English for Police

Author:
Syifa Fadhilah
H.
Putri Dian R.
Astry Anggraeni

Preface
In the name of Allah SWT, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. All praised and
thanks are due to Allah SWT. Because of His Mercy we can finish this book
which title is English for Police. This book is made for completing the
final assignment of English for Specific Purposes subject.
In order to understand what is English for Specific Purposes we have
learned and practice a lot until finally we, ourselves, came down done the
need analysis to find out what are Indonesian police wants, needs, and
lacks of English. We wrote this module to provide a framework for learning
English in Police context based on our need analysis, and to fulfil our last
ESP course assignment.
To finish the module is not that easy, we need to think hard how this text
can be used, where we can find the materials. However, with all of those
hard works we have, we can finish it.
Every mistake can be found in every human being. Therefore, it is nature if
you can find one in this module. We hope you can use our module for
learning and developing your English.

Astry A, Putri DR, Syifa F, 2015

About the book

English for Police has been developed specifically for people who work
in the police department and who needs English to communicate in a
variety situations with colleagues, clients, and other society people. It
supplies you with the target vocabulary and commonly used expressions
that are essential for communication in a variety of police roles.
English for Police covers a range of situations associated with the Police
Department. Learner in officer-level positions will find their needs catered
for, just as much as those in crime investigators and administration.
English for Police is also ideal for self-study.
The multiroom contains all the Listening extracts from the book. These can
be played through the audio player in your computer, or through a
conventional CD player. In order to give yourself extra listening practice,
listen to it in your car.

Table of Contents
PAGE UNIT TITLE
& STRUCTURE

On the Road

TOPICS

Helping a tourist
Offering help

USEFUL LANGUAGE

Phrases of Greeting
Offering help

expressions
Giving information
Pull over the driver

Prepositions of Place
Compound

Prepositions
Traffic signs

The Use of Can

Imperative Sentence

18
In the Crime Scene
Evidence Collection
Imperative
Sentence and
How a Crime Scene
Modal Auxiliary Verbs
Investigation is Conducted
Questioning a Witnesses
Questions Form
30

In the Office

Making Report
Interrogating Suspect
Completing Form

Order of Adjectives
WH Questions

Chapter 1: On the Road

Police officers on some occasions will be either required to greet and

introduce themselves or give some helps and directions on the road.
Sometimes they pull over the drivers and help some tourists.
Discuss the following questions with your friends!
1. When you are on duty, what situation did you usually face on
the road?
2. What will you say if there were tourists came to you and asked
some helps?

Activity 1 (Reading)

Text 1
Read the following short text of police officer introduction!
Hello! My name is James. I'm a police officer and my main job is
to maintain order, to protect the public and property also to
keep the peace and investigate crimes such as: murder, driving at
high speed, drug trafficking or threats. I have the ability and the
power of the law to arrest and imprison suspects or criminals.

Exercise 1 VOCABULARY
Match the words from the box with the meanings below!

1. A suggestion that something unpleasant or violent will happen,

especially if a particular action or order is not followed ( ....... )
2. A person believed to have committed a crime or done
something wrong, or something believed to have caused
something bad (.......)
3. The crime of intentionally killing a person ( ....... )

Activity 2 (Listening)
Watch and listen to the video then answer the following
questions!
Youll hear a police officer introducing himself and describing his Job
as a police. After watching the video twice, choose the right answer
according to the right information from the video.
1. Who is the police officers name?
a. James Carl Nelson
b. Sergeant Carl Nielson
c. Carl Nielson
2. Where does he work?
a. Pleasant Grove Police Department in Utah
b. Pleasant Grove Police Department in New York
c. Pleasant Grove Police Department in U.K
3. How long has he been a police officer?
a. Almost ten years
b. Almost Six years
c. Almost eight years
4. What is his main goal as a police officer?
a. Make the world safe
b. Make the community safe
c. Make a school student safe
5. What did he do in the school area?
a. Patrolling the area
b. Speeding the area
c. Driving through the area
Practice the following expressions!

Activity 3 (Speaking)

Text 2
Read the following short dialogue and practice it with your
friend!
A: Good morning, Madam/Sir. Im Officer James from Polda Metro Jaya
Department. Is
there anything that I can help?
B: Yes, sure. Do you know where I can find the British embassy or
consulate?

Activity 4 (Writing and Speaking)

Role Play: Imagine that you met a tourist on the road who
needs your help to find a location. In pairs, write a short
dialogue. Do not forget use some phrases of greetings and
offering help expression. Demonstrate the dialogue in front of
the class.

Activity 5 (Reading)
Text 3

Read the following conversation and answer the questions below!

A Spanish police officer helps a British woman find her missing child...
Woman
Help! Police!
:
Police:

What's wrong?

