Chapter 15
Report Writing and Notetaking
Abstract
The student will be given an understanding of the requirements for writing an effective report by always answering the who, what, when, where, why, and how questions pertaining to an incident. The role of observation and description is emphasized because it is essential to well-written reports. Furthermore, it is pointed out that reporting the facts is the key to properly completing a company's variety of reports.
Keywords
Incident reports; Material control passes; Note taking; Shift/Daily logs; Vehicle logs; Visitor/Contractor logsWritten reports have existed since people were first able to read and write. Documents such as the Bible and Koran have existed for thousands of years. These books are considered to contain detailed reports of mankind’s years on earth during the past 5000 years. Because past events were recorded in writing, permanent records exist that allow subsequent generations to learn the exact same information. The comment, “If it’s not written, it didn’t happen,” is of particular importance in the study of history.
For security personnel, written reports are used for several purposes:
1. To provide a permanent record of an incident
2. To verify the job duties performed
3. To explain confusing events
4. To provide evidence in a legal proceeding
5. To provide information for follow-up action
Provided that security reports are clear, concise, and accurate, a security department will maintain a high degree of credibility within an organization. Security logs and reports are subject to being used in court proceedings, both civil and criminal. It is essential that security personnel factually record all information in their logs and reports, which should answer the following:
• Who?
• What?
• When?
• Where?
• Why?
• How?
• Conclusions?
Answering the above-mentioned questions seems very simple, but security officers will often fail to answer these basic questions. In fact, many times, security officers fail to write reports or document incidents whatsoever. When information is not documented and a security officer is called at home to answer a question, credibility to the officer and for the entire security operation is damaged.
The following guidelines are suggested to ensure that reports are written in an acceptable, professional manner.
• Document everything. If, as a security officer, you have to pause and ask yourself if something should be written down, you have answered the question—write it in your log.
• Write clearly and neatly. Few adults possess penmanship skills that are neat and easy to read. It is suggested that all reports be either printed by hand or typed.
• Report all the facts. Do not give your opinion; simply state the facts. Remember the classic line from Sgt. Joe Friday of the classic television series Dragnet (which was later made into a 1987 movie starring Tom Hanks and Dan Akroyd), “Just the facts, ma’am!”
• Protect the information contained in logs and reports. Never allow anyone to read information in a security log or report unless you know for certain they are permitted to do so by your superiors. Often, union officials or department managers may ask for a copy of a security log or incident report. A good rule of thumb if you are unsure if they are permitted to review the information is to reply, “I’m sorry, but I cannot release that information. I will note on the report that you have requested a copy. If my supervisor grants permission to release the information, I will be happy to provide you a copy.”
• Know what information your supervisor wants included in security reports. Often, security officers include information in reports that is not necessary. Remember to keep things simple. The KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid) approach is always preferred. In addition, a source of conflict between security officers is when one officer documents information in their report (such as finding a door open) that an officer on the preceding shift should have found. Know what your supervisor wants documented in reports. Do not intentionally try to embarrass the preceding shift officers. Just state the facts!
Types of security reports
Most security departments use a variety of reports, including the following:
• Shift logs or daily logs
• Vehicle logs
• Visitor/contractor logs
• Material control passes/logs
• Incident reports
These may cover a wide variety of events, such as fire, theft, injury, safety hazard, and maintenance or housekeeping items.
Shift/daily logs
These logs are used to document all of the significant events that occur during a particular shift, such as the following:
• Officer’s name
• On-duty time
• Name of officer relieved
• Notation as to obtaining keys, card access, devices, etc.
• Name of officer going off duty
• Times of all patrols
• Notation of any unusual observations after first patrol
• Number of personnel/vehicles on site
• Doors/windows open or unlocked
• Coffee pots that are on
• Special note or instructions regarding visitors, contractors, or a special delivery that is expected
• Equipment out of service and status (e.g., fire protection sprinkler system out of order due to repair)
• Pickup and delivery times of parcels
• Condition of security equipment (note any problems with surveillance cameras, radios, etc.)
• Times of officer’s breaks for lunch or restroom
• Unusual phone calls
• Alarm notification (type or alarm and time)
• Notation of incident
• Off-duty time
• Name of relieving officer
• Notation as to keys an equipment given to arriving security officer
Shift or daily log reports will be the most common and frequent type of reports written by security officers. Often, for these reasons, they are the most boring. However, security officers only create problems for themselves and their departments when they fail to note the most basic facts and incidents that took place during their shift.
