7 Keeping a Notebook / Duty Book

Keeping a Notebook /  Duty Book

The most important tool on any officer’s, investigator’s, or security guard’s belt is their notebook (also called a “duty book” or “memo book”). In the same way that a badge is a symbol of credibility in many people’s eyes, a well-kept notebook is proof of credibility in communities where accountability matters. This is true of many jobs, including paramedics, engineers, nurses, and more.

As a justice professional moves through their day, they should document the “4WHs”: when things are happening, where they are, who they’re engaging, and what they observe about how events are happening. There are many reasons for this. Notebooks are used:

• to preserve an accurate record of how they used their professional time;
• to capture facts that may end up being vital evidence in an investigation;
• to record the contact information of people who may serve as witnesses or turn out to be persons of interest;
• to document details that can later be used to write reports or prepare for interviews;
• to serve as a memory aid when testifying at trial.

How To Make a Typical Notebook Entry

• Ensure that you have an approved book. Different agencies use different books, but at minimum it should have lined paper, numbered pages, and reliable binding. Some professionals prefer a compact, portable book like Triform’s LD/ON24 Evidence Notebook. Professionals who choose this size often invest in a hard protective cover to keep their notebook clean and in respectable condition. Other professionals prefer larger notebooks that allow more room for handwriting and that allow them to draw clear diagrams (ex. of crime scenes or collision sites). Don’t think that any cheap booklet will do. These will not meet the basic standard of evidence and will compromise your professional reputation.
• Write only in ink. Some agencies require that the ink be a specific colour (either black or blue). No agencies permit pencil. Entries that are written in pencil are easily smudged, or worse, can be erased. This means that the entry will not meet basic standards and will not be admissible in a trial, either as evidence or as a memory aid.
• If it’s your first entry at the start of a shift, start with the Core 4 : that includes (1.) your name, (2.) the date, (3.) weather, (4.a.) time of entry, (4.b.) the professional’s location.
• As you move through your day, be sure to note:
  • the When: document the times of movements and events using the 24-Hour Clock.
  • the Where: record street addresses, business names, major intersections, room numbers, or other details that will help you orient yourself and help your reader create a clear mental model.
    • Consider sketching a “bird’s eye view” diagram of significant sites like vehicle collisions, break-and-enters, or other crime scenes.
  • the Who: if it’s appropriate, ask for identifying details of the people you talk to (name, employee number, address, date of birth, occupation, etc.). If you are observing an unknown person without making contact, create simple, clear descriptions of their appearance.
  • the What and How: use neutral, non-judgmental language to record what you see, hear, and smell. Avoid speculation or assumption.
    • ex. Avoid writing something like, “The driver was obviously high.” Instead write, “The driver smelled strongly of marijuana, had slurred speech and diluted pupils, struggled to answer simple questions, and was unable to walk in a straight line.”

Why not the Why? Even experienced professionals rarely understand the full significance of the events that they’re experiencing when they’re in the middle of experiencing them. In the moment, it’s hard to accurately understand “why something matters.” Keeping objective, neutral notes allows a professional to keep an open mind and stay alert without jumping to conclusions. If you decide prematurely that you know why things are happening, you might prejudice yourself against new information that leads to more accurate interpretations. Collect high-quality facts so that the triers of fact (judges and juries) can make reasonable, accurate interpretations.

Corrections, Blank Lines, and Late Entries

If you have to make a correction, draw a single line through the error and initial it. If the correction is not immediate, also date it. Do not use White-Out or correctional tape or attempt to scribble out the error to the point where it is illegible. Everyone makes mistakes, but law enforcement professionals can’t afford to hide theirs. Trying to hide your mistakes will only call your credibility into question.

Never rip out a page. If you accidentally skip a page and it is left blank, draw a single diagonal line through it.

A crowded notebook page filled with cramped handwriting can be difficult to read. It is helpful for the reader to have some blank space on the page so that they can process the information. Unfortunately, there is no agreed-upon professional standard for skipping lines. A reasonable standard is to allow up to 3 consecutive blank lines to separate chunks of information. Be aware, however, that some agencies or security companies do not tolerate any blank lines. If you do skip lines, the best practice is to cross out a series of blank spaces a single diagonal line.

Keep only one notebook at a time. Do not keep multiple, parallel notebooks going for the same time span. This will be seen as an effort to falsify entries and will ruin your credibility. If you don’t have your notebook on hand for a critical event and you take temporary notes, you must:

• keep the original piece of paper on which you took temporary notes;
• copy the information into your notebook at the earliest possible opportunity, noting the date and time of the original entry and the time that it is being entered.

Failure to follow these two steps might result in evidence being excluded from a legal proceeding such as a trial.

Using a Notebook at Trial

Part of what makes a Notebook different from any other kind of document is its admissibility in court. When called to testify, an officer can ask permission to refer to their notes before speaking. Since trials often happen years–sometimes decades–after an incident, the notebook is unmatched in its potential value as a memory aid. However, its validity is not guaranteed. The judge will ask certain questions to determine the validity of the notes. For example, they may ask if the notes were made at the time of the incident or ask whether the notes are written in ink. If the judge determines that the notes present a reasonably reliable record of an incident, a professional may be allowed to consult them to prompt their memory before answering an attorney’s question.

Be aware that if an officer or investigator brings a notebook into a trial, copies of it can then be entered into evidence. This means that it will be examined by the attorneys on both sides of the courtroom. For this reason, notebooks should be kept clean and professional. Avoid doodling on them or otherwise personalizing them. No pages should be left blank, and the pages must not under any circumstances be torn out. Pages in a notebook are typically numbered: missing pages will be taken as a sign that the officer or investigator has contaminated evidence. Overall, the physical state of the notebook will be taken as a reflection of the officer or investigator’s personal credibility.