For Patrol Officers ·
What you'll accomplish
By the end of this guide, you'll have a system for drafting use-of-force report narratives that consistently include all required legal elements — threat perception, de-escalation attempts, force options considered, force used, and subject response. UOF reports require the most precise language of any police document; this helps you get that language right 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]