Ala. Admin. Code r. 265-X-3-.03 – Alabama Uniform Incident/Offense Report Instructions

(a) The proposed revisions to the Alabama Uniform Incident/Offense Report (IO Report) are intended to go into effect during January 2006. Previous versions are valid until January 1, 2008. A copy of the proposed new form can be found at Appendix A at the end of this chapter.
(b) General instructions for completing forms include the following. Paper forms are for local use only effective January 1, 2010. Effective January 1, 2010, all local law enforcement agencies in Alabama shall submit data from Alabama Uniform Incident/Offense, Arrest and Supplemental Reports to ACJIC in an electronic file format as determined by the Director.
1. 1. Print legibly or type.
2. 2. Use black ink (for copying purposes).
3. 3. When putting check marks in boxes, be sure your choice is obvious. If using a paper report for field reporting, put the point of your pen inside the box that corresponds to the correct choice when making a check or make an “X” inside the box.
4. 4. Shaded areas on these reports are to be completed by the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) clerk in your agency. UCR clerks have been provided with the listings of various codes.
5. 5. Located on the back of the Incident/Offense report, following the narrative, is a signature line. You must have the victim/complainant sign this report if any information on this crime report is entered in the NCIC computer network. The signature is necessary to protect you and your department from possible lawsuits. It is also required for monthly validations.
(c) The information contained on the front page of the 2006 version of the Alabama Uniform Incident/Offense Report is generally considered to be a public record.
(d) The only time a local law enforcement agency may deny a member of the public information contained on the front page of an IO Report is when one or more of the following reasons apply:
1. 1. When disclosure of the information would compromise criminal investigations, result in potential harm to innocent persons or infringe upon the constitutional rights of the accused;
2. 2. When keeping all or a portion of a report confidential is necessary to protect witnesses and/or victims;
3. 3. To protect the identities of law enforcement officers currently working undercover with their agencies;
4. 4. When disclosure would reveal the identity of informants;
5. 5. When disclosure of the information would impede an agency’s enforcement or detection efforts;
6. 6. When disclosure would reveal investigatory techniques; or
7. 7. When disclosure would deprive a person of a right to a fair trial or an impartial adjudication.
(e) Agency heads shall not establish any policies or procedures that would routinely prevent access to information contained on the front page of the incident offense report.
(f) Any decision to deny the public access to data contained on the front page of the IO report should be made on a case by case basis.
(g) Local law enforcement officials are not required to release the second page of an IO report. However, local agencies may release any information contained within the second page of the IO report at the discretion of the chief executive officer provided the information would not be otherwise exempted from release as described within this chapter.
(h) In the event an agency head determines information from the second page of the IO report will be routinely provided to the public, the same exceptions cited above may be used to deny access to information on a case by case basis.
(i) When establishing local policies concerning the release of information, law enforcement officials should establish policies and procedures to ensure the following information is redacted from all IO reports prior to being released to members of the public and/or media:
1. 1. Social security numbers, unlisted telephone numbers and any medical information; and
2. 2. Identifying information concerning juveniles.
(j) For the purposes of this chapter, identifying information shall include: name, telephone number, street address and exact date of birth. (Age, sex, race, city, state and zip code data will not be considered identifying information.)
(k) Given the exemptions listed above, law enforcement agencies shall comply with the following policies governing the dissemination of information:
1. 1. No request to inspect, copy, or obtain copies of IO reports shall be denied on the ground that information exempt from disclosure is commingled with nonexempt information;
2. 2. Any reasonably segregable portion of a record shall be provided after deletion of the exempt information; and
3. 3. If it is necessary to separate exempt from nonexempt information in order to permit a citizen to inspect, copy, or obtain copies of public records, the custodian shall bear the cost of the separation.
(l) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prevent any and all public bodies from having among them a free flow of information for the purpose of achieving a coordinated and effective detection, investigation and prosecution of unlawful activity.
(m) In general, I/O Reports are completed for the following reasons:
1. 1. To provide a record of a police officer’s activities and findings;
2. 2. To establish a permanent record of a case;
3. 3. To serve as a basis for prosecution;
4. 4. To explain how and where police officers and their equipment are used;
5. 5. To provide a basis for budget planning;
6. 6. To identify training needs; and
7. 7. To facilitate information exchanges between agencies.
(n) A report should be generated whenever police service or action is requested. Examples of when to complete a report include:
1. 1. Whenever an incident or offense is reported and/or investigated by an assigned officer;
2. 2. Whenever an officer obtains additional information about a case;
3. 3. Whenever an arrest is made for your jurisdiction even if the arrestee is not taken into custody;
4. 4. Whenever a complaint involves the commission or attempted commission of a felony or misdemeanor;
5. 5. Whenever a hit and run automobile accident is reported; or
6. 6. Whenever there is any other situation so designated by the head of the department.
(o) ACJIC reporting forms are designed for simplicity and ease of recording. Forms are composed of:
1. 1. Identifiable sections;
2. 2. Separate fill-in blocks for each data element (in the case of paper forms); and
3. 3. Check off boxes or options to be circled (or drop down boxes in the case of electronic forms) to save time.
(p) The blocks are self-explanatory, and each block (or data element) is fully described in this section. Numbers in parentheses indicate block numbers on paper reporting forms.
(q) In this rule, an asterisk (*) indicates a data element. Two asterisks (**) indicate a data element that may be required based on the type offense.
(r) The numbers in parentheses refer to the block numbers on the paper report.
(s) The following data elements are included in the event section on page one of the I/O Report.
1. 1. *ORI (1) – Nine spaces are allowed for your Agency Identification Number (ORI). (Required data element.)
2. 2. *Date (2) – Dates on paper reports should be entered using a MMDDYY format. (Example: March 17, 2005 = 03/17/05.) (Required data element.)
