Note Taking

Notes are the foundation of an investigation and can often come into play months or years after an incident. No longer a means of simply refreshing an officer’s memory, notes play a critical role in judicial proceedings where there is a direct link between an officer’s notes, their report, and their testimony.

Note Taking reviews the legal expectations with regard to note-taking and describes how a systematic approach to note-taking will ensure the completeness and integrity of an officer’s notebook. This module provides guidelines for effective note-taking, including preparation at the beginning of a shift, preparing to give testimony, and techniques to improve note-taking.

This course is part of the Alberta Investigative Skills Education Program (ISEP) Level 200.

When you have completed this course you will be able to:

• Recall that note taking is the foundation of an investigation, and poor notes may lead to poor report writing and to poor testimony.
• Recall that legal expectations regarding note taking are increasingly complex.
• Compose your notes so that the event can be recalled months or years later.
• Compose your notes and adhere to both legal requirements and your agency’s policy.
• Recall that, as an officer, you must prepare your investigative notebook at the beginning of each shift.
• Describe and record in your notes the details of an incident in a clear, concise, factual, and professional manner.
• Locate all the necessary information and ensure that your notes are complete.
• Recall that you must articulate your justification for the use of force.
• Compose your notes according to the guidelines when no investigative notebook is available.
• Ensure that you exclude any information that may reveal a confidential informant.
• Recall your organization’s policy regarding confidential informants and note taking.
• Evaluate your notes for completeness and accuracy.