Security Magazine logo
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
  • NEWS
  • MANAGEMENT
  • PHYSICAL
  • CYBER
  • BLOG
  • COLUMNS
  • EXCLUSIVES
  • SECTORS
  • EVENTS
  • MEDIA
  • MORE
  • EMAG
  • SIGN UP!
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • NEWS
  • Security Newswire
  • Technologies & Solutions
  • MANAGEMENT
  • Leadership Management
  • Enterprise Services
  • Security Education & Training
  • Logical Security
  • Security & Business Resilience
  • Profiles in Excellence
  • PHYSICAL
  • Access Management
  • Fire & Life Safety
  • Identity Management
  • Physical Security
  • Video Surveillance
  • Case Studies (Physical)
  • CYBER
  • Cybersecurity News
  • More
  • COLUMNS
  • Cyber Tactics
  • Leadership & Management
  • Security Talk
  • Career Intelligence
  • Leader to Leader
  • Cybersecurity Education & Training
  • EXCLUSIVES
  • Annual Guarding Report
  • Most Influential People in Security
  • The Security Benchmark Report
  • Top Guard and Security Officer Companies
  • Top Cybersecurity Leaders
  • Women in Security
  • SECTORS
  • Arenas / Stadiums / Leagues / Entertainment
  • Banking/Finance/Insurance
  • Construction, Real Estate, Property Management
  • Education: K-12
  • Education: University
  • Government: Federal, State and Local
  • Hospitality & Casinos
  • Hospitals & Medical Centers
  • Infrastructure:Electric,Gas & Water
  • Ports: Sea, Land, & Air
  • Retail/Restaurants/Convenience
  • Transportation/Logistics/Supply Chain/Distribution/ Warehousing
  • EVENTS
  • Industry Events
  • Webinars
  • Solutions by Sector
  • Security 500 Conference
  • MEDIA
  • Videos
  • Podcasts
  • Polls
  • Photo Galleries
  • Videos
  • Cybersecurity & Geopolitical Discussion
  • Ask Me Anything (AMA) Series
  • MORE
  • Call for Entries
  • Classifieds & Job Listings
  • Continuing Education
  • Newsletter
  • Sponsor Insights
  • Store
  • White Papers
  • EMAG
  • eMagazine
  • This Month's Content
  • Advertise
Security Magazine logo
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Security Magazine logo
  • NEWS
    • Security Newswire
    • Technologies & Solutions
  • MANAGEMENT
    • Leadership Management
    • Enterprise Services
    • Security Education & Training
    • Logical Security
    • Security & Business Resilience
    • Profiles in Excellence
  • PHYSICAL
    • Access Management
    • Fire & Life Safety
    • Identity Management
    • Physical Security
    • Video Surveillance
    • Case Studies (Physical)
  • CYBER
    • Cybersecurity News
    • More
  • BLOG
  • COLUMNS
    • Cyber Tactics
    • Leadership & Management
    • Security Talk
    • Career Intelligence
    • Leader to Leader
    • Cybersecurity Education & Training
  • EXCLUSIVES
    • Annual Guarding Report
    • Most Influential People in Security
    • The Security Benchmark Report
    • Top Guard and Security Officer Companies
    • Top Cybersecurity Leaders
    • Women in Security
  • SECTORS
    • Arenas / Stadiums / Leagues / Entertainment
    • Banking/Finance/Insurance
    • Construction, Real Estate, Property Management
    • Education: K-12
    • Education: University
    • Government: Federal, State and Local
    • Hospitality & Casinos
    • Hospitals & Medical Centers
    • Infrastructure:Electric,Gas & Water
    • Ports: Sea, Land, & Air
    • Retail/Restaurants/Convenience
    • Transportation/Logistics/Supply Chain/Distribution/ Warehousing
  • EVENTS
    • Industry Events
    • Webinars
    • Solutions by Sector
    • Security 500 Conference
  • MEDIA
    • Videos
      • Cybersecurity & Geopolitical Discussion
      • Ask Me Anything (AMA) Series
    • Podcasts
    • Polls
    • Photo Galleries
  • MORE
    • Call for Entries
    • Classifieds & Job Listings
    • Continuing Education
    • Newsletter
    • Sponsor Insights
    • Store
    • White Papers
  • EMAG
    • eMagazine
    • This Month's Content
    • Advertise
  • SIGN UP!
Security Enterprise Services