3. 3. *Time of Report (3) – Times on may be entered as AM, PM or Military (24 hour clock). Put the time in the blocks provided and check the correct time type. (Required data element.)
4. 4. *Type of Report (4) – Select Incident, Offense or Supplement. (Required data element.) Each report type is defined below.
  1. (i) Incident – Any non-criminal activity for which an officer is called. Examples include dog bites and home alarm system calls.
  2. (ii) Offense – Any criminal offense for which an officer is called.
  3. (iii) Supplement – Supplement reports generally are used to: clear cases, add stolen/recovered property to a previously submitted offense and change previously reported UCR codes. Supplement reports must include 1) the original case number, 2) the date of the original I/O report and 3) the date of the supplement. If a supplement is being used to clear a case, at a minimum the offender’s sex, race and age (DOB) must be reported. When supplied electronically, supplemental information typically is entered on the original I/O report and resubmitted.
5. 5. Supplement Date (5) – Dates on paper reports should be entered using a MMDDYY format. Only complete this block if this report is a supplement.
6. 6. *Agency Case Number (6) – A case number may be up to twelve digits and must be unique for each IO report completed within an agency. Case numbers are assigned by the Communications Officer. If the report does not originate from a dispatched call, the investigation officer must call his or her agency to have an agency case number assigned. (Required data element.)
7. 7. Suffix (7) – When used, the suffix block becomes part of the original case number. Up to two alpha or numeric characters may be entered, and the intended use is to associate multiple cases. (Optional data element.) For instance, there is a double homicide (two victims), so two I/O reports must be completed. The case number suffix is used to tie these two cases together. An example of how these case numbers should be assigned is provided below:
  1. (i) The first victim should appear on the IO Report with case number 050317010-01.
  2. (ii) The second victim should appear on the IO Report with case number 050317010-02.
8. 8. Agency Name (8) – Enter the name of your law enforcement agency.
9. 9. Sector (9) – Indicate the sector (beat, district, road code, census tract, etc.) your agency uses to identify the geographical area in which the offense occurred. Leave blank if your department does not use such codes. Keep in mind that sector codes can be beneficial in breaking out criminal activity by area in your jurisdiction. (Optional data element.)
10. 10. *Type Incident or Offense (10, 14) – Select the appropriate box to indicate if the offense is a 1) felony or 2) misdemeanor. Also select whether the offense was 1) attempted or 2) completed. List the nature of the offense or incident being investigated. When more than one offense is involved, list each offense beginning with the most serious. (Required data element.)
11. 11. Degree (11, 15) – Select 1st, 2nd or 3rd. If you are unsure about the degree or no degree is associated with the offense, leave blank. (Optional data element.)
12. 12. *UCR Code (12, 16) – May be filled in by your agency’s UCR clerk or reporting officer. (Required data element.)
13. 13. State Code/Local Ordinance (13, 17) – Cite Alabama’s state code or the local ordinance that was violated.
14. 14. Place of Occurrence (18) – This is the location that is generally considered to be public information. If the place of occurrence is the victim’s residence, the reporting officer shall list the approximate location where the incident or offense occurred, and check the appropriate box on the form to indicate the exact event location was the victim’s residence. Examples of an “approximate location” include block number or the street name if the street does not have multiple blocks. In these cases, the exact location of the incident should be listed on the second page in the section where victim/complainant information is collected. If an incident occurs at a business or any other public place – e.g. store, restaurant, park, parking lot or garage, shopping mall, government building, etc. – then the exact street address should be listed.
15. 15. Sex of Victim (19) – Select M for Male or F for female. (Select both if there were one or more victims of both sexes.)
16. 16. Race of Victim (20) – Select W for White, B for Black, A for Asian or I for Indian. (More than one option may be selected if multiple victims were present.)
17. 17. Ethnicity of Victim (21) – Select Hispanic if this applies. Other or additional entries can be made by checking the Other box and entering the correct response in the space provided. (This space may also be used to indicate the victim’s national origin which may be important in reporting and investigating hate crimes.)
18. 18. Age of Victim (22) – Enter the exact age (if known) of the first victim listed in the Victim Section of the Report.
19. 19. Multiple Victims/LE Officer (23) – Check the Multiple Victims box if more than victim was reported. Check the LE Officer box if one or more victims of the offense was a law enforcement officer. (Both boxes may be selected if both apply.)
20. 20. *Offender Suspected of Using (24) – This block is used to indicate whether any of the offenders/suspects listed in the incident/offense report were suspected of consuming alcohol or using drugs/narcotics during or shortly after before the incident/offense; or of using a computer, computer terminal, or any other computer equipment to perpetrate the crime. If the offenders/suspects were not suspected using alcohol, drugs or computer equipment – or if it is unknown – mark N/A on the form. Any or all of the following three categories can be used for each offense:
  1. (i) Alcohol;
  2. (ii) Drugs/Narcotics; and/or
  3. (iii) Computer Equipment.
21. 21. *Gang Activity (25) – This box is to be used to indicate whether any of the offenders/suspects listed in the incident/offense report were involved in adult or juvenile gang activity. If the offenders/suspects were not suspected or being involved in gang activity – or if it is unknown – mark N/A on the form.
22. 22. *Hate Bias (26) – This box is to be used to indicate whether the offense being reported was motivated by the victim’s race, religion, ethnicity/national origin, sexual orientation or physical/mental disability. If the answer is “yes,” then a separate Hate Crime Incident Report should be completed for the offense. (Even though Alabama’s sentence enhancement for Hate Crimes [Section 13A-5-13] does not apply to crimes motivated by the victim’s sexual orientation, for UCR reporting purposes these crimes are still considered as hate crimes according to the FBI’s definition.)
23. 23. **Bias Code (27) – This box is to be completed by the UCR clerk in cases where “yes” is checked in the previous block. This code denotes the bias motivation of the offender. Bias codes used by Alabama’s UCR Program are listed below by category of hate crime.