Woman
My daughter is missing. I can't find her anywhere!
:
Police:

Okay. Calm down. I'm going to help you find her. What's her
name?

Woman
Erica. She's only five. She doesn't know how to speak Spanish!
:

Woman
Blue shorts and a pink T-shirt. She has a hat on too, I think.
:
Police:

How long ago did she go missing?

Woman
I've been looking for her for almost an hour now.
:
Police:

And where did you last see her?

Woman We were just shopping in the vegetable section. I turned around

:
and
she was gone.
Police:

Don't worry, everything is going to be okay.

Woman
What should I do?
:

Exercise 2
Check your understanding!
1. Why is the woman panicking?
a. Her groceries are missing
b. Her child is injured
c. Her daughter is lost
d. A baby was kidnapped
2. Which is true about Erica?
a. She has a five years old daughter
b. She is wearing a pink shirt
c. She has a blue t-shirt on
d. She disappeared a minute earlier
3. Where was the little girl last seen?
a. Outside the grocery store
b. In the toy section
c. At the missing persons counter
d. In the vegetable aisle

Activity 6
Role Play
Practice the conversation above with your friends in pairs!

Tips!
Read the following expressions!
Questioning a tourist
Which hotel are you staying at?
When did you lose your wallet?
How much money was in your purse?
What did the thief look like?
What was the man wearing?
Did he has a weapon?
Where/When did you last see your child?
How old is your child?
What was your child wearing?
Comforting a tourist in distress
Please stay calm. I am going to help you.
We will do everything we can.
I'll give you a map of the city.
Try not to panic.
I can give you a ride to the hospital.

Activity 7
Please differentiate the expressions of questioning and
comforting a tourist based on the text 3!
Questioning a tourist

Comforting a tourist

Activity 8
Demonstrate the expression of questioning and comforting a
tourist on the table in front on the class!

Activity 9
Select some expressions of questioning and comforting a
tourist from the Tips! Box and please organize a short
8

Activity 10
Text 4
Read the following conversation and answer the questions below!
An Indonesian police officer pulls over an Australian driver on the highway for
speeding...
Police
Can I see your driver's license please?
:
Man:

Ah, yeah. I think it's in my pocket. No. Maybe my wallet. Uh. Yeah here.

Police
Do you know how fast you were driving?
:
Man:

No, sorry. It's a rental car. I'm not used to it.

Police
Have you been drinking tonight, Mr. Davidson?
:
Man:

I had one or two drinks. I'm okay to drive, though. I know my limit.

Police
How long have you been in Indonesia?
:
Man:

A few weeks, why?

Police
It seems you are unaware of our zero tolerance for drinking and driving.
:
Man:

I'm not drunk. I'll blow into a breathalizer.

Police
In Indonesia you cannot operate a vehicle after consuming any alcohol.
:
Man:

Oh, I didn't know that.

Exercise 3
Check your understanding!
1. Why does the man get pulled over?
a. He has no driver license
b. He was speeding
c. He stole a rental car
d. He refused a breathalizer test
2. What is Mr. Davidson's excuse for his driving error?
a. Hes not from japan
b. Hes not used to the rental car
c. He has been drinking
d. He didnt know the speed limit
3. What will happen to the man's car?
a. The police man will drive it home
b. A tow-truck will pick it up
c. The rental agency will come and get it
d. The man will come back for it

Tips!
Read the following expressions!
Pulling over the drivers
You were driving too fast.
I'm going to keep your driving licence and give you a
ticket.
You
can
go tolimit.
the police station to pay the fine.
You
broke
the
speed
They will give your driving licence back to you.
Can
I see
your driver's
licenceside
andof
passport?
You
were
driving
on the wrong
the road.
Have you been drinking tonight?
How much
you had
to drink?
You're
drivinghave
the wrong
way
in a one-way street.
How fast do you think you were going?
You
travelling
tolimit
the car
Dowere
you know
whattoo
theclose
speed
is? in front of you.
Is this a rental car?
Asking an injured driver
Are you hurt?
Can you stand up/move?

Where does it hurt most?

How did the accident happen?

Who was at fault?

10

Activity 11
Role Play
Imagine that you were pulling over a drunk driver on the
7. Behind
: The witness hides behind the officer.
road,
and
make
dialogue
you to
and
driver.
Do
8. In
front
of a
: The
suspectbetween
started talking
thethe
police
in front
not forget
use the expressions of pulling over the
of theto
victim
9. Under
: The death happened under the bridge.
drivers!