7 Tips to Improve Security Officers’ Incident Report Writing Skills

By Frank Kerns
Figure 3- boonedam
February 28, 2017

I was on the fourth grade football team, playing tight end, the first time someone called me the “Gardener.” For some reason, whenever the quarterback threw a pass to me, I ended up diving into the dirt to catch the ball. Trust me, I spent a lot of time in the dirt. Maybe the quarterback who, like me, was only 9 years old, couldn’t throw the ball far enough. Or, I was too slow. Most likely the latter was true, which is why my football career never lasted past the sixth grade.

Today I’m still called the Gardener. However, I’m now called the Gardener because I like to dig deep into an incident report and pluck out the weeds, or rather unnecessary words and phrases. It’s almost an obsession with me, but it’s all done with the goal of writing reports that are always readable and understandable. There are always words, phrases – sometimes even whole sentences and paragraphs – that can be pruned from anything you write. The trick, of course, is to know when to remove a word or phrase – and when not to.

Here are seven tips for your security team to improve their incident report writing.

  1. Redundancy: As I read dozens of incident reports each month, I’m still mystified by the number of reports that are both clumsy and redundant.  For example, an officer writes “registered nurse” after each and every nurse mentioned within a report. When, say, responding to a Code Gray call, there might be four or more nurses involved in the incident. And, because of this, “registered nurse” might appear 20 or 30 times within one of his reports. I’ve yet to convince the officer that, upon second mention, he can refer to the nurse as, say, RN Smith. Truly, because of the redundancy in his writing, there is no movement or flow to his reports – making it almost impossible to understand what he’s written. It’s like being stuck in quicksand.  By avoiding such unnecessary clutter, and confusion, incident reports will drive forward with a narrative that is precise, informative and uncomplicated.
  2. Your Reports are Read by Others: I never forget that my reports are often read by non-security department personnel. Perhaps, as an example, a visitor had a trip and fall incident while visiting a patient. Without a doubt, at the very least, the report will be read by our Risk Management team. There is also a good chance my report will be read by our Legal team. And beyond that, my report could be read and used in a court of law. Knowing this, I visualize the incident and write a narrative that is so crystal clear it can be understood by anyone at any point throughout the organization. Truly, what I write, and how I write it, could have either a positive or negative financial impact on the enterprise that has employed me. Taking it even further, in this litigious world we live in, should my report be clumsy and confusing, I could end up in court trying to explain what I meant by what I wrote -  or thought I wrote.
  3. Make Each Word Count: My favorite book on writing, and one that’s been around a long time, is “The Elements of Style” (fourth edition) by William Strunk Jr. and E.B.White. I turn to this book all the time for inspiration. Strunk, who originally penned this little gem back around 1919, actually wrote that “each word must tell.” And, my favorite, “omit needless words.”  Really, it’s just that simple. However, to be clear, although Strunk preaches that every word must count, he wasn’t encouraging writers to carelessly eliminate important facts and information. The best way to achieve such clarity and simplicity, as taught by Strunk 100 years ago, is to be accountable for every word, sentence and paragraph you write.  Isn’t that why they invented the backspace key?
  4. You’re Not An English Teacher: That is, don’t try and replace that 7th grade English teacher from Junior High School. If you approach an officer about, say, the subject-verb agreement, or the proper use of a preposition, you’ll most likely draw a blank stare. Instead, let officers read good reports – pointing out those factors that work and why they work. Keep it positive. Really, it’s just that easy: allow officers to review incident reports that are well-written, and you’ll often see an immediate improvement in that officers’ report writing skills and techniques. At the very least an officer will begin to write with more confidence.
