Who must approve holding a report over?

• A. Patrol supervisors
• B. Patrol sergeants
• C. Division commanders
• D. City Manager

Answer: (A)

The key idea is supervisory authority over when incident reports can be delayed. Requiring approval to hold a report over rests with the on-scene supervisor—the person responsible for direct oversight of the patrol. This ensures there’s documented justification, proper investigation continuity, and accountability for delaying the formal report. Higher-level roles like division commanders or the City Manager aren’t the usual gatekeepers for routine holds, since they sit further up the chain of command and aren’t involved in day-to-day field decisions. In some departments the same person might be called a sergeant, but policy often designates the role as patrol supervisor for this function, making them the appropriate approving authority.