In report writing, which tense is commonly used?

In police report writing, the use of present tense is common because it provides immediacy and clarity to the events being documented. By describing actions as they happen or how they currently relate to the case, reports can effectively convey the details in a straightforward manner. This tense allows officers to present the facts as they occurred, helping to ensure the information is clear and easy for readers to follow.

While past tense is often utilized in narratives and by some professionals in different writing contexts, it may not always capture ongoing implications or relevance that the present tense provides. Future tense is not suitable, as police reports deal with incidents that have already occurred, and the conditional tense introduces ambiguity, which is not appropriate for a factual report. Using present tense aligns with the goal of creating a precise and understandable account of events.