  1. (i) Codes used to indicate crimes motivated by the victim’s race are as follows.
    1. (I) 11 - Anti-White;
    2. (II) 12 - Anti-Black;
    3. (III) 13 - Anti-American Indian/Alaska Native;
    4. (III) 14 - Anti-Asian/Pacific Islander; or
    5. (IV) 15 - Anti-Multi-Racial Group.
  2. (ii) Codes used to indicate crimes motivated by the victim’s religion are as follows:
    1. (I) 21 - Anti-Jewish;
    2. (II) 22 - Anti-Catholic;
    3. (III) 23 - Anti-Protestant;
    4. (IV) 24 - Anti-Islamic;
    5. (V) 25 - Anti-Other Religious Group (Buddhism, Hinduism, Shintoism, Scientology);
    6. (VI) 26 - Anti-Multi-Religious Group; or
    7. (VII) 27 - Anti-Atheist/Agnostic.
  3. (iii) Codes used to indicate crimes motivated by the victim’s ethnicity/national origin are as follows:
    1. (I) 32 - Anti-Arab;
    2. (II) 33 - Anti-Hispanic; or
    3. (III) 34 - Anti-Other Ethnicity/National Origin.
  4. (iv) Codes used to indicate crimes motivated by the victim’s sexual orientation are as follows:
    1. (I) 41 - Anti-Male Homosexual (Gay);
    2. (II) 42 - Anti-Female Homosexual (Lesbian);
    3. (III) 43 - Anti-Homosexual (Gay and Lesbian);
    4. (IV) 44 - Anti-Heterosexual; or
    5. (V) 45 - Anti-Bisexual.
  5. (v) Codes used to indicate crimes motivated by the victim’s disability are as follows:
    1. (I) 51 - Anti-Physical Disability; or
    2. (II) 52 - Anti-Mental Disability.
24. 24. Domestic Violence (28) – Check this box (next to the vertical text on right hand side of form) if the case being reported involved domestic violence.
25. 25. **Point of Entry (29) – Select the appropriate response from: door, window, roof or other. (Required for all burglaries and unlawful entries.)
26. 26. **Method of Entry (30) – Select the appropriate response from: forcible, no force or attempted forcible. (Required for all burglaries and unlawful entries.)
27. 27. Local Use (31) – This area is provided for local agency use. Your department may determine how this data element is used. For instance, local use codes can be used to keep track of certain types of offenses for further study. For instance, a department might require officers to enter a “D” in this block to indicate a drug related offense. Entries may be alpha or numeric.
28. 28. *Lighting (32) – Select the option that best describes the light available in the area at the time of occurrence. (Required data element.)
29. 29. *Weather (33) – Select the option that best describes the weather during which the incident/offense occurred. (Required data element.)
30. 30. *Location Type (34) – Select the option that best describes the type of location where the incident/offense occurred. (Required data element.)
31. 31. *Occurred on or between (35-37, 38-40) – This data element is designed for you to be able to record a specific time or time interval. If you know the exact time of the incident/offense, enter this time in the first set of time/date blocks. If you only know that the incident/offense occurred between two known times, complete both sets of time/date blocks. Select whether the reported time was AM, PM or Military (24-hour clock). (Required data element.)
32. 32. **Number of Premises Entered (41) – For all burglaries, enter the total number of premises entered here. (Required data element for burglaries.)
33. 33. **Type Criminal Activity (42) – This should be reported for the following offenses: Counterfeiting/Forgery; Stolen Property Offenses; Drug/Narcotic Violations; Drug Equipment Violations; Pornography/Obscene Material; and Weapon Law Violations. Up to three activities may be selected from the following:
  1. (i) B - Buying/Receiving;
  2. (ii) C - Cultivating/Manufacturing/Publishing/Producing;
  3. (iii) D - Distributing/Selling;
  4. (iv) E - Exploiting Children;
  5. (v) O- Operating/Promoting/Assisting;
  6. (vi) P - Possessing/Concealing;
  7. (vii) T - Transporting/Transmitting/Importing; and/or
  8. (viii) U - Using/Consuming.
34. 34. *Victim Type (43) – The type of victim is to be reported for each numbered victim. Only one of the following types is to be reported for each victim:
  1. (i) I - Individual;
  2. (ii) B - Business;
  3. (iii) F - Financial Institution;
  4. (iv) G - Government;
  5. (v) R - Religious Organization; or
  6. (vi) S - Society/Public.
(t) The property section of the IO Report is designed to record information concerning property stolen or recovered during an incident or offense. It is important that the investigator obtain as much information as possible about any reported property, because this information will be a key factor in court testimony and in returning property to its rightful owner.
(u) The following data elements are included in the property section on page one of the I/O Report.
1. 1. Loss Code (44) – Enter the numeric code that indicates the type of loss incurred by the victim for each type of property entered from the following choices:
  1. (i) 01 - None;
  2. (ii) 02 - Burned;
  3. (iii) 03 - Conterfeited/Forged;
  4. (iv) 04 - Destroyed/Damaged;
  5. (v) 05 - Recovered;
  6. (vi) 06 - Seized; or
  7. (vii) 07 - Stolen.