10.Below
: The plane is just below the cloud.
11.Over
: John jumped over the gate
Language Focus
12.Towards
: She stood up and talked towards the cop.
13.Into
we go into the landmark?
PREPOSITION
OF: Shall
PLACE
14.Onto
: I slipped as I stepped onto the platform.
prepositions are used to show the position of people, places and
15.From
: What time does the flight from Amsterdam
things.arrive?
16.Through
: They walked slowly through the woods.
preposition of place:
Compound
: car.
1. In
:Prepositions
The cop is in the
2.
met a childisatabove
the bus
stop
1. At
Above: The police
: the helicopter
your
head
3.
On
:
The
shop
is
on
the
left
2. About
: the cop is talking about the robbery
4.
of his
headacross the road
3. Of
Across: the top
: she
walked
5. To
: We went to the police station yesterday
4. Along
: cars were parked all along the road
6. By, next to, beside, near : The police station is by / next to /
5. Among
: he saw familiar faces among them
beside the
6. Against
: She spoke against
the police.
bank.
7. After
: to be after sb/sth (to be looking for someone or
something or trying to find or get them): the police are after the
thief
8. Around
: he walked around the building.
9. Between
: the town is between Rome and Florence
10.Beyond
: there was a small town beyond the river
11.Before
: It was an hour before the police arrived.
12.Beside
: the suspect sits beside the police
13.Since
: he has been a police officer since 1990
14.Inside
: there was a thief inside the hotel
15.Without
: she was driving without wearing the seat belt

11

Exercise 4

Put in the correct prepositions!

POLICE BUILD PICTURE _1__ ALLEGED TERRORIST WHOSE
CHOICE _2__ CAR WAS BASED _3__ SIZE _4__ BOOT
A saleswoman who sold the car used __5_ the Ealing bombing
_6_ a suspected member _7__ the Real IRA cell behind the
attack said the man had chosen the vehicle _8__ the biggest
boot. Speaking yesterday as police issued an e-fit _9__ the man
believed to have bought the car, the woman said the man had
paid _10__ cash and it had taken only 20 minutes _11__ him first
seeing the car untill he drove away _12__ it.
The five-door grey Saab turbo was bought __13__ the car lot
_14__ Ilford, Esseex, _15__ July 19, two weeks before the
explosion __16__ Ealing, west London, last week which injured

The e-fit shows a white man _17__ his mid-30s, 5ft 10in _18__ 5ft
11in tall and _19__ slim build. He has straight blond hair and a
pitted face which suggests he suffered _20___ acne __21__ some
time. The man has a slightly dimpled chin and speaks _22__ a
soft Irish accent.
After buying the car he asked directions _23__ the A46, known
_24__ Londoners as the north circular road, suggesting he was

12

Activity 12
You were on duty in the Beech Way, then some Australian
tourists came to you and asked some locations. Look at the
following map and answer the tourists questions.

Exercise 5
Decide which tourists questions are true and which are

Exercise
6
false. Write T if you think the answer of the question is true
Three Australian tourists ask for some locations/buildings.
and F if you think it is false.
Match the questions with the right instructions on the box
in
Tourist
orderA to help
: Is it them
true the
find
jewellery
the location!
store is behind
(Look at
thethe
Italian
map to
make
restaurant?
you easier in matching the instruction)
Tourist B
: Is it true the bar is on Second Avenue?
Questions:
Tourist C
: Is it true the police station is on the left from Fire
Tourist A
: Can you tell me the way to Italian Restaurant?
Department?
Police officer
: ..........................................................................
Tourist D
: Is it true the toy store is across from the Chinese
Tourist B
: How do I get to Police Station?
restaurant?
Police officer
: ..........................................................................
Tourist C
: Excuse me, could you tell me the way to Furniture
Building?
Police officer
: .......................................................................

Instructions:
1. Take the first street on the left. Take the next street on the right.
Go straight on and cross the road. It's on the left.
2. Take the first street on the left. Go down the street. Turn on the
right. Take the next street on the right. Go straight on and cross
the road. Go straight on. It's in front of you on the other side of the
road.

13

Exercise 7
Look at the map and fill in the missing preposition!
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

The
The
The
The
The

Women's wear is (............) the Jewellery Store.

Movie Theatre is (.............) the Book Store.
Women's wear is (..............) the Jewellery Store and the Bar.
Toy store is (.............) of Main Street and Forest Street.
Jewellery Store is (.............) the Italian Restaurant.

Activity 13
As a police officer, you should know traffic sign is the most visible
symbol that could be found on the road. Please match the traffic
signs below with the meanings on the box!

14

Language Focus
The use of8Can
Exercise

Can is one of the most commonly used modal verbs in English.

