Elements of Police Work
Here are the major elements of police work, divided into twelve Core Competencies each officer should be proficient in. Click one of the competencies to review the elements of work associated with it.
This can serve as an easy-to-access reference for certified officers and those in training to help inform their work.
This is adapted from the VBPD Police Training Officer Program Training Guide
Report Writing
Develops comprehensive PD3s/Case Files
Develops comprehensive PD3s/Case Files
Deficient Performance:
- Lacks documentation needed to complete thorough report
- Relies on memory to complete required sections
- Narratives lack detail and logical progression
- Missing/incomplete sections, missing required documentation
- Fails to compile required packets, submitted late/incomplete
Strong Performance:
- Conducts thorough preliminary investigation and utilizes resources to obtain needed information
- Conducts thorough interviews and documents all involved parties and witnesses
- Completes all required sections of PD3
- Narratives are detailed, articulate, and accurately convey sequence of events
- Retains all documentation needed for a complete case file
- Complies all required packets for proper submission
Detailed use of force reporting
Detailed use of force reporting
Deficient Performance:
- Unable to define use of force
- Fails to request a supervisor following use of force
- Lacks awareness of suspect’s condition
- Neglects to document witnesses or other involved parties
- Documentation lacks detail and/or accuracy
- Submitted late or missing
Strong Performance:
- Thorough understanding of department definition of use of force
- Requests supervisor response to every use of force
- Offers/obtains medical attention for suspect
- Documents all involved parties and witnesses
- Completes use of force reporting in a complete and detailed manner
- Submits required documentation in a timely manner
Proper documentation during critical incidents
Proper documentation during critical incidents
Deficient Performance:
- Unaware of required tasks
- Unable to direct resources to obtain necessary information
- Lacks written notes/relies on memory
- Incomplete or inaccurate information passed to primary unit/detective
Strong Performance:
- Conducts thorough preliminary investigation and utilizes detailed notes,
- Consistently aware of relevant questions pertaining to individual offenses
- Coordinates with resources ensuring all tasks assigned
- Provides thorough notes and/or memo to primary unit/detective
Conducts traffic crash investigations
Conducts traffic crash investigations
Deficient Performance:
- Unaware of elements required for a reportable crash
- Incomplete interview of involved parties
- Lacks required information to complete FR300
- Inaccurate crash reconstruction
- Lacks necessary forms
Strong Performance:
- Consistently aware of Virginia DMV reportable crash elements and applies to situation presented
- Obtains all necessary information for exchange forms
- Obtains all required information to reconstruct crash diagram and complete FR300
- Utilizes electronic methods of data collection
- Completes tow forms as needed
Completes domestic assault paperwork
Completes domestic assault paperwork
Deficient Performance:
- Lacks necessary paperwork
- Requires assistance to complete packet
- Relies on memory to complete form
- Fails to review BWC footage
- Paperwork late/missing
Strong Performance:
- Completes a complete and detailed VBPD domestic packet without assistance
- Cearly establishes relationships between parties
- Documents and statements and interviews during investigation
- Gets required signatures as appropriate
- Reviews BWC footage for accuracy
- Submits packet via approved method in a timely manner
Completes DUI paperwork
Completes DUI paperwork
Deficient Performance:
- Lacks necessary paperwork
- Requires assistance to complete packet
- Relies on memory to complete form
- Fails to review BWC footage
- Paperwork late/missing
Strong Performance:
- Completes a complete and detailed VBPD DUI packet without assistance
- Documents times and statements during investigation
- Reviews BWC footage for accuracy
- Submits packet via approved method in a timely manner
Completes thorough incident reports
Completes thorough incident reports
Deficient Performance:
- Unaware of a reportable offence
- Unable to complete documentation without reinterview of involved parties
- Narratives lack specificity and relevant details
- Consistently submitted late/missing
Strong Performance:
- Consistently recognizes a UCR reportable offence
- Utilizes notes to complete all required documentation
- Narratives are detailed and well-articulated
- Reports free from error
- Submitted in a timely manner
Notetaking and preliminary investigations
Notetaking and preliminary investigations
Deficient Performance:
- Unprepared to take notes
- Relies on memory
- Notes lack specificity and detail
- Unable to complete required reports without interview
Strong Performance:
- Consistently equipped with notepad and writing tool
- Recognizes importance of thorough documentation
- Takes detailed notes
- Able to utilize notes to complete all required reports
Issues parking tickets