2. 2. Property Code (45) – Enter the numeric code that indicates the type of property being reported from the following choices:
  1. (i) 01 - Aircraft – airplanes, dirigibles, gliders, etc.;
  2. (ii) 02 Alcohol – alcoholic beverages such as beer, wine and liquor;
  3. (iii) 03 - Autos – sedans, coupes, station wagons, convertibles, taxicabs, and other similar motor vehicles which serve the primary purpose of transporting people;
  4. (iv) 04 - Bicycles – includes tandem bicycles, unicycles and tricycles;
  5. (v) 05 - Buses motor vehicles which are specifically designed, but not necessarily used to transport groups of people on a commercial basis;
  6. (vi) 06 - Clothes/Furs – wearing apparel for human use including accessories such as belts, shoes, scarves, ties, etc;
  7. (vii) 07 - Computer Hardware/Software – computers, computer peripherals, printers and storage media;
  8. (viii) 08 - Consumables – expendable items used by humans for nutrition, enjoyment or hygiene such as food, beverages, grooming products, cigarettes, gasoline and firewood;
  9. (ix) 09 - Credit/Debit Cards – includes automatic teller machine cards;
  10. (x) 10 - Drugs/Narcotics;
  11. (xi) 11 - Drugs/Narcotics Equipment;
  12. (xii) 12 - Farm Equipment – includes tractors, combines, etc;
  13. (xiii) 13 - Firearms – weapons that fire a shot by force of an explosion such as handguns, shotguns, rifles, etc. (Does not include “BB,” pellet, paint-ball or other gas powered guns);
  14. (xiv) 14 - Gambling Equipment;
  15. (xv) 15 - Heavy Construction/Industrial Equipment – cranes, bulldozers, steamrollers, oil drilling rigs, etc;
  16. (xvi) 16 - Household Goods – beds, chairs, desks, sofas, tables, refrigerators, stoves, washers, dryers, air conditioners and heating equipment;
  17. (xvii) 17 - Jewelry/Precious Metals – bracelets, necklaces, rings, watchers, silver, gold, platinum, etc;
    (xviii) 18 - Livestock – living farm animals such as cattle, chickens, hogs, horses and sheep; (Does not include household pets);
  18. (xix) 19 - Merchandise – items held for sale;
  19. (xx) 20 - Money – legal tender such as coins and currency;
  20. (xxi) 21 - Negotiable Instruments – any document other than currency which is payable without restriction such as endorsed checks, endorsed money orders and bearer bonds;
  21. (xxii) 22 - Non-negotiable Instrument – documents requiring further action to become negotiable such as unendorsed checks, food stamps, stocks and bonds;
    (xxiii) 23 - Office Equipment – typewriters, adding machines, calculators, cash registers, copying machines, etc;
  22. (xxiv) 24 - Other Motor Vehicle – any motor vehicle other than automobiles, buses, trucks or SUV’s such as motorcycles, motor scooters, mopeds, snowmobiles, golf carts and four wheelers;
  23. (xxv) 25 - Purses/Handbags/Wallets;
  24. (xxvi) 26 - Radios/TV/VCR includes radios, televisions, videotape recorders, stereo equipment, compact disk players, etc;
    (xxvii) 27 - Recordings – Audio/Visual – records, tapes, compact disks, etc;
    (xxviii) 28 - Recreational Vehicles – motor vehicles which are specifically designed, but not necessarily used, to transport people and also provide them with temporary lodging for recreational purposes.
  25. (xxix) 29 - Structure - Single Occupancy Dwelling – houses, townhouses, duplexes, mobile homes or other private dwellings;
  26. (xxx) 30 - Structure - Other Dwelling – apartments, tenements, hotels, motels and inns;
  27. (xxxi) 31- Structure - Other Commercial – stores, offices, restaurants, etc;
    (xxxii) 32 - Structure - Industrial/ Manufacturing – factories, plants, assembly lines, etc;
    (xxxiii) 33 - Structure - Public/Community – colleges, hospitals, jails, libraries, meeting halls, passenger terminals, religious buildings, schools, sports arenas, etc;
    (xxxiv) 34 - Structure – Storage – barns, garages, storehouse, warehouses, etc;
  28. (xxxv) 35 - Structure – Other – any other structure not fitting the other structure descriptions;
    (xxxvi) 36 - Tools – Hand tools and power tools;
    (xxxvii) 37 - Trucks – motor vehicles which are specifically designed, but not necessarily used, to transport cargo on a commercial basis;
    (xxxviii) 38 - Vehicle Parts/Accessories – motor vehicle batteries, engines, transmissions, heaters, hubcaps, tires, manufacturer’s emblems, license plates, side mirrors, etc.;
    (xxxix) 39 – Watercraft – motorboats, sailboats, houseboats, etc; or
  29. (xl) 77 – Other – all other property not fitting the above descriptions.
3. 3. Quantity (46) – Enter the number of each item stolen or recovered.
4. 4. Property Description (47) – Enter a complete description of the property stolen or recovered including the year, make, model, style, serial number, etc. (For paper reporting agencies requiring additional space, continue listing property in the narrative section or use an Incident/Offense Report Supplement. If the property description is continued in the narrative, please check the box to indicate this.)
5. 5. Value Stolen/Damaged (48) – Place the estimated value of each item stolen or damaged opposite its description in Block 60 using the following guidelines:
  1. (i) Use fair market value for articles which are subject to depreciation because of wear and tear, age, etc.
  2. (ii) Use wholesale cost of goods stolen from retail establishments, warehouses, etc.
  3. (iii) Use victim’s evaluation of items such as jewelry, watches, etc., which decrease slightly in value or not at all with use or age.
  4. (iv) Use replacement cost or actual cash cost to victim for new or almost new clothes, auto, accessories, bicycles, etc.
  5. (v) Non-negotiable instruments such as travelers’ checks, personal checks, money orders, stocks and bonds, etc. should be described but no value recorded. Negotiable instruments such as bonds payable to bearer are valued as the current market price at the time of the theft.
6. 6. Recovered Date/Value (49) – Enter the date (MMDDYY) the property was recovered. In the value block, indicate the estimated market value of the item(s) at the time of recovery.
(v) If a vehicle is involved in an Incident/Offense, complete the vehicle section of the I/O report. Following is a description of each data element contained within the vehicle section of the IO Report.
1. 1. Area Stolen (50) – Select one of the following 1) business, 2) residence or 3) rural.
