Add report information

When working on reports in Report Writer, use the Add buttons in the navigation menu to add new sections (composed of multiple fields) in the central report writing area where you can enter information.
The screenshot shows the Report Writing interface focused on the Vehicles section. in the left navigation menu, the Add Vehicle option is highlighted under Vehicles. On the main panel, a search bar allows input for license plate, make, model, or VIN, but no suggestions are currently displayed. Below the search bar, an option to add a new vehicle is visible, along with an Actions menu in the upper-right corner.

These sections vary depending on the type of report, but often include:

  • Overview
  • Citizens
  • Vehicles
  • Units
  • Officers
  • Response actions
  • Acknowledgments
  • Narrative
  • Files

Overview

Most reports contain an Overview section where you can record basic information, including date, time, and location. Overview sections contain various other fields, depending on the report type. Unlike the other report sections, the Overview section can't be removed from the report.

Date and time

To quickly enter the current date and time, enter "T" in the date field. The current date and time automatically appear in both the Date and Time fields. See Keyboard shortcuts for additional information about quickly entering information into reports.

Location

Depending on the report type, various location-related fields appear, often including Location, Location Category/Type, and Location Note.

The options in the Location field include:

  • Auto Address: Verified by the system and included in Search.
  • Manual Address: Entered manually and NOT included in Search.
  • Cross Streets: Verified by the system and included in Search.
  • Mile Marker: Entered manually and NOT included in Search.
  • Unknown: Entered manually and NOT included in Search.

 

Auto addresses and cross streets

When you select Auto address or Cross streets from the Location field, you can type in the Address/cross street field, and a list of possible location matches will appear.

To enter a location by finding it on a map, instead select the map that displays beside the Address/cross street field. A larger map window loads. Use the plus and minus buttons to zoom in and out. Click and drag to pan the map and reveal new areas.

Click anywhere on the map to drop a pin. The pin you place appears in light purple, and the nearest verified address appears in dark purple. Select Add to report to add the verified address to your report.
The image displays the location selection process, presenting a detailed map interface with options to place a pin and search for a business or address. The map includes zoom controls on the left and a legend on the bottom-right explaining the symbols for placed pins and nearest addresses. A highlighted Add to Report button is located at the bottom-right corner.

You can add subaddress information to auto addresses to specify a particular unit or apartment number. These unit/apartment numbers are considered unique locations, even though they share the same address.

To add a unit, select Add unit, then provide the Unit type (Apartment, Suite, etc.) and Unit number.

 

Manual addresses, mile markers, and unknown

When you select Manual address, Mile marker, or Unknown from the Location field a set of new fields appears where you can enter the location information.

Citizen

To add a person to a report, select Add Person/Citizen, and then select the type of person you want to add: Known or Unknown.

If your organization has integrated with your NCIC search provider, you can also view the people you exported from NCIC and add one to your report.

Once a person has been added to a report, you can add and update their information.
The image shows the New Name screen in Report Writer. A yellow highlight emphasizes the Add Name button in the left navigation panel and the known person and unknown person buttons at the top of the main panel. Another yellow highlight outlines the Person Imports section, which displays a table of recently imported individuals with details like name, date of birth, sex, and action icons.

Add a known person

A known person is someone who can be positively identified. This could be someone whose identity is fully confirmed, such as a person who has presented valid identification or has been recognized by someone else. A known person can also be partially known. For example, if witnesses report seeing a male in a blue sweater running from the scene, this individual is considered a known person because some identifying information is available.

