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.
