Which of the following is NOT listed as a use of police reports?

• A. Examine the past
• B. Inform other officers
• C. Coordinate law-enforcement activities
• D. Provide statistical analysis

Answer: (D)

Police reports are used to document what happened, preserve details for investigations, and share information so officers can coordinate their work. They capture past events so investigators can review facts, verify what occurred, and support accountability. They also serve as a communication tool, allowing officers to understand what others have found and to carry the investigation forward or adjust assignments as needed. Additionally, reports help coordinate law-enforcement activities by giving a common factual basis for planning patrols, assigning tasks, and aligning responses across units or shifts.

Providing statistical analysis isn’t a direct use of an individual police report. Statistics come from examining data across many reports and records to identify trends or measure performance, which is a separate analytical step. While reports supply the data, the act of producing statistics is not a direct, on-the-ground use of a single report.