To add a known person to a report:

  1. Select Add name > Known person.
  2. To avoid creating duplicate person profiles, search to see if the person already exists in the database rather than automatically creating a new one.
    • Enter keywords in the top search box or use the filters to search.
    • Potential matches from the database appear below the search fields as you enter information.
    • Select a search result to open a profile preview and view more information.
  3. If your organization has integrated with your NCIC search provider, you can also search for people you imported from NCIC.
  4. If a profile matches the person you want to add to the report, select Import and update.
    The image shows two layered screenshots. In the left screenshot, a search for an existing person returns four results, with Jennifer Ann Thompson highlighted, displaying details such as date of birth, phone number, ID, address, and a profile photo. In the right screenshot, the detailed profile for a person is displayed, including identity details, a driver's license as identifying documentation, and options to view the profile or photos. The Import and update button is highlighted at the bottom, allowing the person to be added to the report.
  5. If a profile does NOT exist for the person you want to add to the report, select New person below the list of search results.
    The screenshot shows a search interface for an existing person. The search field at the top contains a query, but no results are found. Below the search results table, a + New Person button is highlighted, providing the option to add a new person to the report.

An orange banner displays at the top of the window when you add an existing person. If the person was added by mistake, select Remove person in the banner to remove them.
The screenshot shows the Report Writer interface focused on a person. An orange banner at the top indicates that the report is updating an existing person with new information. A Remove Person option is included within the banner.

Add an unknown person

An unknown person is someone who cannot be identified or described. For example, if a car is broken into with no witnesses, the person who committed the break-in would be considered an unknown person.

To add an Unknown person to a report:

  1. Select Add name > Unknown person.
  2. Fill out the Role this person played and provide any other information you can.
Note

Unknown persons are not added to the database, which means they will not appear in searches and can't be added to other reports.

Add a person from NCIC

Note

The NCIC integration is currently only available for select organizations. Contact Axon Support or your Axon representative for more information about integrating with your NCIC search provider.

To add a person from NCIC search to your report:

  1. Export the person from your NCIC search application to make their name appear in the Person Imports table in Axon Standards.
    • This table includes person imports, typically from the previous 24 hours. Imports made prior to this timeframe are removed from the table. Select Refresh to refresh the list.
      • You may see a timeframe other than 24 hours, depending on how your organization's NCIC integration is configured.
    • Depending on your organization's integration and configuration settings, people imported from NCIC may take a few minutes to appear.
  2. Select the arrow icon in the Actions column to view additional details about them in the side panel.
    • The person’s basic information, including DOB, sex, race, height, and weight is displayed at the top (if available).
    • Additional data about the person appears below these details. This information comes directly from your NCIC search provider and may contain raw code.
  3. Select the plus icon in the Actions column to add a person to your report.
    The image shows the New Name screen in Report Writer with a table of recent person imports. A yellow highlight outlines the Actions column on the right side of the table and an arrow points to the corresponding person details that appear in the right panel.
  4. When you select the plus icon, the system searches to see if that person already exists in the database.
    • The search fields are auto-filled using the information from your NCIC provider.
    • Potential matches from the database appear below the search fields.
    • Select a result to open a profile preview and view more information.
  5. If a profile matches the person you want to add to the report, select Import and update.
    The images show the process of importing and updating an existing person’s profile in Report Writer. The top image displays a highlighted match from the search results, and the right panel shows the selected individual's details such as date of birth, sex, race, height, and weight. The bottom image shows the full person record with identifying documents, and the Import and update button is highlighted in blue in the bottom right corner..
  6. If you do not find a matching profile, select New person below the list of search results.
    • A new person profile is created, and the information from your NCIC provider is auto-filled into the person fields in the report.

Add and update person information

When adding a person to a report (whether creating a new person or updating an existing one), various fields are revealed where you can record information about them. This information is also added to their profile, which displays all information about the person, including their involvement with any other reports, people, vehicles, etc. The fields vary by report type, but some common fields include:

  • Involvement: Description of the person's role in the report.
  • Identity details: Full name, date of birth, and other relevant identifiers.
    • The Age field shows the person’s age at the time of the report, regardless of their current age. If the report does not have a recorded date, the Age field shows the person's current age.
    • People who are added to reports also appear on event/case profiles. The person information shown on these profiles is the person's information at the time of the incident, which may be different from that person's current information.
      • For example, at the time of Event 123456, the victim’s name was Debbie Miller. Two years later, her name changed to Debbie Smith. The profile for Event 123456 displays “Debbie Miller,” the name recorded at the time of the event, even after her name changes.
  • Description: Details such as height, weight, hair color, eye color, and distinguishing marks.
  • Contact information: Current address, phone number, and email, if available.
  • Additional forms: Add any forms that may be required, such as an arrest.

