A police report is an official document that provides the details of any incident or situation that is either reported to, or witnessed by, and officer. Although reports are taken for murders, robberies, assaults and other violent offenses, there are many other types of reports.

Stolen Auto Report

Officers routinely take reports of vehicles that are being reported missing by the owner. Without this report being taken, no one will be looking for the car.

Lost Property Reports

Anything of value that has been misplaced can be reported to the police as simply missing. This is often done with credit cards and cell phones in order to facilitate replacement.

Found Property Reports

Anything that is found by an officer, or brought to them, gets reported as found property. From the license plate found on the side of the road to the abandoned drug stash found in a vacant house, it's all found property unless the owner is with it.

Missing Persons Report

Anytime someone is reported as missing by a concerned friend or family member, officers are dispatched to take a missing person report. This documents the missing person's appearance, including what they were last seen wearing, as well as other pertinent details, such medical conditions and where they hang out.

Casual Aid

In many jurisdictions, when officers encounter someone needing medical assistance, a casual aid report is taken after EMS is notified. Whether the officers actually provided medical attention or did nothing more than call for an ambulance, a casual aid report documents the steps taken to aid the citizen as well as the person's condition.

Source:

Police Officer Rui Rodrigues (ret.), B.S., M.A.