Use Otter.ai to Capture Field Notes by Voice

1. On your iPhone, open the App Store and search "Otter AI"
2. Download and install the Otter: AI Meeting Notes & Transcribe app (the one with the otter logo)
3. Open the app and tap Sign up. use your personal email, not department email

What you should see: The Otter.ai home screen with a large red microphone button at the bottom

1. Tap the red microphone button at the bottom of the screen
2. Speak clearly: "Test recording. Today is [date]. I responded to a call at [address]. Subject was [describe]. Outcome was [result]."
3. Tap the microphone button again to stop recording
4. Watch the transcript appear in real time on screen

What you should see: A text transcript of everything you said, appearing word by word as you speak

Troubleshooting: If transcription is poor, speak closer to the microphone and reduce background noise. In loud environments (traffic stops, crowds), cup your hand around the phone.

1. Tap the three lines (menu) in the top-left corner
2. Tap Workspaces → Create a new workspace
3. Name it "Field Reports" or "Incident Notes"
4. This keeps your work recordings separate from any personal recordings

The best time to narrate is immediately after an incident is resolved and you're back in your patrol vehicle:

1. Open Otter → tap the red microphone button
2. Speak your observations in sequence:

• "Called to [address] at [time]"
• "On arrival, observed [describe scene]"
• "Spoke with victim [name], who stated [summarize their account]"
• "Spoke with suspect [name], who stated [summarize]"
• "Physical evidence observed: [list]"
• "Actions taken: [arrest/report/referral]"
• "Disposition: [outcome]"

1. Stop recording when done

1. Open the recording in Otter
2. Tap the share icon (box with arrow) or Copy all text
3. Paste the transcript into ChatGPT with the prompt: "Convert these voice notes into a formal police incident report narrative"
4. Or paste directly into your RMS and clean up the language yourself

What you should see: A plain text transcript of your narration, copied to your clipboard