2. 2. Ownership Verified By (51) – Enter one of the following choices: 1) Tag Receipt, 2) Bill of Sale, 3) Title or 4) Other. (Applies to stolen vehicles only.)
3. 3. Vehicle Involved (52) – Select the appropriate category of the vehicle involved: 1) Stolen, 2) Recovered, 3) Suspect’s Vehicle, 4) Victim’s Vehicle, 5) Unauthorized Use of a Vehicle, or 6) Abandoned Vehicle.
4. 4. Vehicle Year (53) – Enter the last two digits of the year to indicate the year the vehicle was manufactured.
5. 5. Vehicle Make (54) – Enter the make of the vehicle. (Ford, Chevrolet, Toyota, etc.)
6. 6. Vehicle Model (55) – Enter the model of the Vehicle. (Explorer, Corvette, Camry, etc.)
7. 7. Number Vehicles Stolen (56) – Enter the number of vehicles stolen in the particular incident/offense. If several vehicles are stolen at one time, use a suffix number on subsequent IO reports to link the case numbers.
8. 8. Vehicle Description (57) – List any other identifiable descriptors such as decals, bumper stickers, dents, missing wheel covers, etc.
9. 9. Vehicle Style (58) – Enter the style of the vehicle. (2-door sedan, 4-door sedan, etc.)
10. 10. Vehicle Color (59) – Enter the color of the vehicle. If the vehicle is two colors, you may enter the top color and the bottom color on the paper report.
11. 11. License (60) – Enter the license tag number of the vehicle in this block. If only part of the tag number is obtained, put the numbers in the block and indicate which letters or numbers are missing. It is possible for ACJIC to run a tag search on a partial number.
12. 12. LST – License State (61) – Enter the state where the tag was issued.
13. 13. LIY – License Year (62) – Enter the year the tag was issued or expires as displayed on the tag.
14. 14. Tag Color (63) – Enter the color of the letters/numbers first, then the color of the background.
15. 15. Vehicle Identification Number (64) – Enter the complete VIN number.
16. 16. Warrant Signed (65) – If no warrant has been signed, select “no.” If a warrant has been signed, select “yes” and enter the warrant number in the space provided. (Applies to stolen vehicles only.)
17. 17. **Stolen in Your Jurisdiction (66) – If the recovered vehicle was stolen in your jurisdiction, select “yes.” It the recovered vehicle was not stolen in your jurisdiction, select “no” and list where it was stolen. (Required for all recovered vehicles.)
18. 18. **Recovered in Your Jurisdiction (67) – If the recovered vehicle was recovered in your jurisdiction, select “yes.” If the recovery was made outside your jurisdiction, select “no” and explain where it was recovered. (Required for all recovered vehicles.)
19. 19. Additional Cases Closed (68-73) – Up to three additional case numbers and suffixes may be listed here. If four or more additional cases are closed, these should be listed on a supplemental report.
(w) The administrative section of the IO Report contains information about the reporting/ assisting officer in the case, case status and dispositional information. Following is a description of the data elements contained within the administrative section.
1. 1. Case Status (74) – A case status should be indicated for all cases including non-criminal incidents. The officer completing the report should select one of the following.
  1. (i) Pending – The case is considered pending if any additional information is required by follow-up investigation or if the case is under active investigation.
  2. (ii) Inactive – The case is unsolved and every reasonable avenue of investigation has been pursued and exhausted. No arrests have been made, and all active investigation has been terminated.
  3. (iii) Closed – The case is declared closed for UCR purposes when the entire matter has been completed and no additional police action is required. If a case is closed, disposition information must be provided.
2. 2. Multiple Cases Closed Check Box (75) – Check the appropriate box(es) to indicate whether or not additional cases closed are listed in the administrative section and/or on a supplement report.
3. 3. Entered ACIC/NCIC (76) – If you have entered any information from the report into the ACIC/NCIC network, indicate yes and provide the date entered.
4. 4. Case Disposition (77) – Indicates how and why a case was closed. The officer should select one of the following.
  1. (i) Cleared by Arrest (Adult/Juvenile) – An offense is “cleared by arrest” or solved for crime reporting purposes when at least on person is arrested, charged with the commission of the offense and turned over to the court for prosecution. If an arrest was made, indicate whether the defendant was under 18 (juvenile) or 18 years of age or older (adult).
  2. (ii) Unfounded – If a complaint is found to be false or baseless after investigation, then this category should be selected. Do not classify a case as unfounded if there are no leads available, stolen property was recovered, victim refuses to prosecute or the incident seems insignificant.
5. 5. Exceptional Clearance (78) – For a case to be exceptionally cleared, all of the following criteria must be met:
  1. (i) The identity of the offender must be determined. (You must know his or her name).
  2. (ii) The exact location of the offender must be known.
  3. (iii) The grounds of the criminal charges must be sufficient for prosecution.
  4. (iv) There is some reason(s) beyond your control that prevents you from arresting and prosecuting the offender. Examples include the following. The offender you are seeking is serving a life without parole sentence for a separate conviction.
  5. (v) The offender is in another state/country and extradition is refused.
  6. (vi) In order to exceptionally clear an offense, you must select one of the following reasons:
    1. (I) The suspect/offender is dead;
    2. (II) Prosecution is declined;
    3. (III) Extradition is denied;
    4. (IV) The victim refuses to prosecute; or
    5. (V) Offender is a juvenile and the case is not referred for prosecution.
  7. (vii) In order for an exceptional clearance to count for UCR purposes, the following information concerning the offender must be provided:
    1. (I) Offender’s sex;
    2. (II) Offender’s race; and
    3. (III) Offender’s age or date of birth.
  8. (viii) Cases submitted to the UCR program that do not meet the above criteria will not be counted as cleared by ACJIC.