Vehicle logs
Vehicle logs are maintained by security personnel to document most vehicular traffic at a facility. Usually, this is primarily restricted to pickup and delivery of material.
Trucks that are entering a facility normally stop at the main security post for the following reasons:
1. Weight measurement: Many facilities have scales on which all inbound and outbound trucks must drive to have their weight recorded.
2. Driver assistance: Many truck drivers will be entering the facility for the first time. The security officer will need to instruct them on where they need to go to pickup or deliver their shipment. Often, the security officer will need to call the shipping or receiving department in order to obtain the necessary information for the driver.
3. Recording tractor and trailer numbers: The proper recording of tractor and trailer numbers by security officers is extremely important. Often, facilities are either waiting for a delivery of material, which is called a “hot” load, or a trailer has already been loaded and is awaiting shipment. Accurate recordkeeping of trailer numbers by security personnel will ensure that the correct shipments are taken by the drivers. Security personnel are often the final check and balance to ensure a shipment leaving the facility is correct.
4. Recording of manifests and bills of lading: Manifests are documents that are given to a truck driver to represent the cargo or material the driver is removing from a facility. At many facilities, security personnel are required to inspect manifests prior to a driver departing to ensure the driver has been given the proper shipment. The number of the manifest will often be noted on the vehicle log. Bills of lading are documents that represent the material a driver has in his or her possession that is being delivered to a facility. Usually, security personnel will only inspect a bill of lading to determine where a driver should be directed with their shipment.
5. Time in/time out: The time that a driver arrives and departs from a facility is also very important. Often, deliveries and shipments are scheduled in advance. It is essential that drivers be on time and prompt when entering and leaving a facility. Drivers are often given times when they are to be at a facility. If a driver is early or late in their arrival, their delivery or shipment may not be immediately processed. Security personnel must be certain to accurately record all times.
6. Seals and locks: Many trailers are sealed and/or locked prior to departing a facility. A seal is a device that is placed into the latch of doors of a trailer. These seals cannot be removed unless they are broken, cut, or otherwise removed. Seals are stamped with a number that is also placed on the manifest or bills of lading. The purpose of a seal is to determine if a shipment has been opened or tampered with prior to its destination. Seals also can serve as locks. Security personnel will generally inspect a sealed trailer to be certain the seal has been properly secured and that the number on the seal matches the number on the manifest or bill of lading. If a security officer suspects that a load has been tampered with or the seal number is improper, a shipping or receiving supervisor should be immediately notified.
Visitor/contractor logs
Visitor and contractor logs are normally maintained by security to document the visitors who are entering the facility and contractors who are working at the facility.
Most visitor and contractor logs require the following:
1. Date and time of visit.
2. Employee or person to be visited.
3. Escorted/unescorted visitor: Some facilities will allow for certain visitors to enter a facility unescorted. After the person they are to visit has been notified, they are permitted to walk or drive their vehicle unescorted into the facility. By unescorted, it is meant that an employee does not have to be with the visitor at all times. Some facilities never allow for unescorted visitors at a facility. In this case, an employee must always escort the visitor.
4. Materials entering the facility: Many facilities (especially those that are government contractors and defense contractors) will require visitors to announce to security personnel what material they are bringing into a facility. Items such as tape recorders and cameras will normally be prohibited from entering the facility.
5. Materials leaving the facility: Visitors who are often vendors may be removing certain material from a facility for testing or engineering/manufacturing modification. If a material control pass is not used to document this fact, the material may be noted on the bottom or back portion of the visitor pass.
6. Time departed: It is essential that security personnel properly record the time a visitor or contractor departs a facility. In the event of an emergency such as a plan evacuation, it is critical that emergency officials know precisely who is in or out of a facility. To a far lesser degree, associates or other employees where the visitor or contractor is employed may call for the person or inquire to when they departed the facility.
As previously noted, it is essential that security personnel maintain accurate records of all visitors and contractors who enter a facility. Situations may occur regarding questions about the timeliness of warranties or maintenance agreements at a certain facility. When the visitor or contractors logs are reviewed, it may be proven that the manufacturer representative was in fact at the facility during the warranty timeframe. The point to be made is that, although it is often boring and tedious, the proper maintenance of visitor and contractor logs can be essential to the overall operation of a facility.