Issues parking tickets
Deficient Performance:
- Lacks awareness of code violations
- Unable to independently complete documentation
- Unaware of towing regulations
Deficient Performance:
- Lacks awareness of code violations
- Unable to independently complete documentation
- Unaware of towing regulations
Conducts thorough field interviews
Conducts thorough field interviews
Deficient Performance:
- Asks minimal questions
- Unable to complete documentation with limited information
- Fails to ask probing questions
- Documentation late/missing
Strong Performance:
- Consistently conducts thorough field interviews
- Asks all questions to complete documentation
- Asks follow up questions to determine role or relationship
- Completes documentation correctly
- Submits documentation in a timely manner
Police Vehicle Operations
- Conducts thorough pre-shift inspection
- Safe and efficient vehicle operation
- Displays geographic awareness
- Effective use of vehicle-based technology
- Displays efficient response to Calls for Service
- Conducts thorough and proficient traffic stops
- Understands requirements of emergency vehicles
- Demonstrates safe and effective emergency response
- Effective vehicle pursuit/high-risk vehicle stops
- Handling police vehicle crashes
- Proper use of vehicle to protect crime scene
Conflict Resolution and Communication Skills
- Effective use of electronic communication platforms
- Manages police radio communications
- Maintains professional demeanor
- Effectively addresses neighborhood disputes
- Effective response to tresspassing/eviction calls
- Obtains and serves emergency protective orders
- Managing disputes resulting from traffic crashes
- Effective response to mental health crises
- Manging domestic abuse situations
- Communicating with hostile victims/witnesses
- Effective courtroom testimony
Police Ethics
- Demonstrates truthfulness
- Manages off-duty behavior
- Maintains integrity
- Displays professionalism
- Applies discretion responsibly
- Reports and manages abuse of authority
Use of Force
- Displays effective command presence
- Utilizes de-escalation techniques
- Utilizes safe avenues of approach
- Recognizes pre-assault indicators
- Displays competent control techniques
- Employs appropriate defensive tactics
- Effective utilization of less lethal options
- Detailed use of force reporting
Officer Safety
- Manages police radio communications
- Maintains situational awareness
- Demonstrates ability to describe current location
- Provides effective backup
- Demonstrates safe approaches on traffic stops
- Demonstrates safe response during critical incidents
- Thorough searches of detainees and prisoners
- Safe handling of foreign/bodily substances
Local Procedures, Policies, Laws, and Organizational Philosophies
- Proficient with BWC/Axon Fleet utilization
- Maintains professional appearance
- Maintains all issued equipment
- Provides timely notifications
- Effective mobile device usage
- Utilizes protocol encountering plainclothes units
- Effective DUI investigations
- Effective domestic assault investigations
- Utilizes ShotSpotter
- Proper coordination with canine units
- Management of hostage/barricade situations
- Identifies and applies department pursuit policy
- Paperwork service
- Proper prisoner transport procedures
- Understands court procedures and testimony
Leadership
- Displays command presence
- Develops strong leadership skills
- Assumes incident command and directs additional resources
- Directs investigation of felony offenses
Problem Solving Skills
- Displays analytic proficiency
- Develops comprehensive planned patrols
- Applies community policing principles
- Critical incident management
- Strategic thinking
- Application of criminal code
Community Specific Problems, Cultural Diversity and Special Needs Groups
- Embraces community-oriented policing and problem-solving
- Effective response to homeless concerns
- Effective interactions with juveniles
- Effective response to mental health crisis
- Proactively identifies and anticipates community needs
Legal Authority and Individual Rights
- Applies functional knowledge of constitutional law
- Applies department policy related to foreign nationals
- Identify and applies Virginia regulations on physical arrests
- Conducts effective traffic enforcement
- Conducts effective traffic direction
- Conducts effective citizen encounters
- Recognizes connection between legal authority and use of force
- Understand apply legal authority on private vs public property
- Understands limitations on off-duty police action
- Demonstrates understanding of civil vs criminal matters
- Applies Miranda warnings consistent with case law
- Understands and applies jurisdictional boundaries and mutual aid requests
- Demonstrates proficiency in property and evidence handling
- Demonstrates proficiency in response to juveniles
Lifestyle Stressors, Self-Awareness and Self-Regulation
- Accurate self-reflection
- Acceptance of feedback
- Accepts and manages responsibility
- Effective time management
- Manages variable workloads
- Remains calm under stress
- Effectively manages calls for service
- Stress management following critical incidents
- Effectively manages emotional triggers