  5. Bovine Speculation:  General Norman Schwarzkopf used to tell reporters during the first Gulf War that any opinion he gave would be nothing more than “bovine speculation.” Never allow yourself to include an opinion within a report. And, on that same note, don’t make assumptions. This takes discipline because it’s easy to get caught up in a report, especially if the incident being recorded involves, say, injuries to fellow staff members.  Emotions can run high because of the injuries, and now the narrative is being used to send a warning to others, including administrators.  Stick to the facts, and skip the bovine speculation.
  6. Every Writer Must Learn To Be An Editor: Your best chance at delivering a sound, professional incident report, each and every time you are tasked to write one, is to be able to successfully edit your own writing. It’s truly imperative to know what information, including words, sentences and even entire paragraphs, to edit out of your report. Stephen King, in his book titled “On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft,” wrote that “to write is human, but to edit is divine.” On this point, I’ll offer an analogy. Many years ago I was a professional wedding photographer.  There would, of course, be the day – usually a few weeks after a wedding – when the bride and groom dropped by the studio to look over their wedding photos. I quickly learned, sometimes at a financial loss, that it really didn’t matter how technically proficient I was as a photographer. What mattered was the final product – those photos being reviewed, slowly, one by one, by the bride and groom. I learned that the best wedding photographers  delivered photographs  that had been edited – by cropping, framing and color and exposure adjustment, etc. Sometimes it was the best decision to entirely delete a photo. The same principals hold true for report writing. The best reports are usually those that have been thoroughly reviewed and edited.
  7. Sequential Writing: You would think that writing in sequence, from first event to last event, would be obvious. However, I’ve learned you can never assume anything when it comes to report writing. And, as I’ve stressed in this article, writing with absolute clarity is an essential goal when completing a report. If there are a number of important events that occur during an incident, I’ll number them. Why not? Make it easy on the reader and help them understand what happened during an incident. As an example, I recently wrote a report that involved a man who continued, over a 30-minute span, to enter the main lobby and harass visitors and staff members. Each time the man was escorted off property, he would return within minutes. The police department was eventually called and, after several trespass warnings were issued, the man was arrested. Because of the arrest, I knew the incident had to be documented with absolute clarity. I numbered each event (entering a lobby and harassing visitors and staff members) within the entire incident, along with the time each event happened. There were a total of seven events. By recounting the incident with such simplicity, and accuracy, step-by-step, I was confident all readers would understand what transpired throughout the incident.

Sturdy, accurate report writing doesn’t need to be a complicated process. Yet, time-after-time, and after relentlessly preaching to the choir about writing reports that are straightforward and uncomplicated, I still read reports that get tangled up in the language, like being trapped in molasses, and ultimately fail to adequately record an incident that can be understood by each and every reader. It’s up to department managers and supervisors to guide their officers, gently, into understanding that it takes patience and practice - and the ability to edit and revise – in order to deliver a professional report.

I love the craft of writing.  And although I’m no longer on the fourth grade football team, diving in the dirt to make a catch, I’m still the Gardener. I still enjoy the job, after 35 years, of delivering reports that are consistently well-written, accurate and – best of all – readable.

KEYWORDS: incident management security incident reporting security management security officer security report

Share This Story

Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!

Frank Kerns has been a security officer since 1978, and has worked in multiple sectors, including office buildings, factories and hospitals. Presently, he works at Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach, California, as a security supervisor and the committee chairman who supervises the continuing development of the hospital’s Incident Report Writing Stylebook.

Recommended Content

JOIN TODAY
To unlock your recommendations.