Once the report is submitted, the information provided in the report immediately appears on their profile.

Vehicles

To add a vehicle to your report, select Vehicles > Add vehicle.

From this screen, you can search for an existing vehicle or create a new one. If your organization has integrated with your NCIC search provider, you can also view the vehicles you exported from NCIC and add one to your report.

Once a vehicle has been added to a report, you can add and update its information.
The image shows the New Vehicle screen in Report Writer. A yellow highlight emphasizes the Add Vehicle button in the left panel, the Search Vehicles button at the top of the main panel, and the Vehicle Imports section below. The table displays recently imported vehicles with columns for year, make and model, plate, color, time, and actions.

To search for an existing vehicle, or to add a new vehicle, take these steps:

  1. Select Add vehicle.
    • This button may differ depending on the type of report you are writing.
  2. To avoid creating duplicate vehicle profiles, search to see if the vehicle already exists in the database rather than automatically creating a new one.
    • Search by license plate, make, model, or VIN. Wildcard operators are not supported in the search box.
    • Potential matches from the database appear below the search fields as you enter information.
    • Select a search result to open a profile preview and view more information.
  3. If your organization has integrated with your NCIC search provider, you can also search for vehicles you imported from NCIC.
  4. If a profile matches the vehicle you want to add to the report, select Import and update.
    The image shows two layered screenshots. In the first screenshot, the New Vehicle search window includes a search field where Honda is entered, displaying a search result highlighted in yellow. In the second screenshot, a preview of that vehicle is displayed, including details about the vehicle. At the bottom of this window, an Import and update button is highlighted in yellow for adding the vehicle to the report.
  5. If a profile does NOT exist for the vehicle you want to add to the report, select New vehicle below the list of search results.
    • If you search for an existing vehicle using a license plate number and must create a new vehicle, the license plate you searched for is entered in the report.
      The image shows two layered screenshots. In the top screenshot, the New Vehicle search window is shown with a search bar where the license number 6789 is entered, resulting in a message indicating no results found. The option + New Vehicle is highlighted in yellow. Below in the second screentshot, the Vehicle Details section is displayed with fields for vehicle information, including license number, which is pre-filled with 6789. A large yellow arrow points from the search bar entry to the license number field in the Vehicle Details section, indicating the transfer of data from the search input to the new vehicle record.

Add a vehicle from NCIC

Note

The NCIC integration is currently only available for select organizations. Contact Axon Support or your Axon representative for more information about integrating with your NCIC search provider.

To add a vehicle from NCIC search to your report:

  1. Export the vehicle from your NCIC search application to make their name appear in the Vehicle Imports table in Axon Standards.
    • This table only includes vehicle imports, typically from the previous 24 hours. Imports made prior to this timeframe are removed from the table. Select Refresh to refresh the list.
      • You may see a timeframe other than 24 hours, depending on how your organization's NCIC integration is configured.
    • Depending on your organization's integration and configuration settings, vehicles imported from NCIC may take a few minutes to appear.
  2. Select the arrow icon in the Actions column to view additional details about the vehicle in the side panel.
    • The vehicle’s basic information, including plate, state, color, and VIN is displayed at the top (if available).
    • Additional data about the vehicle appears below these details. This information comes directly from your NCIC search provider and may contain raw code.
  3. Select the plus icon in the Actions column to add a vehicle to your report.
    The image shows the New Vehicle screen in Report Writer with a table of recent vehicle imports. A yellow highlight outlines the Actions column on the right side of the table and an arrow points to the corresponding details that appear in the right panel.
  4. When you select the plus icon, the system searches to see if that vehicle already exists in the database.
    • The search fields are auto-filled using the information from your NCIC provider.
    • Potential matches from the database appear below the search fields.
    • Select a result to open a profile preview and view more information.
  5. If a profile matches the vehicle you want to add to the report, select Import and update.
    The images show the process of importing and updating an existing vehicle's profile in Report Writer. The top image displays a highlighted match from the search results, and the right panel shows the selected vehicle's details such as plate, state, color, and VIN. The bottom image shows the full vehicle record, and the Import and update button is highlighted in blue in the bottom right corner.
  6. If you do not find a matching profile, select New vehicle below the list of search results.
    • A new vehicle profile is created, and the information from your NCIC provider is auto-filled into the vehicle fields in the report.