Please
traffic
signs
below request,
using the
word
It can beexplain
used tothe
express
ability,
inability,
permission,
Can
or Cannot
/ Cant!
possibility,
and inappropriateness.
Ability:
Permission:
For
the
example:
:
you
cant
smoke
here!
the driver can take this road
Can
I see your driver
license?
Text 1
Read the following simple conversation
between the traffic
Inability:
Possibility:
police
and
the
cyclist!
The
around here!
You can park here.
1.driver cant turn
:

Inspector: Get down! You are on

the wrong way.
Request:
Inappropriateness:
Student:
Sir, I am sorry, I did not seeYou
thecant
signal.
Can you
help me?
smoke in
2. Inspector: You
: must be careful in crossing the road.
Student: Yes, Sir.
Inspector: Where are you going?
3. Student: I am
: going to the town centre. I'm sorry sir; Im not from
around here. Is this the right way to the town centre?
Inspector: you're going to the wrong way.
Student: could you tell me how to get to the town centre?
4.
:
Inspector: lets follow this road.
15
Inspector: go down there, turn right at the crossroads, and
continue straight ahead for about a mile, it'll be on your right.
5.
:
Students: thank you, Sir.

Text 5
Read the following simple conversation between the traffic
police and the cyclist!
Inspector: Get down! You are on the wrong way.
Student: Sir, I am sorry, I did not see the signal.
Inspector: You must be careful in crossing the road.
Student: Yes, Sir.
Inspector: Where are you going?
Student: I am going to the town centre. I'm sorry sir; Im not from
around here. Is this the right way to the town centre?
Inspector: you're going to the wrong way.
Student: could you tell me how to get to the town centre?
Inspector: lets follow this road.
Inspector: go down there, turn right at the crossroads, and continue
straight ahead for about a mile, it'll be on your right.
Students: thank you, Sir.

Exercise 9
Answer the following questions based on the
conversation!
1. What signal should the student aware?
2. Where is the student going?

16

Language Focus
Imperative Sentence
An imperative sentence gives a command or request to the
person we are speaking to, to do or not to do something. It
usually ends with a period, but it may also end with an
exclamation point (!). Imperative sentences can be divided into
commands, requests, invitations and warnings
Command:
Hands up!
Shut the door!
Put the gun!
Bow your back!

Request:
Invitation:
Please sit down. Lets follow me.
Please wait outside.
Lets go back.

Warnings:
Dont come through this way.
Beware of the dog!

Activity 14
Identify the imperative sentences in the text 4 and 5 and
classify the imperative sentence forms: command,
request, invitation, and warning!
Command

Request

Invitation

warning

Chapter 2: In the Crime Scene

Discuss with your friends, when you are in the crime
scene, who usually there? What do they do?
17

Text 1

Who's at the Scene?

Police officers are typically the first to arrive at a crime scene. They
arrest the perpetrator is he's still there and call for an ambulance if
necessary. They are responsible for securing the scene so no
evidence is destroyed.
The CSI unit documents the crime scene in detail and collects any
physical evidence.
The district attorney is often present to help determine if the
investigators require any search warrants to proceed and obtain
those warrants from a judge.
The medical examiner (if a homicide) may or may not be present to
Text 2
determine a preliminary cause of death.
Specialists
(entomologists,
forensic
scientists,
Read
the following
passage
and answer
theforensic
questions below!
psychologists) may be called in if the evidence requires expert
analysis.
Evidence
Collection
Detectives
witnesses
consult
with thefrom
CSI unit.
The
followinginterview
are suggestions
for and
collecting
evidence
crimeThey
scenes
such
as
houses,
apartments,
and
vehicles:
investigate the crime by following leads provided by witnesses and
physical evidence.
Photograph all evidence prior to removing it.
http://www.acschools.org/cms/lib07/PA01916405/Centricity/Domain/362/How
Sources:
Remove
larger items or debris from carpeting or walk areas prior to
%20Crime%20Scene%20Investigation%20Works%20Article.pdf
other
examinations. Consider
wearing
disposable booties.
evidence
search
warrant
homicide
Collect large items, such as clothing, and place them in separate
physical
forensic
preliminary
paper
bags. Keep an accurate
evidence log. One person
should
Exercise
1
Vocabulary
collect and bag the items while another person labels the bags and
records the items in the log.
Match the words from the box with the meaning below!
Do not place all clothing items from a suspect in one paper bag,
nor all items from a victim in another bag. Bag each item
separately.
Never put suspect items and victim items in contact with one
another. The person collecting the suspects items should not be
1. the
an official
document
gives
police
officers
theIfauthority
same person
that that
collects
the
victims
items.
this mustto
occur,
search
a
building
for
stolen
property,
illegal
goods,
or
information
personnel must change their clothing and collect the evidence at a
different
time
to to
avoid
contamination.
that might
help
solve
a crime (.......)
2. Bedding
beyou
carefully
handled
to avoid
loss oftohairs
and of
relating should
to things
can see
or touch,
or relating
the laws
fibers.
Each
item
should
be
placed
in
a
separate
bag.
nature (.......)
3. Floor
surfaces
should for
be vacuumed
for possible
trace
evidence.
one or
more reasons
believing that
something
is or
is not true,
Some
crime
scene
investigators
use
tape
to
secure
trace
evidence;
proof (.......)
however,
tape
is
generally
difficult
to
work
with
at
the
scene
and in
4. related to scientific methods of solving crimes, involving
the
laboratory.
surfaces
such as
chairs
and car seats
examining
the Smaller
objects or
substances
that
are involved
in thecan
crime
be taped or vacuumed.
Ensure that carpet, pet hair, and other standards that might have
transferred to a suspect or victim are collected.
Always process for fingerprints after collecting trace evidence.
Collect all possible known fiber samples from a vehicle. These may
be obtained from the carpet, door panels, headliner, seats, floor
mats, and trunk.
Source: http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/lab/forensic-sciencecommunications/fsc/july2000/deedric1.htm/deedric4.htm

