Five rules for incident reports
Pillar: REPORTS · Day 26 · 20–30 min deep read · Updated 1970
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Opening If it isn't written down, it didn't happen — and 'I'll write it later' usually means 'I'll write it wrong'.
Why this matters If it isn't written down, it didn't happen. Reports — pocket notes, daily occurrence books, incident reports, witness statements — are the documentary backbone of every contract. Courts, insurers and your own management will read them long after the moment is gone, and a well-written report can make or break a prosecution.
A short history Pocket notebooks and daily occurrence books have been the documentary backbone of private security since the trade existed. UK courts treat contemporaneous notes as strong evidence under the Criminal Procedure Rules. UK GDPR and DPA 2018 added a layer of data-protection responsibility that didn't exist a generation ago. Body-worn video has expanded — but not replaced — the written record.
International context Pocket-notebook conventions originated in UK policing and were exported across Commonwealth jurisdictions. The 5WH framework is taught in journalism, policing and private security worldwide.
By the numbers - Contemporaneous pocket notes (within 10 minutes) carry the strongest evidential weight. - Successful prosecutions involving private security frequently depend on the quality of the operative's notes. - Reports that mix fact and opinion are routinely challenged by defence counsel — and often successfully. - GDPR breaches involving third-party report sharing have led to ICO fines and contract terminations.
Numbers to know by heart - 10 minutes — target window from incident to first note. - 24-hour clock — the only time format that survives cross-examination. - 5W + H — six questions, every time. - 0 — number of opinions in a good factual report.
The framework Use the **5WH** structure: **W**ho, **W**hat, **W**here, **W**hen, **W**hy, **H**ow — in chronological order, facts only, no opinion.
Deep dive 5WH — Who, What, Where, When, Why, How — is the spine of every clean report. The two non-negotiables are timing (within minutes, not hours, of the incident) and factuality (observable behaviours, exact quotes, exact times — never opinion, never judgement). Pocket notes are signed, dated, in pen, with no torn pages. The Daily Occurrence Book is the site-level log. Incident reports are the formal record. Witness statements are the most formal of all. Body-worn video supports — never replaces — the written record. Sharing report content with third parties without lawful basis is a UK GDPR breach with serious personal and corporate consequences.
On shift — step by step 1. Start writing within 10 minutes of the incident — memory fades fast. 2. Use plain English, short sentences, exact times (24-hour clock). 3. Quote exact words used (yours and theirs) in quotation marks. 4. Separate fact from opinion — and label any opinion as such. 5. Sign and date every page; never tear out pages from a pocket notebook.
Real-world scenario A guard's pocket note from a Friday-night incident is read aloud in court eight months later. Because the times, exact words and colleague initials are all there, the prosecution succeeds. Without that ten-minute write-up at the time, it would have been one person's word against another.
Scenario walk-through — Witness statement after an arrest First-person, chronological, signed and dated on every page. No abbreviations. No slang. Read it back before signing.
Another scenario — Customer threatens to punch you Quote exact words in your report: 'At 23:14 the customer raised their voice and said "I\'ll punch you"'. Not: 'The customer was being aggressive.'
One more — Lost-property entry in the DOB Time received, description of item, name of finder, name of receiver, storage location. All five — every time.
Case study — The Friday-night pocket note A doorman's pocket note from a Friday-night assault was read aloud in court eight months later. Because times, exact words and colleague initials were all there, the prosecution succeeded. Without the ten-minute write-up, it would have been one person's word against another.
Case study — The third-party leak An operative shared an incident report with a friend at another company. The data subject made a Subject Access Request, the leak surfaced, and the operative faced disciplinary action and a personal ICO referral.
Myths vs reality **Myth:** Body-worn video replaces written reports. **Reality:** BWV supports written reports. It doesn't replace them — and lawyers will treat any gap as suspicious.
Myth: I can write up from memory at end of shift. Reality: Memory degrades within minutes. Contemporaneous notes are the only notes that survive a court.
