APCAT APCAT - Alberta Police Cognitive Ability Observation and Detail Recognition 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An officer observes a man at a bus stop: approximately 180 cm tall, heavyset build, wearing a black toque, olive green parka, dark blue jeans, and white running shoes. He is carrying a tan backpack on his left shoulder. Which description is accurate?
- Heavyset male, black toque, brown parka, dark jeans, white shoes, tan backpack on right shoulder
- Heavyset male, black toque, olive green parka, dark blue jeans, white shoes, tan backpack on left shoulder (Correct answer)
- Slim male, black toque, olive green parka, dark blue jeans, white shoes, tan backpack on left shoulder
- Heavyset male, grey toque, olive green parka, dark blue jeans, white shoes, tan backpack on left shoulder
Correct answer: Heavyset male, black toque, olive green parka, dark blue jeans, white shoes, tan backpack on left shoulder
The accurate description matches all observed details: heavyset, black toque, olive green parka, dark blue jeans, white shoes, left shoulder backpack.
Every detail must be verified: build (heavyset), toque (black), parka (olive green), shoes (white), backpack shoulder (left). Officers must record all descriptive elements accurately to support suspect identification.
Question 2: A witness describes a getaway vehicle as: 'A dark green SUV, four-door, with a crack in the rear passenger window and a dent on the front bumper.' Which option matches the description?
- Dark green four-door SUV with tinted rear windows and a dented bumper
- Dark green four-door SUV with a cracked rear passenger window and a dented front bumper (Correct answer)
- Olive four-door SUV with a cracked rear window and a dented front bumper
- Dark green two-door SUV with a cracked rear window and a dented front bumper
Correct answer: Dark green four-door SUV with a cracked rear passenger window and a dented front bumper
Only option B matches all elements: dark green, four-door SUV, cracked rear passenger window, dented front bumper.
Option A changes the window detail to tinted; option C changes the colour to olive; option D changes the door count to two. Only option B matches all four criteria.
Question 3: An officer notes the following on Elm Street: a red mailbox outside No. 14, a yellow fire hydrant across from No. 18, a broken streetlight between No. 20 and No. 22, and graffiti on the wall of No. 24. Where is the broken streetlight located?
- Between No. 18 and No. 20
- Across from No. 22
- Between No. 20 and No. 22 (Correct answer)
- Outside No. 24
Correct answer: Between No. 20 and No. 22
The passage explicitly states the broken streetlight is between No. 20 and No. 22.
The notes state: 'a broken streetlight between No. 20 and No. 22'. Distractors use other addresses from the list to test whether candidates can accurately associate details with the correct location.
Question 4: During a surveillance observation, an officer notices: a white van parks, a man in a yellow vest exits, enters a pharmacy, exits carrying a blue bag, gets back in the van, and the van departs eastbound. What colour was the bag the man was carrying?
- Yellow
- White
- Black
- Blue (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Blue
The observation states the man exited the pharmacy carrying a blue bag.
The sequence includes 'exits carrying a blue bag'. The distractors use other colours mentioned in the observation (yellow for the vest, white for the van). Officers must retain sequential details accurately.
Question 5: A bulletin shows a suspect sketch with: oval face, bushy eyebrows, a scar on the left cheek, short dark hair, and a goatee. An officer encounters a man matching all features but with a scar on his RIGHT cheek. Should the officer consider this a potential match?
- No, because the scar location is different so it cannot be the same person.
- Yes, because all other features match and scar location may have been recorded in error. (Correct answer)
- No, because the hair colour is different.
- Yes, but only if he also has a goatee.
Correct answer: Yes, because all other features match and scar location may have been recorded in error.
All other features match; a single discrepancy in scar location could result from an error in the original sketch, warranting further investigation.
When most features match, a single positional error (left vs right cheek) does not eliminate the match — it warrants verification. Dismissing a strong match on a single discrepancy risks allowing a suspect to evade detection.
Question 6: An officer observes a parked car with the engine running. The licence plate reads 7KLP-299. The vehicle is a blue two-door sedan. The officer is later asked for the plate number. Which is correct?
- 7KPL-299
- 7LKP-299
- 7KLP-299 (Correct answer)
- 7KLP-929
Correct answer: 7KLP-299
The correct plate is 7KLP-299 as observed.
The plate 7KLP-299 must be recalled exactly. Distractors transpose letter pairs or reverse number sequences. Accurate licence plate recall is one of the most practical officer skills tested on the APCAT.
APCAT APCAT - Alberta Police Cognitive Ability Observation and Detail Recognition 2
An officer observes a man at a bus stop: approximately 180 cm tall, heavyset build, wearing a black toque, olive green parka, dark blue jeans, and white running shoes.
He is carrying a tan backpack on his left shoulder.
Which description is accurate?