or in a
code, contained in a sealed or unsealed
envelope or not in an envelope at all
intended for delivery to a person or entity
displayed legibly on one of its faces.
 A civilian letter is used when
communicating with the president of the
country, cabinet members, local officials
and business personalities; or outside
the organization.

Its paragraphing is not numbered,

not unless in tabulation and
enumeration.
PARTS OF A CIVILIAN
LETTER
Heading (Letterhead)
A part that contains the name of the
institution represented by the
writer.
Date (Dateline)
It specifies the day when the letter
was written, not when the document was
dispatched.
 Inside Address
This usually contains the correct and name,
position, business name and business address
of the addressee.
Salutation
The greetings in the letter that provides a
courteous opening.
Body of the Letter
It embodies the text of the message,
usually the longest part of the letter.
Complimentary Close
The farewell part of the letter which signals
the ending of the message.
 Attention Line
The name mentioned immediately after the attention line is the
final receiver of the letter.
The letter is only coursed through the person mentioned in
the inside address. Coursing the letter to the addressee means
that he is superior to the person mentioned after the attention line;
therefore, as a matter of protocol should know official matters
communicated to his subordinates. Once the inside addressee
received the letter and forwards the same to his subordinate, he
has likely attested, consented or approved the purpose of the
documents.
A letter using an attention line comes from other
organization or outside party not connected with the office of the
addressee.

MR. MIKE A. MARIANO

Manager
Best Enterprise
15 Narra St., Commonwealth
1108 Quezon City

Attention: MISS JAZZ HERNANDEZ

Chief
Marketing Division
Reference Initial
Reference Initial is an acronym, initial or
code of all or any of the writer, dictator or
encoder of the letter. They severally take
administrative responsibility as regards the
veracity and the content of the letter. This is
usually indicated below the signature block.

Very truly yours,

HON. JOEY A. MARCOS

City Mayor writer’s initial
encoder’s initial
Rab’05/lmc’05
 Copy Furnish Notation
This shows that a copy of the letter is being
sent to another person other than the
addressee. In most instances, a person is
furnished a copy of the letter for reference and
information.
Very truly yours,
MICHELLE A. SANTOS
Administrative Officer
cf: 1. File
2. Art c. Quebec
Budget Officer
3. Lily C. Basco
Chief Accountant
 Enclosure
This part, if any, serves as a reminder to the
receiver that an additional material is in the
envelope. This may also be called attachment.
So, some writer may use enclosed as stated or
attached as stated.

Very sincerely yours,

SUSAN M. CRUZ
Corporate Secretary

Encl.: Minutes of our previous meeting

Or
Attached a/s
Postcript (or PS Notation)
This part of the letter must be
indicated to re-emphasize an important
message and not to call attention to
some information the writer has forgotten
to state in the body of the letter.

Very truly yours,

DAN A. SANTIAGO
Marketing Manager

P.S.
Through Line
- This part appears in the letter if the
sender is a subordinate who writes to a person
higher in position than his immediate superior.
- It is a protocol that communications
should pass through channels. These channels
represent the hierarchy of a system, the
persons who should have knowledge regarding
the content of any letter communicated to any
persons in the higher levels of an organization.
DR. ANAMARIE O. CORTEZ
President
Retailers Bank
Quezon Avenue 1108 Quezon City

Through: LUCILA M. SANDOVAL

Chief
Account Division

Madam:
Note: This madam (Salutation ) refers to the
President, not the chief, because she is the addressee
in the letter.
 Notation Line
- It indicated below the signature block which
means that the instrument is made known or
consented by a person higher in rank than the
sender.
- The word NOTED means that the person
who should note the letter noted it personally. -
- NOTED BY means that the letter is noted by
a person who is authorized to note but not the
actual person who should note it. The letter
sender and the persons who noted the letter
are jointly accountable for the content or spirit
of the document.
POLICE REPORTS
It is a chronological or step-by-step
account of an incident that took place as a
given time.