Exercise 2
In pairs answer the questions below based on the passage
above.

18

3. What happen if the items from victim and suspect not

bagged separately?
...
4. What does the text say about floor surface?
...
5. How to avoid loss of hairs in the crime scene?
...

19

Language Focus
Imperative Sentence
A type of sentence that gives advice or instructions or that
expresses a request or command. An imperative sentence
typically begins with the base form of a verb.
An imperative sentence ends with a period or an exclamation
point.
Examples:

Keep your accessories with you at all times. Always wear uniform on
duty.
Drive to the roundabout and then turn left. Crime scene should be
protected.
Get out!
Take any evidence to the lab.

Modal Auxiliary Verbs

A type of auxiliary verb that is used to indicate modality
that is, likelihood, ability, permission, and obligation.
The verbs can, could, will, would, should, may, might, must, ought
and shall are verbs which 'help' other verbs to express a meaning:
it is important to realise that these "modal verbs" have no
meaning by themselves.
Modal verbs are NEVER used with other auxiliary verbs such as
do, does, did etc. The negative is formed simply by adding
"not" after the verb. The meanings are usually connected with
ideas of DOUBT, CERTAINTY, POSSIBILITY and PROBABILITY,
OBLIGATION and PERMISSION (or lack of these).
Examples:
Students may not borrow equipment without written permission.
England might win the World Cup, you never know
That can't be the right answer, it just doesn't make sense.

Activity 1
Find and write 5 or more imperative sentence and
underlined the modal auxiliary verbs found at Text 2!

20

Text 3

How a Crime Scene Investigation is Conducted

The investigation of a crime scene begins when the investigators
unit receives a call from the police officers or detectives on the
scene. The overall system works something like this:

The investigators arrive on the scene and makes sure it is secure.

They do an initial walk-through to get an overall feel for the
crime scene, finds out if anyone moved anything before they
arrived, and generates initial theories based on visual
examination. They make note of potential evidence. At this point,
they touch nothing.
The investigators thoroughly document the scene by taking
photographs and drawing sketches during a second walk-through.
Sometimes, the documentation stage includes a video walkthrough, as well. They document the scene as a whole and
document anything they have identified as evidence. They still
touch nothing.
Exercise 3
Now it's time to touch stuff, very carefully. The investigators
A. Match the meanings below with the bold term in the
systematically make their way through the scene collecting all
text!
potential evidence, tagging it, logging it and packaging it so it
1. First demonstration or explanation that details each step of a
remains intact on its way to the lab. Depending on the task
process (........)
breakdown
the investigators
unit their works
for and
their
2. Possible of
evidence
when the necessary
conditions
exist
(.......)
areas
of
expertise,
they
may
or
may
not
analyze
the
evidence
in
3. Complete and in the original state (......)
the
lab. the questions below based on the text you have
Answer
To
ensure that the scene has been thoroughly searched, a second
read!
survey
is conducted
as tagged
a quality
control
step.
4. Whyof
allthe
thearea
evidence
has to be
and
packaged?
The...crime lab processes all of the evidence the investigators
5. Is it true when CSI arrives they can touch the evidence?
...
B. Put in order the sentences below to be an appropriate
summary of How a Crime Scene Investigation is
conducted based on your reading!
a. Establish security
b. Conduct a primary walkthrough
c. Establish the scene dimensions and identify potential safety
and health hazards
d. Conduct a secondary review
e. Document and process the scene
f. Plan, communicate and coordinate
1

21

Text 4
A key part in modern criminal investigation is played by
DNA testing. This activity is based on materials from the UK
Forensic Science Service (FSS).
www.fss.org.uk

These are two of their FAQ Frequently Asked Questions.

