RCMP Memory and Observation 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: You observe a suspect vehicle for 30 seconds before it drives away. The driver was wearing a red baseball cap, a grey hoodie, and had a visible tattoo on his left forearm. When filing your report, which detail is MOST likely to aid identification?
- The red baseball cap
- The grey hoodie
- The tattoo on the left forearm (Correct answer)
- The vehicle's direction of travel
Correct answer: The tattoo on the left forearm
Tattoos are permanent and unique identifying marks, making them the most reliable detail for identifying a suspect compared to easily changed clothing.
Question 2: A witness describes a getaway car as 'dark-colored, maybe black or dark blue, four doors, with a dent on the rear bumper.' What is the MOST reliable piece of information from this description?
- The color being black
- The color being dark blue
- The four-door body style
- The dent on the rear bumper (Correct answer)
Correct answer: The dent on the rear bumper
Specific physical damage like a dent is a concrete, distinctive detail that narrows identification, unlike approximate color or common body styles.
Question 3: During a foot pursuit, you run past a suspect who drops a bag. You continue pursuing another suspect. Later, you must describe where the bag was dropped. What is the best memory technique to use in the moment?
- Continue the pursuit and rely on memory later
- Mentally note a nearby landmark or fixed object relative to the bag (Correct answer)
- Stop and photograph the bag before continuing
- Radio dispatch immediately with a verbal description
Correct answer: Mentally note a nearby landmark or fixed object relative to the bag
Anchoring a detail to a fixed landmark or reference point is a reliable on-the-spot memory technique when you cannot stop to document.
Question 4: You respond to a reported break-in at a store. Upon arrival, you notice the front door glass is broken inward, a cash register is open and empty, and a set of muddy boot prints leads toward the rear exit. Which observation suggests the direction the suspect fled?
- The broken glass on the inside floor
- The open and empty cash register
- The muddy boot prints leading to the rear exit (Correct answer)
- The time of the call to dispatch
Correct answer: The muddy boot prints leading to the rear exit
Boot prints leading toward the rear exit directly indicate the direction of suspect travel after the crime.
Question 5: An officer is asked to recall the license plate of a vehicle seen two hours earlier. The officer remembers 'JKL' but is unsure of the numbers. How should this partial information be reported?
- Omit the plate entirely since it is incomplete
- Report only the letters JKL as confirmed, note numbers are uncertain (Correct answer)
- Guess the numbers to complete the plate
- Wait until the full plate can be confirmed before reporting
Correct answer: Report only the letters JKL as confirmed, note numbers are uncertain
Accurately reporting confirmed details while clearly flagging uncertain information maintains report integrity and still provides useful investigative leads.
Question 6: A witness says a suspect was 'really tall, like over six feet, with short blond hair and a beard.' During a lineup, you notice one person is 6'1" with short blond hair but is clean-shaven. How should this discrepancy be handled?
- Exclude this person from the lineup results
- Note the discrepancy in your report and present the lineup fairly (Correct answer)
- Ask the witness to ignore the beard detail
- Remove the person from the lineup before the witness sees them
Correct answer: Note the discrepancy in your report and present the lineup fairly
Officers must document all discrepancies objectively and present lineups fairly without coaching witnesses, allowing the justice process to assess credibility.
Question 7: You are studying a crime scene photograph showing a room with furniture, items on a table, and a broken window. After 60 seconds, the photo is removed. Which memorization strategy is MOST effective for recalling the scene's details?
- Memorize the most dramatic element first
- Scan systematically from left to right and foreground to background (Correct answer)
- Focus only on items near the broken window
- Count the number of objects before looking at their details
Correct answer: Scan systematically from left to right and foreground to background
A systematic scanning method ensures comprehensive coverage of a scene, reducing the chance of missing details compared to selective or random observation.
RCMP Memory and Observation 2
You observe a suspect vehicle for 30 seconds before it drives away.
The driver was wearing a red baseball cap, a grey hoodie, and had a visible tattoo on his left forearm.
When filing your report, which detail is MOST likely to aid identification?