Drills you can run before your next shift 1. Time yourself writing a 5WH incident note from a fictional scenario — aim for under 5 minutes. 2. Audit your last shift's pocket notes — any opinion creeping into the facts? 3. Practise quoting exact words verbatim — it's harder than it looks.
Weekly habits - Re-read your last week's pocket notes — opinions creeping in? - Time-yourself drills: 5WH in under 5 minutes. - Practise quoting verbatim what someone said today. - Audit one DOB entry per week for clarity and completeness.
Red flags — what to avoid - Writing from memory hours later. - Sharing reports with third parties without lawful basis. - Using slang, abbreviations, or jokes. - Torn or missing pocket-notebook pages.
Green flags — what good looks like - Pocket notes started within 10 minutes. - Exact times in 24-hour clock. - Exact quotes in quotation marks. - Facts and opinions clearly separated.
Pre-shift checklist - [ ] Time, place, parties. - [ ] Exact words quoted. - [ ] Actions taken in order. - [ ] Witnesses identified. - [ ] Signed and dated.
Common pitfalls - Writing 'the suspect was acting aggressively' instead of describing exactly what they did. - Filling in the report from memory three days later. - Sharing report content with third parties (UK GDPR breach). - Using slang, abbreviations or jokes that won't read well in court.
Frequently asked questions **Q. Who owns my report?** Your employer, on behalf of the client. You have rights as the author but you can't unilaterally release it.
Q. Can I write reports on my phone? Only if your employer's policy allows it and the device is secure. Personal devices are usually a no.
Q. What if I make a mistake in my pocket notebook? Single line through, initial, write the correction next to it. Never erase, never tear out the page.
How this compares elsewhere Police pocket notebooks follow almost identical conventions. Civilian witness statements drop the formal headings but keep the chronology and the exact-words principle.
Notes for supervisors and team leaders Supervisors who randomly audit pocket notes — and feed back specifically — see report quality improve in weeks. It is the cheapest, highest-leverage quality intervention in the trade.
The law behind it Criminal Procedure Rules; Criminal Justice Act 2003 (hearsay); UK GDPR & DPA 2018; Civil Evidence Act 1995.
Key terms - **Pocket notebook** — Contemporaneous record — admissible in court if properly maintained. - **DOB (Daily Occurrence Book)** — The site-level shift log — every event of note. - **Witness statement** — Formal account of what the writer personally saw or heard.
Extended glossary - **5WH** — Who, What, Where, When, Why, How — the spine of every clean report. - **DOB** — Daily Occurrence Book — the site-level shift log. - **Pocket notebook** — Personal contemporaneous record — admissible in court if properly maintained. - **Witness statement** — First-person, chronological, signed and dated formal account. - **SAR** — Subject Access Request — a person's right to see data you hold about them.
Further reading - **Criminal Procedure Rules — evidence** — The framework courts apply to your notes. - **ICO guidance on CCTV and reports** — The data-protection layer for everything you record. - **Civil Evidence Act 1995** — Hearsay and documentary evidence — the rules that govern your written record.
Exam-style tips - 'Contemporaneous' is the magic word — it's the exam favourite. - Look for the answer that prefers facts over opinion and exact quotes over paraphrase.
Reflection prompts - Pull out your last pocket note. Read it as a stranger would. Is it clear? - Have you ever shared a report inappropriately? What would you do differently now?
Today's reflection on this lesson Think back to the last shift where you saw "five rules for incident reports" come up. What did you do? What would you change with today's framework in mind? Hold that in mind as you answer the questions below — it's the reflection that turns a lesson into a habit.
Closing thoughts Your report is the version of the night that survives. Make sure the version that survives is the truthful, careful, factual one.
Reminder: Guard.Academy is **not** an accredited SIA qualification. It complements your training — it does not replace it. To obtain or renew an SIA licence you still need an approved course with an accredited provider.