Already have an account? Sign In

  • Security's Top Cybersecurity Leaders 2024

    Security's Top Cybersecurity Leaders 2024

    Security magazine's Top Cybersecurity Leaders 2024 award...
    Security Enterprise Services
    By: Security Staff
  • cyber brain

    The intersection of cybersecurity and artificial intelligence

    Artificial intelligence (AI) is a valuable cybersecurity...
    Security Enterprise Services
    By: Pam Nigro
  • artificial intelligence AI graphic

    Assessing the pros and cons of AI for cybersecurity

    Artificial intelligence (AI) has significant implications...
    Logical Security
    By: Charles Denyer

Recommended Content

  • Security’s 2025 Women in Security

    Security’s 2025 Women in Security

    This year’s Women in Security honorees drive meaningful...
    Cybersecurity
    By: Rachelle Blair-Frasier
  • Silhouette of hand holding phone

    Pushing Mobile Access to New Levels of Operational Efficiency

    It has been over a decade since the first mobile access...
    Physical
    By: Phil Coppola
  • Bandage over cracked pavement

    Breaking Down Burnout: Healing Cyber Teams with the Right Tools and Strategies

    Cybersecurity teams are burning out, and it’s happening...
    Security Education & Training
    By: Ravid Circus

Recommended Content

  • Security’s 2025 Women in Security

    Security’s 2025 Women in Security

    This year’s Women in Security honorees drive meaningful...
    Cybersecurity
    By: Rachelle Blair-Frasier
  • Silhouette of hand holding phone

    Pushing Mobile Access to New Levels of Operational Efficiency

    It has been over a decade since the first mobile access...
    Physical Security
    By: Phil Coppola
  • Bandage over cracked pavement

    Breaking Down Burnout: Healing Cyber Teams with the Right Tools and Strategies

    Cybersecurity teams are burning out, and it’s happening...
    Security Leadership and Management
    By: Ravid Circus

Recommended Content

  • Security’s 2025 Women in Security

    Security’s 2025 Women in Security

    This year’s Women in Security honorees drive meaningful...
    Services
    By: Rachelle Blair-Frasier
  • Silhouette of hand holding phone

    Pushing Mobile Access to New Levels of Operational Efficiency

    It has been over a decade since the first mobile access...
    Physical Security
    By: Phil Coppola
  • Bandage over cracked pavement

    Breaking Down Burnout: Healing Cyber Teams with the Right Tools and Strategies

    Cybersecurity teams are burning out, and it’s happening...
    Security Leadership and Management
    By: Ravid Circus
Manage My Account
  • Security eNewsletter & Other eNews Alerts
  • eMagazine Subscriptions
  • Manage My Preferences
  • Online Registration
  • Mobile App
  • Subscription Customer Service

Middle East Escalation, Humanitarian Law and Disinformation – Episode 25

Middle East Escalation, Humanitarian Law and Disinformation – Episode 25

The Money Laundering Machine: Inside the global crime epidemic - Episode 24

The Money Laundering Machine: Inside the global crime epidemic - Episode 24

Security’s Top 5 – 2024 Year in Review

Security’s Top 5 – 2024 Year in Review

More Videos

Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content is a special paid section where industry companies provide high quality, objective, non-commercial content around topics of interest to the Security audience. All Sponsored Content is supplied by the advertising company and any opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily reflect the views of Security or its parent company, BNP Media. Interested in participating in our Sponsored Content section? Contact your local rep!

close
  • Sureview screen
    Sponsored bySureView Systems

    The Evolution of Automation in the Command Center

  • Crisis Response Team
    Sponsored byEverbridge

    Automate or Fall Behind – Crisis Response at the Speed of Risk

  • Perimeter security
    Sponsored byAMAROK

    Why Property Security is the New Competitive Advantage

Popular Stories

Security’s 2025 Women in Security

Security’s 2025 Women in Security

Verizon on phone screen

61M Records Listed for Sale Online, Allegedly Belong to Verizon

blurry multicolored text on black screen

PowerSchool Education Technology Company Announces Data Breach

Half closed laptop

Sudo Vulnerability Discovered, May Exposes Linux Systems

Person holding cellphone

Millions of Android, iPhone Users Could Be Sending Data to China

Events

August 7, 2025

Threats to the Energy Sector: Implications for Corporate and National Security

The energy sector has found itself in the crosshairs of virtually every bad actor on the global stage.