Paragraphing process:
1st -- what sort of crime is being described
2nd -- the recounting of various steps or
actions done
3rd -- end paragraph which concludes the
report ( Conclusions includes the status of
the case, the disposition of the individuals
involved (hospitalized? Jailed? taken
home?, and the disposition of the evidence
obtained.)
IMPORTANCE OF REPORT WRITING
1. SERVES AS RECORDS FOR POLICE
ADMINISTRATORS IN PLANNING,
DIRECTING AND ORGANIZING THE UNITS
DUTIES.

2. ESTABLISHES A SYSTEM IN ORDER TO

ACHIEVE EFFICIENT DISCHARGE OF
SERVICE BY OFFICERS AND OTHER
PERSONNEL UNDER HIM.

3. IT CAN BE USED AS LEGAL DOCUMENTS

IN THE PROSECUTION OF CRIMINALS.
4. IT CAN BE USED BY RELATED
AGENCIES IN THE SERVICE. LAW
ENFORCERS EXCHANGE INFORMATION
AMONG THEM. A CRIME INVESTIGATED
IN ONE STATION CAN BE USEFUL IN
ANOTHER.

5. IT CAN BE USEFUL TO LOCAL MEDIA

WHICH USUALLY HAVE ACCESS ON
PUBLIC DOCUMENTS FOR ACCURATE
STATISTICS.

6. BASIS FOR DEVELOPING POTENTIALS

IN REPORT WRITING OR ADMINISTRATIVE
FUNCTIONS.
INVESTIGATION REPORT
The materials are presented following a certain pattern
with the following headings:
AUTHORITY
MATTERS INVESTIGATED
FACTS OF THE CASE
DISCUSSION
CONCLUSIONS
RECOMMENDATIONS
If a heading is not important because it is absorbed in
another heading, such can be excluded.
Headings are capitalized and followed by a colon.
All the paragraphs composing the text of the report are
numbered consecutively.
The investigator signs the report.
On top of the letterhead and on the lower fold of the
paper, the word CONFIDENTIAL is typed or stamped
SPOT REPORT AND SPECIAL REPORT
It is done after an important incident took
place in a certain area at a given time. The
idea is to inform an immediate chief, or that
one from a higher headquarters or office,
regarding the details relative to a particular
occurrence.
On the other hand, a special report is done
either because on feels he has some reporting
to do so or he is obligated to report.

PARTS OF A TYPICAL SPECIAL REPORT

Problem. What is the report all about?
Rationale. What are the details supporting
the problem?
Action. What action must the receiver/reader
do?
BEAT INSPECTION REPORT AND
AFTER PATROL REPORT

Beat inspection report is

submitted daily by any duty officer after
their routine check on foot; while the
after patrol report is submitted by
assigned sector using official vehicles
and is signed by the team leader.
SITUATION REPORT (SITREP)
The situation report is done on a need basis.
It contains the actual situation of a particular
incident or incidents which are of public
interest.

This is primarily addressed to the commander

or chief for him to know the actual situation
before the media and the public is informed.

A SITREP may be done every hour, every 6

hours, of every 8 hours depending on the
situation. During peaceful and ordinary days,
a SITREP is not necessary.
FORMAL REPORT
They serve as records for administrators in
planning, directing and organizing the unit. It
may also be used as a legal document in the
prosecution of criminals.

Basic Parts of a Formal Report

1. Introduction –background statement
Why the report was written?
How the data were gathered?
What does the report includes (scope) and what
is does not include (delimitations)?
What are the materials and instruments used inn
gathering the data?
2. Body - detailed presentation of the facts
gathered.

3. Summary- the brief presentation of the

findings. Graphs and tables may be included
in the summary.

4. Conclusions and Recommendations

Conclusions tells what data mean to the

writer, while the recommendations tell what
the writer thinks should be done about the
matter reported.
When the report is just a result of a fact-
finding one, conclusions are not required.