6. 6. Reporting Officer and Assisting Officer (79,80) – The officer(s) taking the report should enter their full names and shield/identification numbers in this space.
7. 7. Supervisor Approval (81) – The reporting officer’s supervisor should sign his or her last name in this section to indicate he or she has reviewed and approved the report for accuracy and completeness.
8. 8. Watch Commander (82) – The watch commander is to sign his or her name in this space to indicate he or she has reviewed and approved the report for accuracy and completeness.
(x) Following is a description of the data elements found in the administrative section of the second page of the IO Report.
1. 1. Date of Report (83) – This date should correspond with the date on the front side of the report.
2. 2. Time of Report (84) – This time should correspond with the time on the front side of the report.
3. 3. Agency Case Number (85) – This should be the same case number as listed on side one.
4. 4. SFX (86) – If a suffix is used, put the same suffix as it appears on side one of this report.
5. 5. Person(s) Involved in Report (87) – Select one of the following to indicate who the information in blocks 133-175 is about: 1) Offender, 2) Suspect, 3) Missing Person or 4) Multiple.
(y) Law enforcement officials in Alabama have historically released victim names and telephone numbers to credentialed members of the news media. Placement of this information in this area of the report is not intended to alter that practice. The Chief Law Enforcement Officer retains the discretion to withhold such information but is not required to do so.
(z) Following is a description of the data elements found in the victim section of the second page of the IO Report.
1. 1. Reported by Victim or (88) – List the name of the person who reported the incident or offense. If the person making the report is the victim, put a check mark in the box and drop down to the Victim Section to fill in information. If the person reporting the incident/offense is someone other than the victim, put that person’s name in the space provided. (Required for ULTRA submissions.)
2. 2. Suffix (89) – Enter any suffix - Sr., Jr., III, IV, etc. – associated with the name of the complainant.
3. 3. Resident (90) – Check the correct box to indicate whether the victim was a resident or non-resident of the jurisdiction where the incident/offense was reported.
4. 4. Home Phone (91) – Enter the home phone number of the complainant including area code. If the complainant has no phone, enter the word “none” or leave blank. Keep in mind that phone numbers are important investigative tools.
5. 5. Work Phone (92) – Enter the work phone number of the complainant including area code.
6. 6. Other Phone (93) – Enter any other phone or pager number of the complainant including area code.
7. 7. *Victim Number (94) – Each victim in an offense is to be assigned a sequence number from 001 to 999. A separate set of victim data is to be submitted for each numbered victim. The sequence numbers provide uniqueness when there are multiple victims. For example, if three victims were involved in one offense, one victim would be assigned the number 001, the next victim would be designate 002, and the last victim would be 003.
8. 8. Victim (95) – List the name of the victim here if different from the person who reported the incident or offense.
9. 9. Suffix (96) – Enter any suffix - Sr., Jr., III, IV, etc. – associated with the name of the victim if different from the complainant.
10. 10. Address (97) – Enter the actual physical address where the victim can be reached. Be sure to include the street number and name, city, state and zip code. DO NOT give a Post Office Box or General Delivery as an address. Rural route numbers designate a geographic area and are acceptable.
11. 11. Home Phone (98) – Enter the home phone number of the victim (if different from complainant) including area code. If the victim has no phone, enter the word “none” or leave blank. Keep in mind that phone numbers are important investigative tools.
12. 12. Work Phone (99) – Enter the work phone number of the victim (if different from complainant) including area code.
13. 13. Other Phone (100) – Enter any other phone or pager number of the victim (if different from complainant) including area code.
14. 14. Employer/School (101) – If the victim is a person, list the employer’s name or school he or she is attending. If the victim is unemployed, enter “None” or leave blank. In cases where the victim is a business or organization, list the name of the person in charge. (Optional data element.)
15. 15. Occupation (102) – Print the victim’s usual occupation such as student, bricklayer, clerk, etc. (Optional data element.)
16. 16. Address (103) – If the victim is a person, list the victim’s complete business address. If the victim is a business or organization, list the home address of the person in charge. (Optional data element.)
17. 17. Work Phone (104) – If the victim is a person, list his or her business phone. If the victim is an organization, list the home phone of the person in charge. Be sure to include area codes. (Optional data element.)
18. 18. Other Work Phone (105) – Enter any other business cellular phone or pager number of the complainant including area code.
19. 19. **Sex (106) – Select Male (M) or Female (F). (Required data element for victims of Homicide, Rape, Robbery and Assault.)
20. 20. **Race (107) – This is a required data element for Homicide, Rape, Robbery and Assault. Enter the race of the victim by selecting one of the following codes:
  1. (i) W = White
  2. (ii) B = Black
  3. (iii) A = Asian or Pacific Islander
  4. (iv) I = American Indian or Alaskan Native
21. 21. Language (108) – Select the primary language spoken by the victim/complainant. (Optional data element.)
22. 22. Height (109) – Enter the approximate height of the victim in feet and inches. Do not use fractional inches. (Optional data element.)
23. 23. Weight (110) – Enter the approximate weight of the victim. Do not use fractional pounds. (Optional data element.)
24. 24. **Date of Birth (111) – Enter the victim’s date of birth if known. Enter this in a MMDDYY format. For instance March 17, 2005 – 03/17/05. If the date of birth is unknown or refused, you may estimate the person’s age and enter the person’s estimated year of birth in the space allotted for the year. (Required data element for Homicide, Rape, Robbery and Assault if victim’s age is not entered.)
25. 25. **Age (112) – Enter the victim’s age in this block. (Required data element for Homicide, Rape, Robbery and Assault if victim’s date of birth is not entered.)
26. 26. Victim SSN (113) - A space is provided to capture the victim’s social security number on the I/O report. (Optional data element.) It shall be up to the local agency head to determine whether or not officers should include social security number on I/O reports. Even though entering social security numbers is optional and the information is confidential (limited to law enforcement use only), social security numbers can be very helpful in locating individuals at a later date.