Material control passes/logs
Most facilities have some sort of recordkeeping control of the material, tools, or equipment that are occasionally removed from a facility by employees. Usually, employees are borrowing a tool or taking home a personal computer or typewriter to complete an assignment. Most material control passes or logs will contain the following information:
• Date and time
• Name of employee/person removing the material
• Description of material
• Ownership (company or personal property)
• Length of time material is to be borrowed
• If the material is not to be returned, the reason why (e.g., scrap lumber)
• Person authorizing property removal
Although material control/property passes seem to provide a means of ensuring company property is returned, often proper follow-up of material control passes is not conducted. Problems develop in that, although security may know when material is removed, security is often not notified when material is returned. Security personnel should audit material control passes frequently and follow-up with employees who still have material that should have been returned.
For example, back in the 1980s, a security manager was contacted by a retiring employee who wanted to purchase the company’s typewriter (yes, we know that some of you may not remember typewriters!) that she had at home. It seems the employee had removed the typewriter 5 years previously on a material/control pass. She had never returned the typewriter because no one had ever called her to ask her when she would return it.
Incident reports
Many security departments use separate forms for serious incidents. These are called incident reports. The purpose of documenting incidents via incident reports rather than recording them in the daily/shift logs is that special notice or attention is given to an incident when a separate report is written. Incidents such as attempted thefts, fires, incidents involving employees, vehicle accidents, and property damage are examples of when an incident report should be written. It is suggested that a brief notation be made in the daily/shift log, such as “Incident involving employee Pete Smith; see incident report number ____.”
The following questions must be answered when writing an incident report:
• Who?
• What?
• When?
• Where?
• How?
• Why?
• Conclusions
Many security officers are now required to know basic computer skills. Organizations may now provide smartphones with applications and log-in credentials to enter information on line. There are many software systems on the market today to assist security officers. One of the best automated incident reporting systems is Incident Watch (www.Riskwatch.com), which was designed for people who may not have access to a smartphone or computer. Incident Watch allows a security officer to call their incident into an automated interactive voice recording solution, which provides the officer with all of the needed instructions to initiate an incident report by simply calling a toll-free number from any telephone.
Notetaking
The essential parts of any report are the facts. Names, descriptions of individuals, vehicles, buildings, surroundings, correct dates, and times are critical when attempting to reconstruct on paper what actually took place.
Often, a report is written several minutes or several hours after an event has occurred. People who can provide answers may no longer be available for questioning.
Every security officer and supervisor should carry a pen and small pocket notebook to document key facts as they occur. Names, titles, and even descriptions can often be quickly noted even during an emergency. This information can prove to be critical months later.
The following are some helpful hints to remember when you are reconstructing the incident from your notes in preparation for writing your report.
1. Write what happened in chronological order. What happened first, then what happened next, and next, etc.
2. Be sure to include all names, titles, positions, and departments of all employees.
3. Include names, addresses, and, if possible, social security numbers of all nonemployees who were either witnesses or were involved in the incident.
4. Explain in plain, simple English what happened. If you mention a building by its name or number, give its location as well. Remember many people who read this report are not as familiar with directions and locations as you are.
5. When you begin to write your report, constantly refer to your notes. Do not include your opinion or comments and do not editorialize. You can give your opinion or comments about the incident in person to your superior.
6. Do not discard your notes. Keep them until your superior advises you to discard them.
7. Write your report before you leave work. Leaving the job before your report is written gives a bad impression of your security department.
Recordkeeping, storage, and use of computers
Security reports and logs should be kept secure under safekeeping. Many security departments maintain these records for several years. Besides the fact that these reports when retained are valuable in proving or disproving claims against an organization, many security departments track all incidents and categorize them by event. By tracking incidents, security managers are better prepared to conduct investigations, such as theft and accidents.
Many security departments have personal computers available for their security officers to directly input their reports. Other departments use computers to track incidents; these reports are often inputted by an administrative assistant.
As stated previously, it is essential that all security reports be written factually, clearly, and neatly. Provided this is accomplished, prior to a security officer going off duty, a security manager should never be embarrassed over the quality of written reports.
Security logs: practical suggestions
The primary purposes of a security log book are as follows:
• To provide a primary record of security officers’ time on and off duty
• To provide a precise and factual record of what duties are performed and when they are performed
• To record unusual events (incidents) and observations
• To keep a record of equipment and other special items that are entrusted to the care of the security officer
• To provide evidence to clients and the company that may be used to settle disputes or legal proceedings
• To ensure proper notifications are made regarding unusual conditions when a supervisor or a client representative is called
Certain items should always be recorded when making log entries:
• Itemize significant equipment received at the start of your shift, especially the number of keys received (radios, tour system, charger, cash box, paychecks, etc.).
