by Reinaldo Irizarry, Sr., Ph.D.

Reinaldo Irizarry, Sr., Ph.D. When a crime has been comitted there should always be four elements and the “RULE” of the five “W’s” and the one “H”, of the crime for Police Officers or a Crminal Investigators to work with.

They are as fallowed;

1.The Law that was broken or violated. 2.The person committing the violation, the offender. 3.The victim. 4.The location or place of the Offense. Whois it about, (Victim)? Whathappened, (The story)? Whendid it take place, (Date / Time)? Wheredid it take place, (Location / Address)? Whydid it happen, (Reason)? Howdid it happen, (Actions)? In any investigation there should always be the -RULE- of the (Five–w-, and the one -H- in order to arrive at a good outcome.

Regardles of the incident, when these elements come together, a crime has been committed.

The below Sample narrative covers all four elements and therefor should be accepted by Federal or State Prosecutor.

On July 10, 2005, at 9:00 PM, I was dispatched to a Violent Domestic call at 125 NW 111 Street Apt. #4A, South point, Miami, Florida. Upon arrival, I met a White Female, _________________________ _______________________, DOB, 00/00/1960. She was crying and had five large cuts on her right side of her face and bleeding. I immediately requested rescue and ID-Unit to respond for photos of her injuries.

While waiting for rescue, I asked what had happened, and how long ago had, it occurred. She said that it had just happened, ten minutes before I had arrived. She said her husband White Male, __________________ _________________, DOB, 00/10/1955 had come home drunk and because she did not have his food ready began to hit her on her face with his right fist causing many open cuts to her face. She said that there were no witnesses. I immediately requested a description and placed a (BOLO), BE ON THE LOOK OUT to all units in the area.

She described her husband as white male 6′ feet tall, weighing about two-hundred pounds with a black mustache, short black hair. He had a two (2″) inch scar on his right cheek of his face. He had on a long sleeve white shirt and fade blue jeans. He was driving a 2006 black four (4)-door Chevy sedan with dark tinted windows with minor damage to the right front passenger door; it had Florida tag #000000. He left the scene west on 111 Street and turn North on 2 Avenue in an unknown direction.

Rescue Unit #25 arrived, Lt. Doe, checked and treated the victim. He requested if she would go with them to the hospital but she refused. He further advised her to seek medical attention as soon as possible before her injuries became infected. She agreed. ID Unit C-10 arrived and took ten (10) photos of the victim’s injuries.

I advised the victim on the procedure to follow involving a Domestic Victim and to seek a restraining order against her husband for protection. I gave her a Domestic Victims Pamphlet with all the phone numbers she needed to call. I then called and placed her in contact with a Victims Domestic Violent Advocate for further counseling. I then left and canvassed the area for the defendant with negative results.

Detective John Smith, Unit-109 from the Violent Domestic section, notified of the incident. A copy of the report has been forwarded to him for further investigative follow-up and final disposition of the case.