A police memo example starts with a four-line header (TO, FROM, DATE, SUBJECT) under the word “MEMORANDUM,” followed by a short body in three parts: an opening that states the purpose, middle paragraphs with the facts, and a closing paragraph with a recommendation or action item. The content below walks through a complete sample, then explains the rules that make the format work.
A Complete Police Memo Example
The content here is fictional, but the structure mirrors what departments expect.
MEMORANDUM
TO: Captain Maria Velasquez, Criminal Investigations Division
FROM: Detective James Okafor, Badge #4218, Burglary Unit
DATE: June 4, 2026
SUBJECT: Request for Surveillance Authorization — Case 2026-04417
This memo requests authorization for a fixed-point surveillance operation at 1520 Elm Street in connection with a series of commercial burglaries in the Northgate district (Case 2026-04417).
Between April 12 and May 28, 2026, seven commercial properties within a four-block radius were burglarized during overnight hours. Security footage from two locations shows a white panel van arriving between 0200 and 0300 hours. On May 30, a confidential informant identified the van as belonging to a tenant at 1520 Elm Street. Records confirm the vehicle is registered to that address.
I recommend a three-day fixed-point surveillance operation beginning June 9, 2026, using two plainclothes officers per shift. The operation would require overtime authorization for six officers and the use of one unmarked vehicle from the motor pool.
cc: Lieutenant David Chen, Patrol Operations
The Header Block
Every police memo opens with a header that identifies the document at a glance. “MEMORANDUM” appears at the top of the page, followed by four labeled lines in a fixed order.
The TO line carries the recipient’s rank, name, and unit or division. If the memo is going to more than three people, replace the individual names with “Distribution” and attach a separate recipient list. The FROM line carries the sender’s name, rank, and assignment, which establishes who is responsible for the content. The DATE line uses the full preparation date with the month spelled out, such as June 4, 2026.
The SUBJECT line is where most drafters fail. A vague entry like “Follow-Up” forces the reader to dig into the body to figure out what you want. “Request for Additional Surveillance Resources — Case 2026-04417” tells them immediately. Be specific, and when a case number applies, put it in the subject.
This header structure is standard across government, not just policing. The U.S. Department of State’s formatting manual uses the same TO/FROM/DATE/SUBJECT block and the same rule about distribution lists above three addressees.1Department of State Foreign Affairs Manual. 5 FAH-1 H-320 Preparing Memorandums
When people beyond the primary addressee need a copy, add a “cc:” line below the last line of text and list them there.1Department of State Foreign Affairs Manual. 5 FAH-1 H-320 Preparing Memorandums
The Three-Part Body
Below the header, the body follows the same shape regardless of what the memo is about.
The opening paragraph states the purpose and gives the reader just enough context to follow the rest. If the memo concerns a specific case, include the case number. If it concerns a policy, name the policy. A reader should know within the first three sentences why this memo exists and what it asks of them.
The middle paragraphs carry the facts. Each paragraph covers one point. Include specific dates, times, locations, and the identities of people involved. Chronological order works for most investigative memos. For a policy memo, lead with the new rule and then explain the reasoning. Avoid conclusions the evidence doesn’t support; if the memo calls for analysis, keep it separate from the factual recital.
The closing paragraph tells the reader what happens next. That might be a request for approval, a recommendation to close a case, or an instruction to implement a procedure by a specific date. Be concrete. “I recommend further investigation” is vague. “I recommend assigning two additional detectives to conduct follow-up interviews with the three remaining witnesses by June 15” gives the decision-maker something to act on.
Writing Style That Holds Up
Police memos live and die on clarity. The goal is a document where every sentence means exactly one thing and no reader has to guess who did what.
Default to Active Voice
Active voice makes accountability explicit. “Detective Okafor interviewed the witness at 1430 hours” is clear about who acted. “The witness was interviewed at 1430 hours” leaves the actor out, which is a problem in documents where the chain of responsibility matters.
Passive voice has its place. When you genuinely don’t know who did something (“the rear window was forced open”), passive is honest. When you need to protect a source’s identity (“information was received that two individuals were inside the residence”), passive serves a purpose. The point is choosing it deliberately rather than slipping into it out of habit.
Short Sentences, Plain Words
A memo is not the place for narrative flair. Strip qualifiers that add no information. “It appeared that the suspect may have possibly been attempting to flee” should be “the suspect ran east on Oak Street.” If something is unconfirmed, say so directly rather than burying it in hedging language.
Avoid stacking jargon when a plain word works. “The subject was observed ambulating in a southerly direction” means “the person walked south.” Technical terms earn their place when they carry precise legal meaning. Everywhere else, use the simplest accurate word.
Objectivity Is Not Optional
Memos become part of the official record. Characterizations like “the suspect was clearly lying” or “the complainant’s story doesn’t add up” put opinion where only facts belong. Document the specific inconsistency instead: “the complainant stated she was at home at 2100 hours, which conflicts with surveillance footage showing her vehicle at 2112 Main Street at 2047 hours.” Let the facts do the work.
A Drafting Process You Can Repeat
Writing a memo is mostly about organizing information you already have. A consistent process makes the draft go faster.
Start by writing one sentence that answers: what do I need the reader to do or know after reading this? That sentence becomes the backbone of your opening paragraph. If you cannot state the purpose in one sentence, you may be trying to cover too many topics at once.
Pull together every relevant detail next: dates, times, names, badge numbers, case numbers, and specific actions taken. Order them the way they will appear in the body.
Draft the opening, then the body, then the recommendation, following the three-part shape. Each body paragraph should carry a single point.
Review twice. The first pass checks every fact: badge numbers, dates, times, addresses, and case numbers. A single wrong digit in a case number can misdirect an entire file. The second pass checks clarity. If a sentence requires re-reading to understand, rewrite it.
Assume Someone Outside the Department Will Read It
Officers sometimes write memos as if they will only ever be read internally. That assumption is wrong often enough to be dangerous.
In criminal cases, the prosecution has a duty to disclose material favorable to the defense or relevant to the case. Internal police memos fall within that obligation. The Department of Justice’s guidance makes clear that even documents an agency considers “internal” must have their discoverable content produced when that content is relevant.2U.S. Department of Justice. Justice Manual 9-5.000 Issues Related to Discovery, Trials, and Other Court Proceedings The document itself may not always be turned over, but discoverable information inside it will be.
Members of the public can also request law enforcement records through the Freedom of Information Act and state open-records laws. Federal law does provide a law enforcement exemption, but only when disclosure would cause a defined harm. Under 5 U.S.C. 552(b)(7), an agency can withhold records compiled for law enforcement purposes if release would interfere with enforcement proceedings, deprive someone of a fair trial, invade personal privacy, reveal a confidential source, expose investigative techniques, or endanger someone’s physical safety.3Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 5 USC 552 Public Information Agency Rules Opinions Orders Records and Proceedings
Those exemptions are narrower than many officers assume. A routine policy memo or an operational memo about shift scheduling would not qualify for any of them. A memo that does not touch an active investigation, a confidential source, or an investigative technique is likely releasable. Write every memo with that in mind.