Q: Can a DNA profile ever be exclusive to one person?
A: Apart from the case of genetically identical twins, the DNA
contained in every persons cells is different from that contained by
any other person. The FSS looks at eleven information sites using
the current DNA profiling technique.
Q: What is the best reference sample to submit a blood
sample, a buccal scrape or hair sample?
A: DNA can be extracted from any cells that contain a structure
called the nucleus. This is where the DNA resides within the cell.

body tissue cells. The choice of the appropriate reference sample

depends on the case. The DNA unit would prefer to receive blood
samples because of the ease of processing.
Alternative samples such as buccal scrapes (as used for the
National DNA Database) or hair samples (pulled) may be taken.
The Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE) gives the police
powers to take buccal scrapes or hair roots (non-intimate
samples), by force, in certain circumstances and with the
authority of a very senior police officer.

22

Exercise 4
A. Decide whether the statements below are True or
False by write the words True and False in the
box.

Exercise
5 of buccal scrapes and hair may
1. Samples
Listen
the
recorder!
nottobe
taken.

A Policeman
Questions
2. The DNA Asking
contained
in every persons cells
You will
hear
a
policeman
a woman
is different from that asking
contained
by anyquestions about a
robbery.
Choose
the correct multiple choice answer to the
other
person.
questions. You will hear the listening twice. After you have
finished,
best
answer
of the questions.
3. Hairchoose
samplethe
is not
the
best reference
for
DNA.
1. What
is the investigators name?
A) Mr. Brown
B) Mr. Oxton
C) Mr. Please
DNA
cannot
be extracted
2. 4.
Who
does
he want
to speak from
to? any cells.
A) The manager B) The manageress
C) The director
Blood
sample
would
3. 5.
Who
does
he speak
to?be preferred to be
processed.
A) The manager B) The manageress
C) The director
4. Where do they speak?
6. Police
has shop
power toB)take
sample
A) In the
In her
officeevidence
C) In a cafe
5. Why
by does
force.she excuse herself?
A) The shop is a mess B) She is nervous C) she doesn't
have her glasses
6. What time did the robbery happen?
B. Match the following words to its meaning.
A) 12 o'clock
B) At lunch time
C) Quarter
past one
7. Buccal
A. closed?
To remove or take out something.
7. Was
the post office
A) No
B) Yes
C) Only for lunch
8.
Extract
B.
The
part
of
a
cell
that
controls
its
time
8. What was she aboutgrowth.
to do?
A) Go to lunch
B) Do an errand C) Buy some stamps
9. How many thieves were there?
A) 2
B) 4
C) 3
10. What did the woman look like?
A) Tall, brown, skinny
B) Tall, dark, heavy C) Tall,
blond, skinny
11. What was the woman wearing?
A) Sunglasses
B) Glasses
C) Earrings
12. What was special about the man she saw?
A) Dark, beard, 30
B) Tall, blond, 40 C) Tall, brown,
skinny
13. How much did they take?
A) 540 pounds
B) 5,400 pounds C) 514 pounds
14. How did they escape?
A) On foot
B) By bike
C) By car
15. Who does he want to speak to?
a. Her husband
B) Her colleagues
C) Her boss

23

Exercise 6
Listening: A Theft in the Night
A woman called the police to report a theft who stole something her
house. Listen carefully to the recorder and fill the notes below based
on the following:
Source: http://www.5minuteenglish.com/feb12.htm

1. What was Mrs. Grady doing when she heard the thief?

2. What was the thief doing when Mrs. Grady saw him?
3. What did the thief look like?
4. What was the thief wearing?
5. What did the thief knock down?
6.

What did the thief steal?

24

Tips!
Practice the following expression!

Questioning a Witness
to witness (verb):
a witness (noun):

to see something happen

a person who sees something happen

Witnesses are valuable to the police. A witness is somebody who is

actually present when something happens and sees what happens.
The police usually like to question all witnesses as soon as possible
after a crime, accident or other event.

Questions police ask witnesses

Did you see what she was wearing?

25

Questioning a suspected criminal

Are you carrying any illegal drugs?

Do you have a weapon?

Does this belong to you?

Whose car is this?

Where were you at eight last night?

Informing someone of laws and police procedures

You are under arrest.
Put your hands on your head.
I am taking you to the police station.
Please
get in the police car.
Text
5
You
have to conversation
pay a fine for this.
Read
thewill
following
and answer the questions
below!
I will give you a warning this time.
An ESL teacher working in Korea witnesses a bank robbery. The
police question her as a witness...
Police I understand you were the key witness for the robbery.
:
Wom
an:

Yes, I was the only other person in the bank besides the
tellers.

Police Are you okay to answer some questions for me?

:
Wom
an:

Sure. I don't know how much help I'll be. He made me get
on the ground so I didn't get a very good look at him.

