Training Tuesdays: Effective note-taking

First posted on February 11, 2025

Get your pen and paper, this Training Tuesday is all about taking notes! A key skill RCMP cadets learn at the RCMP Academy is effective note-taking. This is a crucial part of a police officer's investigative duties in the field.

Proper note-taking techniques include being accurate, objective, prompt, organized, detailed and legible. Important observations and activities noted during calls for service support investigations and corroborate evidence. These include fundamentals like who, what, where, when, why and how.

Here at Depot, cadets take part in scenarios and must document the details. To ensure cadets are applying the skills correctly to this essential part of policing, facilitators review their notes. Cadets practice proper note taking continually throughout training in order to become skilled and proficient.

Taking good notes shows attention to detail and helps police officers recall essential information in investigations later. Some cases may go to trial, which can be months or even years after the initial call. Good quality notes are valuable to support evidence and to refresh a police officer's memory.