Which of the following best describes what belongs in the 'what' section of a report?

• A. Chronological order of incidents, activities, rule violations, and actions taken.
• B. Names of all officers present at the scene.
• C. Personal opinions about the incident.
• D. The weather at the scene when the incident occurred.

Answer: (A)

The what section provides a factual, chronological account of what occurred, including incidents, activities, rule violations, and actions taken. Presenting these elements in the exact order they happened makes the narrative clear and reconstruction straightforward, so readers can follow the sequence from start to finish and understand outcomes and accountability.

Names of officers present belong in the personnel or who section, not the event timeline. Personal opinions belong in analysis or conclusions, not in the factual recount. Weather and other environmental conditions are contextual factors that belong in a separate section about scene conditions, not in the main sequence of events.