Hi all,

Hoping to pickup any tips, tricks and suggestions for your field notes/note books.

I do the obvious, write down ins/out of service, out at xyz address for xyz at xx time kind of thing.

At shift start I write down when radar was function checked/taser was spark tested. I write down anyone/dob who was issued an infraction/citation, where issued, and what for.

I also write down the temperature, roadway conditions (wet, dry, snow, ice, etc), weather (sun/clear, overcast/rainy, fog, etc) as well as the wind.
I also list every partner that was on the shift.

Any other tips, tricks and suggestions?

The majority of that info is contained in our CAD and records system.  No reason for me to keep that info in a notebook.

Everything used for a citation gets written in the notes section/margin of the officers copy. As far as people working there’s a master list of roll call sheets that’s saved. All the other stuff is kept in CADs system. Body cams for everything else. My notebook is used very little.

But I like the black mole skin 3x5. I hate the spiral notebooks.

us too and then it automatically populates to our activity logs.

Only thing that goes in my note books are names, dob, etc and notes for stuff I have to write a report on.

J-

Same.

I also use a little pocket clipboard with 3x5 notecards. When I’m finished I pull the notecard out and put it in the case file where the nice front office ladies scan it and put it into our RMS system.

Edit: Taser function checks are maintained in the Axon software, and radar checks are done at the beginning of shift. If I do issue a speeding ticket (rarely) I test the radar function while I still have my bodycam on. No need to write those down.

I forgot about the Taser but you're right.  I downloaded one a week or so ago so not sure why I forgot about it.  The records are stored right in the Taser from the day it's put in service to the day it is taken out of service.