Units

Add a unit to a report by selecting Add unit. Enter unit information and add any officers who were drivers or passengers during the vehicle pursuit and any injuries they sustained.

Note

Officers added to the Unit section are NOT automatically added to the Officers section of the report.

Screenshot showing the Add Unit button.

Officers

To add an officer to a report, select Add officer. Type the officer's name in the Officer/Employee number field to search the list of officers at the agency.

Select the officer's role (Involved, Complaint, Complainant, Witness).

Depending on the report type, additional fields may be included to let you document additional information about the officer's role in the event.
Screenshot showing the Officer Details section.

Response actions

The Response Actions section appears primarily in the Response to Resistance report. This report can help organizations track both how an officer perceived a situation, as well as how they reacted to it.

The Response Actions section lets you document all actions by all parties involved in the event. If multiple officers or subjects were involved, you should add multiple Response Actions.

To complete this section, select Add response action and document:

  • Who was in immediate threat of harm (citizen, officer, self, or none)
  • Involved officer
  • Force used against (animal or person)
  • Subject actions

Screenshot showing where response action is located.

Add force

Selecting Add force reveals additional fields that let you provide information about the force used:

  • Force type
    • Based on the type selected, additional fields will appear specific to that force type.
    • For example, selecting TASER CEW reveals additional fields for you to provide information about the TASER, including the CEW model, action, and serial number.
  • Force level
  • Force objective
  • Force type details
  • Force location
    • Selecting a location on the interactive body outline reveals additional fields for the detailed location, number of impacts, and severity of injury from the direct force.
    • Select Add force location to document multiple locations for the same force action.
      • For example, the show of force was probes deployed from a TASER, and the probes contacted the subject's lower back and buttock.
    • Document the effectiveness and issues limiting the effectiveness of the force.

Each response action can include multiple uses of force. For example, an officer used her hands to grab and hold a subject, and eventually used her TASER. In this case there would be two uses of force for the same response action. Select Add force to document such additional force actions.

Add injuries sustained without direct force

Use this report to document injuries that didn't result from direct impact of the force used, but were a byproduct of the force application. For example, an officer used his TASER and hit the abdomen and right leg of a subject, but caused no injury in those areas. However, the subject fell and hit his head, resulting in a moderate injury.

Select Add injuries sustained without direct force to reveal an interactive body outline where you can report such injuries. Selecting an injury location reveals additional fields for the detailed location, number of injuries, injury severity, and details. Select Add Injury Location if additional locations are needed.

Select Add injuries sustained without direct force to add additional injuries.
Screenshow showing the injury location portion.

Acknowledgments

The acknowledgment section in a report serves as a digital confirmation that the report information is deemed accurate by the individual completing the acknowledgment. Keep in mind that the text accompanying the acknowledgment checkbox may vary slightly between agencies, but it generally confirms that the user has reviewed the information and agrees with its contents.

To add an acknowledgment to a report:

  1. Select Add acknowledgment in the report's sidebar.
    Screenshot of a report with the Add Acknowledgment button in the sidebar highlighted in yellow.
  2. Select the checkbox to indicate you have reviewed the report's information and confirm its accuracy
  3. The Acknowledged by field should auto-populate with your name. If it does not, enter your name.
  4. Fill in the Date and Time fields.
  5. If you want to remove the acknowledgment, open the Actions menu and select Remove acknowledgment.
    Screenshot of a report with the Action menu open and the option to Remove Acknowledgment showing. Both are highlighted in yellow.

