LAPD Writing Clarity and Grammar 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An officer writes: 'The suspect, who was wearing a red jacket, and carrying a backpack, fled northbound.' What is wrong with this sentence?
- It uses passive voice
- It has an unnecessary comma before 'and' (Correct answer)
- It lacks a subject
- It uses the wrong verb tense
Correct answer: It has an unnecessary comma before 'and'
The comma before 'and carrying a backpack' is incorrect because the two participial phrases form a compound and should not be separated by a comma.
Question 2: Which sentence best demonstrates concise, clear police report writing?
- The individual in question did proceed to exit the vehicle at that point in time.
- At approximately 2300 hours the suspect exited the vehicle. (Correct answer)
- The suspect, who was in the vehicle, got out of it.
- Exiting of the vehicle by the suspect occurred.
Correct answer: At approximately 2300 hours the suspect exited the vehicle.
The second sentence is direct, includes a specific time, uses active voice, and avoids unnecessary words.
Question 3: In a police report, when should you use 'I' versus 'this officer'?
- Always use 'this officer' for formality
- Always use 'I' for clarity and directness
- Use 'I' only in narrative sections and 'this officer' in summaries
- Either is acceptable; consistency within the report is key (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Either is acceptable; consistency within the report is key
LAPD style accepts both 'I' and 'this officer,' but the chosen form must be used consistently throughout the report.
Question 4: Which of the following correctly uses a semicolon?
- The witness was uncooperative; so she left.
- The scene was secured; evidence was then collected. (Correct answer)
- Officers arrived; and detained the suspect.
- He ran; but was caught.
Correct answer: The scene was secured; evidence was then collected.
A semicolon correctly joins two closely related independent clauses without a coordinating conjunction.
Question 5: An officer wrote: 'Between you and I, the report was filed late.' What is the grammatical error?
- Incorrect verb tense
- Wrong pronoun case — should be 'me' (Correct answer)
- Dangling modifier
- Comma splice
Correct answer: Wrong pronoun case — should be 'me'
After a preposition like 'between,' the objective case pronoun 'me' is required, not the subjective 'I.'
Question 6: Which word choice is most appropriate in a formal LAPD report?
- The guy ran off down the alley.
- The male fled southbound through the alley. (Correct answer)
- He took off and went down the alley.
- The dude bolted into the alley.
Correct answer: The male fled southbound through the alley.
Police reports require formal, precise language; 'the male fled southbound' is specific and professional.
Question 7: What does a dangling modifier do in a sentence?
- Creates an unclear antecedent for a pronoun
- Modifies a word that is not present or not the intended subject (Correct answer)
- Joins two independent clauses incorrectly
- Repeats the same idea in different words
Correct answer: Modifies a word that is not present or not the intended subject
A dangling modifier occurs when the modifying phrase does not logically connect to the word it is meant to describe.
