For Patrol Officers ·
What you'll accomplish
Use-of-force reports require the most precise language of any police document. This guide builds a system for drafting UOF narratives that consistently cover every required legal element (threat perception, de-escalation attempts, force options considered, force used, subject response) every time.
What you'll need
Before you write your first UOF report with AI assistance, you need a prompt template that captures all the required elements. Open a text file or notes app and create this template:
Write a use-of-force report narrative for a police officer. Use formal third-person past tense and law enforcement terminology. Cover all elements below:
INCIDENT FACTS:
- Location: [address/context]
- Call type: [what the call was]
- Subject description: [brief]
- Initial observations: [what made subject a threat concern on arrival]
DE-ESCALATION:
- Verbal commands given: [list commands]
- Why immediate de-escalation was/was not feasible: [explain]
THREAT ASSESSMENT:
- What threat did the subject present: [specific threatening behavior or actions]
- Factors that elevated threat level: [weapons, size disparity, aggression level, etc.]
FORCE USED:
- Force option selected: [OC spray, takedown, taser, etc.]
- Why this option was selected over lesser/greater options: [reasoning]
- Physical description of force application: [what you did]
SUBJECT RESPONSE AND RESOLUTION:
- How subject responded to force: [complied, continued to resist, etc.]
- When force stopped and why: [subject complied, threat ceased, etc.]
- Medical check: [was medical eval offered/provided]
- Final disposition: [arrested, transported, cited]
Immediately after an incident (or as soon as safely possible), fill in each section of the template with facts from your immediate recollection. Don't write prose. Bullet points are fine.
Why this matters: Memory is most accurate in the first 30 minutes. The template ensures you capture all required elements before writing begins.
Open a new ChatGPT chat and paste:
Convert this UOF incident template into a formal use-of-force report narrative. All language must be objective, factual, and written in third person past tense. Do not add any facts not in my notes.
[paste your completed template]
Read the AI's output and verify:
What you should see: A 3-5 paragraph narrative that covers all required elements in appropriate legal language
Before copying to your RMS, send a second message:
Review this UOF narrative as a use-of-force investigator. Are there any missing elements, vague language, or liability concerns I should address? [paste the draft]
Convert this UOF template into a formal report narrative: [paste template]
Review this UOF narrative for any missing elements or liability concerns: [paste narrative]
Help me write a sentence that explains why immediate de-escalation was not feasible when [describe the situation]
Rewrite this description of a physical force action in objective, formal police report language: [describe what happened]