27. 27. Complainant SSN (114) - A space is provided to capture the victim’s social security number on the I/O report. (Optional data element.) It shall be up to the local agency head to determine whether or not officers should include social security number on I/O reports.
28. 28. Multiple Victims/Law Enforcement (LE) Officer (115) – If there are multiple victims and/or LE officer(s) involved, check the appropriate box.
29. 29. Ethnicity (116) – If the victim was Hispanic, please indicate this in the appropriate box. There is also a blank to allow officers to enter other ethnicities. (Optional data element.)
30. 30. **Injury (117) – Check block “y” if there was injury to the victim; check block “n” if there was no injury. For ULTRA, select “no,” “physical injury,” serious physical injury,” or “fatal injury.” (Required data element for Homicide, Rape, Robbery and Assault.)
31. 31. **Offender Known to Victim? (118) – Check “y” if offender is known to victim, and check “n” if offender was a stranger. (Required data element for Homicide, Rape, Robbery and Assault.)
32. 32. **Victim Was? (119) – Enter the relationship of the victim to the offender. This response should answer the question, “Victim was ______?” (Required data element for Homicide, Rape, Robbery and Assault.)
33. 33. Relationship Code (120) – Enter the two digit relationship code in the shaded area.
34. 34. Weapon Used (121) – Select the weapon used. In cases involving pretended weapons, or those in which the weapon is not seen by the victim but the offender claims to have a weapon, check the weapon he or she pretends to have or use. (Required data element for criminal homicide, forcible rape, robbery and assault.) “Hands, fists, voice, etc.” pertains to any part of the body used to inflict injury. “Other dangerous weapons” include a baseball bat, crowbar, bottle, candlestick, brass knuckles, etc.
35. 35. Description of Weapons/Firearms/Tools Used in Offense (122) – You may make a selection from those listed on the printed/electronic form. Additional information may be added to further describe the weapon or device used during the commission of the offense in the space provided. (Optional data element.)
36. 36. Place of Occurrence (123) – Enter address where event occurred.
37. 37. Type Injury (124) – For victims of forcible rape, robbery and assault, you may select one of the following:
  1. (i) N – None
  2. (ii) B – Broken Bones
  3. (iii) I – Internal Injury
  4. (iv) L – Severe Laceration
  5. (v) M – Minor Injury
  6. (vi) O – Other Major Injury
  7. (vii) T – Loss of Teeth
  8. (viii) U – Unconsciousness
38. 38. Sector (125) – Local use block.
39. 39. **Homicide and Assault Circumstance Code (126) – Enter the code for the circumstance that best describes the Homicide or Assault. (Required data element for homicides and assaults.)
40. 40. **Rape Location Code (127) – Enter the code for the circumstance that best describes the offense. (Required data element for rapes.)
41. 41. Simple or Aggravated Assault (128) – Select simple or aggravated depending on the severity of the assault. (Complete only for assaults.) Following is a description of the types of assaults:
  1. (i) Simple Assault = No physical injuries or injuries are so minor as to require no more than basic first aid procedures.
  2. (ii) Aggravated Assault = Any assault in which a weapon was involved OR any assault where the injuries sustained required treatment by a physician for missing teeth, broken bones, stitches, etc. (Note: Any offense involving a weapon or dangerous instrument other than the offender’s hands, fist, feet, voice, etc. is an aggravated assault for UCR reporting purposes.)
42. 42. Treatment for Assault Injury (129) – If the victim required medical attention for injuries, select “y,” otherwise select “n.” (Complete only for assaults.)
43. 43. **Verification Exam for Rape (130) – Select “y” if victim had an exam, and select “n” did not have an exam. (Required data element for rapes only.)
44. 44. **Treatment for Rape Injury (131) – Select “y” if victim received medical attention for injuries, and select “n” if victim did not require medical attention. (Required data element for rapes only.)
(aa) The following subsections describe the data elements collected on page two of the IO Report in the Suspect/Offender Information section. If the “Missing Person” block is checked, this section also may be used to report characteristics of the missing person.
1. 1. Offender # (132, 154) - List the sequence number of this offender in association with the offense(s) being reported. For instance, if there are three suspects in a robbery, then you would report offender numbers 1, 2 and 3.
2. 2. Name (133, 155) – Enter the last, first and middle name of the offender, suspect or missing person.
3. 3. Suffix (134, 156) – Enter Sr., Jr., III, IV, etc.
4. 4. Alias (135, 157) – Enter all nicknames and aliases by which the person is known.
5. 5. SSN (136, 158) – A space is provided to capture the suspect/complainant/ missing person’s social security number on the I/O report. (Optional data element.) It shall be up to the local agency head to determine whether or not officers should include social security number on I/O reports.
6. 6. Race (137, 159) – Enter the race of the offender/suspect/missing person. Following are the codes that shall be used:
  1. (i) W = White;
  2. (ii) B = Black;
  3. (iii) A = Asian or Pacific Islander; or
  4. (iv) I = American Indian or Alaskan Native.
7. 7. Sex (138, 160) – Select “M” for male or “F” for female.
8. 8. Date of Birth (139, 161) – Enter date of birth of the suspect/offender/missing person if known.
9. 9. Age (140, 162) – Enter the age of the suspect/offender/missing person.
10. 10. Address (141, 163) – Enter the suspect’s/offender’s/missing person’s physical address. Be sure to include street number and name, city, state and zip. Do not list a Post Office Box or General Delivery as an address. Rural route numbers designate a geographic area and are acceptable.
11. 11. HGT (142, 164) – Enter the suspect’s/offender’s/missing person’s height in feet and inches. Do not use fractions or decimals.
12. 12. WGT (143, 165) – Enter the suspect’s/offender’s/missing person’s weight in pounds. Do not use fractions or decimals.