Police Was he carrying a weapon?

:
Wom
an:

Yes, he had a pistol in his back pocket. He threatened to

use it, but I doubt it was loaded.

Police What makes you say that?

:
Wom
an:

He was just a kid. Probably fifteen or younger.

Police Can you describe him for me?

:
Wom
an:

He was Asian. Probably five foot six. He was wearing a

baseball cap and sunglasses. I can't remember what else
he was wearing.

26

Exercise 7

Check your understanding!

1. Why is the policeman questioning the woman?
a. She robbed the bank
c. She was a witness to a
robbery
b. She had her money stolen
d. She phoned the police
Language
2.
Which of Focus
the following does not describe the robber?
a. He was a Canadian
c. He was wearing a hat
Question
subject/object questions
b. He forms
was a&teenager
d. He had sunglasses on
3. What does the woman say the thief was carrying?
Review
of question forms
a. A weapon
c. A bag of money
b. A loaded riffle
d. A baseball
Yes/No questions

Is he a police? Yes he is.

Can you speak English? No, I cant.
Have they got a car? Yes they have.
To form yes/no questions where there is an auxiliary verb or a
modal verb, we invert the word order of a positive sentence. (He
is a killer > Is he a killer?)

Do you
Activity
2 steal this? No I dont.

Does she know you? Yes she does.

Role Play
When
there
is conversation
no auxiliary verb
we use
doyour
to form
the question.
Practice
the
above
with
friends
in
pairs!
With question words
The same rules apply when there is a question word (what,
where, when, why, who, which, how, how much, how
many)

What is your name?

Where do you

live?
How old are you?
Where is the thief?
last night at 8 p.m.?
Why is that?

Which one is yours?

Where were you
Who has just left?

Where there is an auxiliary or modal verb, that verb is used to

form the question.

27

Sometimes you might see questions like this.

Who broke the window?
What happened next?
Who told you that?

There is no auxiliary verb and the word order is not inverted.

These are called subject questions because the question word
is the subject of the sentence.

Look at these two questions.

Who does Romeo hate? Romeo hates Lucius.
Who hates Romeo? Lucius hates Romeo.

Activity
3
In
the first question,
Romeo is the subject of the verb.
In the second question who is the subject and Romeo is the
Classify the questioning forms: subject/ object questions,
object.
yes/no questions, and with question words form the Tips
boxeshttps://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/grammar-reference/question-formsand conversation in Text 4 as much as you can!
Source:
Subject/object
questions

Yes/no questions

With question
words
28

Activity 4
Write 5 questions to get information! (The topic is
free; you may use the different questioning forms)
1.
2.
3.
4.

...
...
...
...
5. ...

Tips
The following checklist may help you to identify a person.
Full name, including any alias/ nickname
Age: he/she is 20 years old; he is 20 years of age; he is aged
20; he is a 20 year old youth; he is in his twenties/ early 20s/
Discuss
when you are
latewith
20s; your
he is friends
about/ approximately
20.in the office, how do
you
a report?
youmiddle
say when
make
Age group:
schoolWhat
age / will
young/
aged/you
old.are
interrogating
suspects/victims?
Age range:
under/ over. How do you complete the
Description
Appearance
In pair, discuss the following questions.
Height: tall/ short/ medium height/ average height
1.
What
is afat/
description?
Build:
heavy/ medium/ slim/ thin/ slightly built/ well built
2.
Why
do we(ethnic
use descriptions
in policeorwork?
Colour
origin): Caucasian
white European/ dark
3. What should you pay particular attention to when
European/
Asian/ Afro-Caribbean
/Latin-American
compiling
a description
of a person?
Complexion: fresh/ ruddy/ pale/ pimply/ uses cosmetics
Hair: length/type- short/ long/ curly/ wavy/ bald/ colourdark/brown/blond/grey/dyed.
He has got dark hair/ he is dark haired
Hair on face (facial hair): beard/moustache/ dark chin/stubble
Eyes colour of the eyes: He has got blue eyes/ he is blue
eyed

Chapter 3:
In the Police Station

29

Distinctive (distinguishing) marks: birth marks/ moles/

warts/ scars/ tattoos/ deformity other identifying marks.
Characteristics and habits: drinking/ smoking/ known
associates
Dress (clothing): smart/ casual/ sporting/ scruffy/ vagrant
Items of clothing.

Activity 1
Try to build up a complete description of yourself by
following the checklist of description above!

30

Language Focus
Order of Adjectives
Adjectives usually come in this order:
1
2
Gener Speci
al
fic
opinio opinio
n
n

3
Size

4
Shap
e

A nice handsome young man

black jacket.
A big black American car
man.
A dirty old man
car.

