Law enforcement transcripts come in three types: phone records, police notes, and interrogations. Transcription is usually done by trained police transcriptionists, and is important for accuracy and court records. Confidentiality requires certified professionals, with outsourcing rare.
Law enforcement transcripts come in three main types: those created from phone records; those taken from memories and police notes; and those who capture what was said in arrests, depositions and interrogations. The vast majority of police and other law enforcement personnel are not stationed at desks. Their work is in the field, but precise documentation of what they do and what they say is often essential to prosecutions and helps departments build files on suspects, witnesses and victims. Law enforcement transcription is usually done in an office by a trained police transcriptionist. Some of the work may also be outsourced to an independent law enforcement transcriber, but not as frequently.
Phone call transcripts are among the most common. When people call an emergency toll-free number – 911 in the US and Canada, 112 in much of Europe and 000 in Australia, to name a few – the resulting conversations are usually recorded. These recordings go into digital archive, but usually need to be transcribed on paper to be properly archived. Laws in most places require police departments to keep written transcripts of all emergency hotline exchanges.
A law enforcement transcript is also an important part of most arrests and criminal charges. Police officers usually record arrest records by radioing their home base. These radio communications are captured, then sent to a transcriber for processing into law enforcement records.
The process is similar for witness statements and questioning suspects. Police usually take people to the station for questioning and the content of what was said and by whom usually needs to be recorded for accuracy. However, the presence of transcription services personnel in the room during questioning or taking statements can be distracting. Proceedings are usually filmed or recorded, which provides the background material for later law enforcement transcription.
The law enforcement transcript is important for a variety of reasons. First, it gives police officers a condensed way to see a case in full. This often helps them write accurate police reports and can also help them recall events and happenings again.
The transcripts also have significance for the prosecution. Written transcripts, not digital recordings, are what go into court records. Keeping records in written form provides attorneys and other trial participants with an easy way to quickly look up some key facts that sifting through numerous records simply wouldn’t allow.
Most policing matters are incredibly sensitive, both from a privacy and public safety standpoint. It follows that much of the information that must be transcribed is confidential and can only be managed by certified or otherwise controlled professionals. A great many police departments hire a professional law enforcement transcriptionist to work onsite and handle all of the office’s law enforcement transcription needs. Some law enforcement transcription services are outsourced, but this is rare and usually only done for files that may be redacted or are not sensitive.
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