Narratives

To add a narrative to a report, select Narrative from the Narratives section in the left navigation menu. This section name may vary by report type.
The image shows a section of the Report Writer user interface focused on the Narratives section. The main section includes a narrative editor with formatting tools, font options, and buttons for templates and Draft One. A blue Start Dictation button is located at the top, and a panel below provides a description of the Draft One feature, including a button to create a draft. An Actions menu is visible in the upper right.

There are several ways to add content to the text field:

After text has been entered into the field, use the toolbar to format the text as desired, including headings, font size/color, lists, and more. Select Actions > Find and replace to quickly bulk change certain words.
The image shows the narrative editor section of Report Writer. The top toolbar area is highlighted in yellow and includes a blue Start Dictation button and an Actions menu, which displays a Find and Replace option. Below this, various text formatting tools are visible, including options for font, font size, alignment, headings, and lists.

Import a template

Your organization may have templates available that you can follow to ensure your narrative adheres to organization policy. Select Templates to open a list of available templates. Choose an option and select Import. The template, which contains formatted text, will import into your narrative, where you can update with details for your report.
The image shows the narrative editor section of Report Writer with the Templates button highlighted in yellow. When selected, a pop-up window labeled Import Template appears, offering template options. A blue Import button at the bottom of the pop-up, also highlighted in yellow, is used to apply the selected template.

Dictate

You can write report narratives by speaking instead of typing. While dictating, filler words like “um,” “uh,” and “ah” are removed automatically.

For the best dictation results:

  • Speak Clearly: Articulate your words and speak directly into the microphone.
  • Use a Quiet Environment: Dictate in a quiet setting to reduce transcription errors.
  • Use Verbal Commands: Learn to use voice commands for punctuation and formatting to increase efficiency and accuracy.
  • For complex terms or names, you may want to type directly into the report narrative rather than dictating.

Follow these steps to dictate:

  1. Place your cursor in the text editor wherever you want the dictated text to appear.
  2. Select Start dictation.
    • If prompted, allow your web browser to access the microphone.The image shows the narrative section of Report Writer. At the top, a blue Start Dictation button is highlighted in yellow, allowing users to enable voice-to-text functionality.
  3. Begin speaking, including the voice commands for punctuation
    • Text appears in the narrative text editor as you speak.
    • Refer to the Dictation guide tab below the narrative text editor for a reminder of the voice commands.
  4. Select Stop dictation when you finish.
    • You can restart dictation again at any time. Be sure to place your cursor in the location you want the text to appear.
      The image shows the narrative section of Report Writer. At the top, a red Stop Dictation button is highlighted in yellow, allowing users to stop voice-to-text functionality.

Voice commands

Add punctuation and formatting as you dictate to reduce editing afterward by speaking the following commands:

  • Period (.): Say "period" or "full stop" to end a sentence.
  • Comma (,): Say "comma" to insert a comma.
  • Question mark (?): Say "question mark" to end a sentence with a question.
  • Exclamation mark (!): Say "exclamation mark" for emphasis.
  • Parentheses (): Say "open parentheses" to begin and "close parentheses" to end a parenthetical statement.
  • Quotes ("): Say "open quotes" to start a quote and "close quotes" to end a quote.
  • New paragraph: Say "new paragraph" to start a new paragraph.
  • New line: Say "new line" to move down one line without starting a new paragraph

Find a list of these voice commands in the Dictation guide tab below the narrative text editor.
The image shows the narrative section of Report Writer. Below the editor, a tab labeled Dictation Guide is highlighted in yellow. The guide includes tips for better dictation.

Requirements

Before using dictation, ensure you meet the following criteria:

  • Axon Evidence Pro license: You must be able to access Axon Evidence and have a Pro license.
  • Microphone: Your device needs a functioning microphone. Grant your web browser permission to access the microphone if prompted.
  • Speech-to-text connection: Ensure your device can connect to .stt.speech.azure.us (in the United States) or .stt.speech.microsoft.com (in Canada). You may need to work with your agency's IT department to ensure access.

