Observational Recall Flashcards

Read the following description from a field observation report and answer the question that follows. 'At 11:30 hours, I observed a male subject loitering near the west entrance of the Grand Central Market. The subject was approximately 5'10", medium build, wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, faded blue jeans, and white athletic shoes. He was carrying a green backpack over his right shoulder. He had short brown hair and a noticeable scar above his left eyebrow. After a few minutes, he met with a second individual, who was wearing a red baseball cap and a grey jacket. The two spoke for less than a minute before walking northbound on Hill Street.' Which of the following was a specific, unique identifying feature of the first subject observed?

Answer: He had a scar above his left eyebrow.

The scar above the left eyebrow is a unique and permanent physical characteristic, making it the most specific identifying feature among the choices. The other options describe common clothing or general features that are less useful for positive identification.

A deputy receives a BOLO (Be On the Lookout) for a vehicle involved in a recent theft. The dispatcher reads the following information: 'All units, be on the lookout for a late-model, four-door, dark blue sedan, possibly a Honda Accord. The vehicle has significant damage to the rear passenger-side bumper. A witness reported a partial license plate of 7-KING-ADAM-1-2. The vehicle was last seen heading eastbound on Olympic Blvd.' Which piece of information from this broadcast would be MOST crucial for positively identifying the specific vehicle?

Answer: The partial license plate is 7KAI12.

The partial license plate provides the most specific and unique set of characters for identifying a particular vehicle. While color, model, and direction of travel are helpful, many vehicles match that general description. The license plate is the most distinguishing detail.

A witness describes a sequence of events to a deputy. Read the statement and answer the question below. 'The man in the tan jacket first tried to open the driver-side door of the silver car. When it didn't open, he walked to the back of the car and looked around for a moment. After that, he used a rock to smash the rear passenger window. He then reached inside, unlocked the door, and got into the back seat.' According to the witness's statement, what did the man do immediately AFTER looking around at the back of the car?

Answer: He used a rock to smash the rear passenger window.

The statement provides a clear sequence of events. The action that immediately followed 'he walked to the back of the car and looked around' was 'he used a rock to smash the rear passenger window'. The other options occurred either before or after this specific step.

Imagine you are shown a photograph for 30 seconds of a street corner. The description is as follows: 'The photo shows a busy intersection with a crosswalk. On the northeast corner, there is a coffee shop named 'The Daily Grind.' A green municipal bus with the number '4' is stopped at a bus stop in front of the shop. A woman in a yellow raincoat is walking a small white dog. The traffic light for eastbound traffic is red.' Based on this description, which of the following statements is ACCURATE?

Answer: The traffic light for eastbound traffic was red.

The description explicitly states, 'The traffic light for eastbound traffic is red.' The other options contain incorrect details: the shop was 'The Daily Grind,' the bus was green and numbered '4,' and it was a woman with a small white dog, not a man with a brown one.

A deputy interviews a victim of a purse snatching. The victim provides the following description of the suspect: 'He was very tall, probably 6'3", with a thin build. He wore a grey beanie, a black t-shirt with some kind of white logo on the front, and dark pants. He had a short, patchy beard. The most memorable thing was a large tattoo of a spiderweb on his neck.' Based on this description, which detail would be the LEAST useful for a BOLO (Be On the Lookout) broadcast?

Answer: Wearing dark pants.

While all details are useful, 'wearing dark pants' is the most generic and least distinguishing feature. Many people wear dark pants, making it the least helpful detail for singling out a specific individual compared to a unique tattoo, a specific height/build combination, or distinct facial hair.

Read the following incident detail. 'Upon arriving at the park, deputies observed two individuals in a heated argument near the fountain. Suspect #1 was a male, wearing a white t-shirt, blue shorts, and had a skateboard. Suspect #2 was also a male, wearing a white t-shirt, but with black jeans and holding a red bicycle helmet. Suspect #1 had blond hair, while Suspect #2 had dark, curly hair.' What was the key visual difference between the two individuals' clothing below the waist?

Answer: One wore blue shorts, and the other wore black jeans.

The question specifically asks for the difference in clothing below the waist. The description states Suspect #1 wore 'blue shorts' and Suspect #2 wore 'black jeans'. The other options describe hair color or items they were holding, not their lower-body clothing.