5
Age

6
Colou
r

7
National
ity

8
Materi
al

He is wearing a long leather

He is a short middle aged
He is driving a small black

Exercise 1

Put the adjectives in order in these phrases:

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

grey
brown
grey
short
black

short
large
woolen
silk
small

straight
round
long
floral
skull

hair
eyes
sweater
dress
tattoo

Activity 2
Try to write the description of the person in photographed
here!
Listening
Exercise 2
A man called the police to report a suspicious guy in his house.
You need to listen the recorder carefully to answer the questions
below.
1.
2.
3.
4.

What was suspicious guy wearing?

What did suspicious guy look like?
Where was the address?
Who was called the police?
31

Discuss with a partner

How and where can a police offer gather information about a case?
How important are standardized policies, practices, and procedures when
interrogate witness and suspects?

Text 2
Questions when police interrogate

witness
Did you see what she was wearing?

Did he/she have a weapon?

Was the gun loaded?

What kind of car was the thief driving?

How long ago did this happen?

How Questions
he/she looks
like?
when
police interrogate suspect
Could you please describe what happened?

When you fought with the other person, did he hit you?

When you attacked the other person, did he try

defending himself?

Is there anything else that you can tell me about this

What else ere you expecting me to ask?

32

Exercise 3

Police officer: I'm just going to ask you some questions. (1)_____ were
you on the 3rd of October 2011?
How much do you remember about the 'wh' question words?
Suspect:
I was at a cafe in Greenwich.
This lesson shows a conversation between a police officer and a
Police officer: (2)_____ were you with?
suspect of a crime. The police officer is asking the suspect a lot of
questions to Itry
and
information
thatfriend
will help
them
to solve
the
Suspect:
was
byget
myself,
but an old
from
university
was
crime.
also there having lunch with her partner and we talked
for about five minutes.
Read through the text and try to complete the gaps with the missing
'wh' officer:
word. And (3)______ is their name?
Police
Suspect:

Joanna Crawley.

Police officer: (4) _____ did you talk about?

Suspect:

We hadn't seen each other in a few years so we were

just catching up. She told me she is getting married and
asked me what I was doing.

Police officer: (5)_____ was this? In the morning or in the afternoon?

Suspect:

It was at about one oclock in the afternoon.

Police officer: And (6) _____ were you having lunch at a cafe by
yourself?
Suspect:

Isn't that common?

Police officer: Answer the question.

Suspect:
I was having lunch and working on an article. I'm a writer
for a magazine.
Police officer: (7) _____ magazine?
Suspect:

House and home.

Police officer: Did you notice anything unusual while you were eating
lunch?
Suspect:
other day.

No. I go to that cafe often and it was the same as every

Police officer: (8) _____ time did you leave the cafe?
Suspect:

At about two thirty.

Police officer: And (9) _____ did you get home?

33

Text 3
Read the text below.
Case Number: VT 05/04/01/3462

Date of Report: 05

April 2001
Incident: Vehicle Theft
Reporting Officer: Constable Ranjit Singh
At about 1040 hours on 5th April 2001, I met with Ms. Vanessa Price at 61
South Chorley Drive regarding a vehicle theft. Ms. Price said she parked
her car by a parking meter outside Chorley Leisure Centre at about 0945
hours and went into a nearby shop to return a faulty torch she had
purchased the previous day. She said that when she returned to the leisure
centre at about 1000 hours, she discovered her car was missing.
Ms. Price described her car as a maroon, 1999 Mitsubishi Eclipse with a
black convertible roof. The car registration number is GTL-682-P. She
estimated the value of the car at 8,500 and said there were no
distinguishing marks or items.
Ms. Price told me she locked the car, but she does not have the keys. She
now believes she may have left the keys in the boot lock after removing
the faulty torch from the boot. Ms. Price said she gave no one permission
to take her car, and she is up to date with her loan repayments.

34

I conducted a survey of the crime scene but found no items of evidence. I

saw no broken glass in the area, and there were no items to retrieve or
photograph.
I obtained a sworn statement from Ms. Price and provided her with the
case number and Information Leaflet 99/07 ("What to do when your car is
stolen"). I entered the vehicle into the station database as a stolen vehicle.
I also searched the area but was unable to find the vehicle.
Frankie Meehan
www.tesoltasks.com/PoliceReport.htm

Police Report Template

POLICE REPORT
Case No: _____________________________________
___________________

Date:

Reporting Officer: _____________________________

Activity 3

Incident:
Listen to the audio! Based on that audio you need to make a
__________________________________________________________________
report about missing people in the template.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____

Detail of Event:
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____
_____________________________________________________________________
_____
_____________________________________________________________________
_____
_____________________________________________________________________
_____
Actions Taken:
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____
35
_____________________________________________________________________
_____
_____________________________________________________________________

36