• Log each door or gate that is locked or unlocked during your shift.
• Log all doors or gates found unlocked, but are normally locked.
• Log any item that is delivered to the guard station (paychecks, packages, etc.) and any item picked up. Ask for identification before allowing pickup if you do not know the individual.
• Log all visitors and employees entering or leaving the facility during nonworking hours unless a special form is provided for such use.
• Make all entries in ink, preferably black.
• Print all entries to ensure legibility.
• Use precise time entries. Round off no more than to the nearest 5 min.
• Make an entry for every hour, even if nothing significant occurs. For example, “Access control at guardhouse—All appears normal.”
• Check and log the condition of all vending machines (especially change machines) on all patrols.
• Log the time of each patrol (start and finish).
• Write things down. Take credit for your good work. It is better to write down too much than too little.
• Log all phone calls made by you or anyone else. You are only protecting yourself should a telephone abuse situation come up at your posted facility.
Do not do the following things in the log book:
• Do not doodle or write anything not security related.
• Do not log anything before the time in which it occurs.
• Do not use abbreviations or ditto marks.
• Do not sign off duty before your relief arrives and is fit to perform his or her duties.
• Do not enter personal opinions or write derogatory comments about coworkers, client employees, or your supervisors.
• Do not white out or erase anything in the log book. If you make a mistake, draw a line through the error, initial the entry, and make the corrections.
Summary
• Security reports are written to provide a permanent record of an incident, verify the job duties performed, explain confusing events, provide evidence in a legal proceeding, and provide information for follow-up action.
• Security reports must be clear, concise, and accurate. Security logs and reports may be used in court proceedings. It is therefore essential that information pertaining to who, what, when, where, why, and how are always answered. Security officers often fail to answer these basic questions, which damages the credibility of the entire security organization.
• Security reports must document all events that occurred. They must be written clearly and neatly. All facts must be reported factually, the information must be protected, and security officers must know what their supervisors want them to include in their reports.
• Most security departments use a wide variety of reports, including shift or daily logs, vehicle logs, visitor/contractor logs, material control passes, and incident reports. Note taking is the essential foundation upon which well-written reports are built. The essential parts of any report are the facts. Names, descriptions of individuals, vehicles, buildings, surroundings, and correct dates and times are critical when attempting to reconstruct on paper what actually took place.
• Often, a report is written several minutes or several hours after an event has occurred. People who can provide answers may no longer be available for questioning.
• Every security officer or supervisor should always carry a pen and small pocket notebook in order to document key facts as they occur. Names, titles, and even descriptions can often be quickly noted even during an emergency. This information can prove to be critical months later.
• Security reports and logs should be kept secure under safekeeping. Besides the fact that these reports when retained are valuable in proving or disproving claims against an organization, many security departments track al incidents and categorize them by event.
• Many security departments have personal computers available for their security officers to directly input their reports.
• It is essential that all security reports be written factually, clearly, and neatly. Provided this is accomplished, prior to a security officer going off duty, a security manager should never be embarrassed over the quality of written reports.
Questions
1. Name the five purposes for security reports.
2. Name the seven questions that must be answered in every security report or log.
3. True or false? It is proper and acceptable for a security officer to include their personal opinion and commentary when writing security reports.
4. True or false? Even though a department manager or union official may be allowed to read an incident report concerning an employee, the security officer on duty should not permit them access unless prior approval has been given by a superior.
5. What are security reports that document the daily activity of a security officer called?
a. Vehicle logs
b. Contractor logs
c. Material pass logs
d. Shift/daily logs
6. List as many items as possible that a security officer should include in their shift/daily activity log.
7. Name five items that should be included in all vehicle logs.
8. Explain the purposes of “seals.”
9. Explain the difference between an escorted and unescorted visitor.
10. Name the seven suggested requirements that are contained for material control passes or logs.
11. True or false? Incident reports are used by many security departments to report significant or serious incidents that should be separate from the normal shift logs.
12. What is the term for documenting events in the order in which they occurred?
13. If a security officer does not have time to write an incident report regarding a serious accident before their shift ends, what should the officer do?
a. Go home and write the report the following day.
b. Ask the person who is relieving the security officer to write the report.
c. Ask permission from their supervisor to continue to work for the time necessary to complete the report.
d. None of the above.
14. Name one reason why security logs and reports are retained by security departments.
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