Writing a domestic incident report

A domestic report is often the only evidence that survives. Write it on the assumption that the victim will not testify, because frequently they will not.

7 min read

Write it for a case without the victim

Recantation is common, and it is rarely a sign that nothing happened. The practical consequence is that a prosecutor may have to proceed on the report, the photographs and the officer’s testimony alone.

That raises the standard for what goes in the narrative. Anything that would ordinarily be carried by the victim’s testimony has to be captured at the scene instead.

Capture statements exactly, and note the circumstances

Statements made under the stress of the event may be admissible as excited utterances even if the person does not testify later — but only if the report establishes the circumstances. Quote the words verbatim. Record how long after the event, the person’s demeanor, whether they were still crying or shaking, and whether the statement was volunteered or in response to a question.

Paraphrase loses the exception. "She said he hit her" is weaker than the sentence she actually said.

Weaker

“The victim stated that the suspect had assaulted her.”

Stronger

“Approximately four minutes after I arrived, while still crying and breathing rapidly, she said without being asked: "He grabbed my neck and pushed me into the door."”

The second records the words, the timing and the state she was in — the three things the exception turns on.

Injuries, including the ones not visible yet

Photograph, and describe in text as well — photographs can fail or be excluded. Record size, color, location and whether the injury was fresh. Note complaints of pain where nothing is visible; strangulation in particular often leaves little or nothing on the first day.

Record the absence of injury on the other party too, and any defensive wounds on either. This is what a predominant aggressor finding rests on.

The predominant aggressor finding

Where both parties allege assault, most policies require a determination rather than a dual arrest. The report should show the reasoning: comparative injury, relative size and strength, history of prior calls, who was in fear, and whether either account is consistent with the physical evidence.

State the finding and the basis for it. A conclusion with no reasoning behind it is the part that will be challenged.

Spontaneous statements quoted verbatim, with timing and demeanor
Injuries described in text as well as photographed
Absence of injury recorded where relevant
Strangulation indicators specifically asked about and recorded
Children present recorded, with ages and what they saw
Prior history at the address noted
Predominant aggressor finding stated with its basis
Victim services and protective order information provided and recorded

Narrative AI runs these checks automatically. Its pre-submission audit reads the report before it is filed and flags the gaps above — vague force language, justification that was never articulated, timelines that do not match CAD — while the officer can still fix them.

How the pre-submission audit works →

This guide is general and is not legal advice. Standards differ by state and by agency policy; where they conflict with anything here, your policy and your prosecutor govern.