August 27, 2025

Risk Mitigation as a Competitive Edge

In today’s volatile environment, a robust risk management strategy isn’t just a requirement—it’s a foundation for organizational resilience. From cyber threats to climate disruptions, the ability to anticipate, withstand, and adapt to disruption is becoming a hallmark of industry leaders.

View All Submit An Event

Products

Security Culture: A How-to Guide for Improving Security Culture and Dealing with People Risk in Your Organisation

Security Culture: A How-to Guide for Improving Security Culture and Dealing with People Risk in Your Organisation

See More Products

Related Articles

  • secofficer-enews

    9 Ideas to Create a Professional Incident Report Stylebook

    See More
  • samurai_enews

    Learning Security Management from the Samurai

    See More
  • commissionaires photo

    Helping Security Officers Improve Incident Reporting

    See More

Related Products

See More Products
  • security culture.webp

    Security Culture: A How-to Guide for Improving Security Culture and Dealing with People Risk in Your Organisation

  • facility manager.jpg

    The Facility Manager's Guide to Safety and Security

  • school security.jpg

    School Security: How to Build and Strengthen a School Safety Program

See More Products
×

Sign-up to receive top management & result-driven techniques in the industry.

Join over 20,000+ industry leaders who receive our premium content.

SIGN UP TODAY!
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Store
    • Want More
  • SIGN UP TODAY
    • Create Account
    • eMagazine
    • eNewsletter
    • Customer Service
    • Manage Preferences
  • SERVICES
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • X (Twitter)
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY

Copyright ©2025. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing

Security Magazine logo
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Security Magazine logo
  • NEWS
    • Security Newswire
    • Technologies & Solutions
  • MANAGEMENT
    • Leadership Management
    • Enterprise Services
    • Security Education & Training
    • Logical Security
    • Security & Business Resilience
    • Profiles in Excellence
  • PHYSICAL
    • Access Management
    • Fire & Life Safety
    • Identity Management
    • Physical Security
    • Video Surveillance
    • Case Studies (Physical)
  • CYBER
    • Cybersecurity News
    • More
  • BLOG
  • COLUMNS
    • Cyber Tactics
    • Leadership & Management
    • Security Talk
    • Career Intelligence
    • Leader to Leader
    • Cybersecurity Education & Training
  • EXCLUSIVES
    • Annual Guarding Report
    • Most Influential People in Security
    • The Security Benchmark Report
    • Top Guard and Security Officer Companies
    • Top Cybersecurity Leaders
    • Women in Security
  • SECTORS
    • Arenas / Stadiums / Leagues / Entertainment
    • Banking/Finance/Insurance
    • Construction, Real Estate, Property Management
    • Education: K-12
    • Education: University
    • Government: Federal, State and Local
    • Hospitality & Casinos
    • Hospitals & Medical Centers
    • Infrastructure:Electric,Gas & Water
    • Ports: Sea, Land, & Air
    • Retail/Restaurants/Convenience
    • Transportation/Logistics/Supply Chain/Distribution/ Warehousing
  • EVENTS
    • Industry Events
    • Webinars
    • Solutions by Sector
    • Security 500 Conference
  • MEDIA
    • Videos
      • Cybersecurity & Geopolitical Discussion
      • Ask Me Anything (AMA) Series
    • Podcasts
    • Polls
    • Photo Galleries
  • MORE
    • Call for Entries
    • Classifieds & Job Listings
    • Continuing Education
    • Newsletter
    • Sponsor Insights
    • Store
    • White Papers
  • EMAG
    • eMagazine
    • This Month's Content
    • Advertise
  • SIGN UP!