13. 13. Ethnicity (144, 166) – If the suspect/offender/missing person was Hispanic, please indicate this in the appropriate box. There is also a blank to allow officers to enter other ethnicities. (Optional data element.)
14. 14. Language (145, 167) – Select the primary language spoken by the suspect/offender/missing person. (Optional data element.)
15. 15. Probable Destination (146, 168) – Enter the probable destination of the suspect/offender/missing person if known.
16. 16. Eye (147, 169) – Enter the eye color of the suspect/offender/missing person.
17. 17. Hair (148, 170) – Enter the hair color of the suspect/offender/missing person.
18. 18. Complexion (149, 171) – Enter the suspect’s/offender’s/missing person’s complexion type. (E.g. Light, medium, dark, etc.)
19. 19. Armed/Weapon (150, 172) – Select “Yes” if the suspect/offender/missing person is armed, or if he or she may be armed. Select “No” if you are positive the suspect/offender/missing person is not armed. Select “Unknown/UNK” if it is not known whether the person is armed. If “Yes” is selected for “Armed,” enter the type of suspected weapon here. (E.g. Pistol, rifle, knife, etc.)
20. 20. Clothing (151, 173) – If known, enter a brief description of the clothing worn by the suspect/offender/missing person when he or she was last seen.
21. 21. Scars, Marks, Tattoos, Amputations (152, 174) – Enter any and all known scars, marks, tattoos and clothing which may be used to identify the suspect/offender/missing person.
22. 22. Arrested/Wanted/Dual Arrest (153, 175) – Select “Yes” or “No” to indicate whether the suspect/offender/ missing person has been arrested or if they are wanted.
23. 23. Dual Arrest – This box only applies to domestic violence cases. Check this box in the event both the primary aggressor and victim are arrested.
(bb) The witness section of the paper I/O report allows you to enter up to four names, addresses, dates of birth, sex, race, phone numbers and social security numbers.
(cc) Following are instructions for completing the data elements contained on page two of the IO Report in the Witness Information section.
1. 1. Name (176, 184, 192) – Enter the last, first and middle name of the witness.
2. 2. Sex (177, 185, 193) – Select the witness’s sex.
3. 3. Race (178, 186, 194) – Select the witness’s race.
4. 4. Date of Birth (179, 187, 195) – Enter the witness’s date of birth.
5. 5. Address (180, 188, 196) – Enter the witness’s physical address including street number, street name, city, state and zip code. Do not list a Post Office Box or General Delivery as an address. Rural route numbers designate a geographical area and are acceptable.
6. 6. Home Phone (181, 189, 197) – Enter the witness’s home telephone number including area code. If the witness does not have a home telephone, enter none or leave blank.
7. 7. Work Phone (182, 190, 198) – Enter the witness’s business telephone number including area code. If the witness does not have a business telephone, enter none (for paper reports) or leave blank (for electronic reports).
8. 8. Other Phone (183, 191, 199) – Enter any other cellular phone or pager number of the witness including area code.
9. 9. SSN’s (200, 201, 202) – You may enter social security numbers. While this information is not required, it may be helpful in locating witnesses in the future. It shall be up to the local agency head to determine whether or not officers should include social security number on I/O reports.
(dd) Narrative (203) – The primary purpose of this section of the I/O report is to inform others about the event being reported. Officers should strive to answer the following questions when writing a narrative. Who was involved? What happened? When did it happen? Where did it happen? How did it happen? Why did it happen? This section should tell the story of the officer’s actions and all other involved persons’ actions as they relate to the event being reported. Remember, when writing the narrative, you are telling the story to someone who does not know any of the facts surrounding the event. The narrative should give the reader a clear picture of the event as observed by the reporting officer. The narrative section is also used to expand upon or continue any items on the rest of the report where additional space or explanation is needed. If the narrative section of the paper report is not large enough to allow you to give all of the details that need to be included, use an I/O supplement as a continuation sheet. When using a supplement, remember to indicate this on the appropriate box on the form.
(ee) Following are instructions for the other data elements contained within the narrative section.
1. 1. Continued on Supplement (204) – Check this box to indicate more information is contained on a supplemental form.
2. 2. Assisting Agency ORI (205) – Enter the ORI of any agency providing assistance with the case.
3. 3. Assisting Agency Case Number (206) – If an assisting agency has assigned its own case number to the incident/offense enter this number here.
4. 4. Suffix (207) – If the assisting agency’s case number uses a suffix, enter it here.
5. 5. Warrant Signed (208) – Check yes if a warrant has been signed in the case. If a warrant has been signed, the warrant number should be entered here.
6. 6. Additional Cases Closed in Narrative (209) – Select “yes” or “no.” You can list up to 18 additional cases in the narrative section.
7. 7. Signature (210) – The signature line is provided for the complainant to enter his or her signature attesting that the information contained in the report is true and correct. A signature is required if any information obtained by the report is to be entered into the ACIC/NCIC computer network. This signature will protect you and your department from civil liability in the event the complainant/victim fails to notify your department when property has been recovered or has misrepresented the events that occurred.
8. 8. Local Use (211) – This area is provided for local agency use. Your department may determine how this data element is used. For instance, local use codes can be used to keep track of certain types of offenses for further study. For instance, a department might require officers to enter a “D” in this block to indicate a drug related offense. Entries may be alpha or numeric.
9. 9. State Use (212) – This is for ACJIC use only.
(ff) In agencies where electronic reporting is used, the form (or similar form developed by your agency) found at Appendix D may be completed by the officer and signed by the complainant in lieu of the traditional paper I/O form.

Author: Becki R. Goggins

Statutory Authority: Code of Ala. 1975, Section 41-9-621.

History: New Rule: Filed March 22, 2006’ effective April 26, 2006. Amended: Filed August 12, 2009; effective September 16, 2009.