Which of the following best describes what should be included in an incident report for restraints during transport?

• A. Verbal summary saved in a notebook
• B. Date/time, officer IDs, restraint type and duration, rationale, injuries, witnesses, supervisor notification, and chain-of-custody references
• C. No documentation is required if no injuries occur
• D. A maintenance log entry

Answer: (B)

Documenting restraints during transport is about creating a complete, auditable incident report that captures the full sequence and context of the event. The report should include the date and time of the incident, the identities of the officers involved, the type of restraint used and how long it was applied, the rationale for using the restraint, any injuries observed, witnesses, supervisor notification, and references to chain of custody. This level of detail ensures safety and accountability, supports investigations and training, and maintains a clear, legally sound record for future review. Even when no injuries occur, the event still needs documentation to preserve the factual record of what happened and why. A verbal notebook summary is not a durable, standardized official record; relying on no documentation would leave gaps. A maintenance log entry addresses equipment upkeep rather than the incident specifics, and does not provide the necessary details about the event itself.