What should officers avoid to ensure clarity in their reports?

To ensure clarity in their reports, officers should avoid using wordy phrases and redundancy. Clarity is essential in written reports, especially in law enforcement, where documentation may be scrutinized in legal proceedings or internal investigations. Using overly complex sentences or unnecessary repetition can obscure the main points and make it difficult for the reader to understand the essential facts of the incident being reported.

In contrast, being concise and to the point, as mentioned in another option, promotes clarity by allowing the reader to quickly grasp the critical information without wading through extraneous details. Similarly, using active voice enhances clarity and engagement, making the report more straightforward and dynamic. Incorporating visual aids can also enhance comprehension by providing a visual representation of data or scenarios, but it does not directly relate to the written clarity of the report itself.