Files

Add photos, videos, documents, and other files to a report by selecting Files > Upload file.The screenshot shows the Report Writer interface with a sidebar on the left. The Files section is expanded and highlighted, with the Files option selected. On the main panel, a message states there are no files associated with the report. A blue button labeled Upload File is displayed beneath the message, also highlighted.

The Suggested tab contains recommendations for evidence you may want to add to the incident. Evidence is suggested based on the following criteria:

  • Any Evidence ID that matches the ID of a case, incident, report, or the CFS ID
  • Evidence you uploaded in the past 72 hours that hasn't been added to the report

Use the search fields to find specific evidence within the suggestion list and the checkboxes to add multiple files at the same time.
The image shows the Add File dialog with three tabs: Suggested, Upload, and Search. The Suggested tab is highlighted in yellow. Below, there are fields for filtering files by ID, title, users, and date range. A list of files is displayed, showing two entries with titles, IDs, creator names, creation dates, and statuses. Each file has a checkbox next to it for selection.

To add new files, switch to the Upload tab and either drag and drop files from your computer or select Chose files. After selecting the files, you can optionally add a description, update the title of each file, and update the category of each file. The categories and that appear in the dropdown menu are the same as those that appear in Axon Evidence.
The image shows the Add File dialog with three tabs: Suggested, Upload, and Search. The Upload tab is highlighted in yellow. A large area in the center displays options to drag and drop files or choose files manually. Below, there is a field for entering a description. A file is listed with details such as file size and upload progress.

The Search tab lets you search for evidence that has already been uploaded to Axon Evidence. Use the search fields to find specific evidence and the checkboxes to add multiple files at the same time.
The image shows the Add File dialog with three tabs: Suggested, Upload, and Search. The Search tab is highlighted in yellow. Below, there are fields for filtering files by ID, title, users, and date range. A list of files is displayed, showing four entries with titles, IDs, creator names, creation dates, and statuses. Each file has a checkbox next to it for selection.

When you select a file's title, an evidence preview pane opens and displays additional information about the file. Depending on the file type, this pane may include multiple tabs:

  • Overview: This tab shows the same metadata that appears on the Overview tab of the Axon Evidence details page, as well as a transcript summary (if available).
  • Transcript: This tab only appears for audio and video files and behaves the same as the Transcript tab on the Axon Evidence details page.
  • Moments: This tab shows AI-detected key moments (e.g., Miranda Rights) within a piece of evidence with timestamps.
    Note

    This tab only appears for customers who have purchased Brief One. Contact Axon Support or your Axon representative if you are interested in purchasing this product.

To view the full evidence details page in Axon Evidence, select Details page at the bottom of the pane.
The image shows two layered screenshots. In the top screenshot, the Files tab shows a list of files. In the bottom screenshot, the Evidence Details page in Axon Evidence is shown, including options for actions like download, reassign, audit trail, and delete. A yellow arrow connects a file in the Files tab in the top screenshot to the file name in the bottom screenshot.

After adding the files to the report, use the checkboxes to select one or more files then select Edit Metadata to update (add or remove) the tag or category for the files. The categories and tags that appear in the dropdown menus are the same as those that appear in Axon Evidence.
The screenshot displays the Report Writer interface with the Files section selected in the left sidebar. The main panel lists two uploaded files with details such as title, type, uploader, and upload date. Checkboxes are shown next to the file titles, with both files selected. On the right side, an Edit Metadata dropdown is expanded, showing options for category and tag.

Select Actions > Remove to remove a file from the report.

If other files have been added to the event associated with the report, you can select View Files to this Event to open the event profile and view all files associated with the event.
The screenshot displays a file list, each showing details such as title, type, uploader, and upload date. Checkboxes are available to select files, and an Actions dropdown is present for each file. Below the file list, there are two buttons: a blue button labeled Upload File and a gray button labeled View Files to This Event, highlighted in yellow.