BMO Investigation Procedures & Methods 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: During a workplace investigation, what is the primary purpose of establishing a 'chain of custody' for physical evidence?
- To speed up the investigation timeline
- To ensure evidence integrity and admissibility (Correct answer)
- To limit access to senior investigators only
- To reduce documentation requirements
Correct answer: To ensure evidence integrity and admissibility
Chain of custody documents who handled evidence, when, and how, ensuring its integrity and legal admissibility.
Question 2: A BMO investigator discovers that a key witness is also a potential suspect. What is the most appropriate course of action?
- Immediately terminate the witness's employment
- Continue the interview without disclosing the conflict
- Separate the witness and suspect roles and consult legal counsel (Correct answer)
- Discard the witness's testimony entirely
Correct answer: Separate the witness and suspect roles and consult legal counsel
When a witness is also a suspect, investigators must separate these roles and consult legal counsel to ensure procedural fairness.
Question 3: Which investigative technique involves systematically reviewing financial records to identify discrepancies or patterns of fraud?
- Surveillance monitoring
- Forensic accounting (Correct answer)
- Behavioral profiling
- Content analysis
Correct answer: Forensic accounting
Forensic accounting applies accounting and auditing skills to examine financial records for evidence of fraud or misconduct.
Question 4: When conducting a covert investigation, what legal threshold must typically be met before implementing employee monitoring?
- Supervisor preference alone is sufficient
- Reasonable suspicion based on documented evidence (Correct answer)
- Unanimous board approval
- A completed investigation report
Correct answer: Reasonable suspicion based on documented evidence
Covert monitoring generally requires reasonable suspicion supported by documented evidence to withstand legal challenge.
Question 5: An investigator notices that a subject's account of events changes significantly between the first and second interview. This is best documented as:
- Proof of guilt requiring immediate termination
- An inconsistent statement to be noted and explored further (Correct answer)
- Grounds to dismiss the investigation
- Evidence of witness coaching
Correct answer: An inconsistent statement to be noted and explored further
Changed accounts must be documented as inconsistencies and explored through follow-up questions rather than treated as automatic proof of wrongdoing.
Question 6: What is the role of a 'fact-finding interview' versus a 'disciplinary interview' in an investigation?
- Both serve identical purposes and can be used interchangeably
- Fact-finding gathers information; disciplinary interviews address rule violations (Correct answer)
- Fact-finding is only for managers; disciplinary interviews are for all staff
- Disciplinary interviews must precede fact-finding interviews
Correct answer: Fact-finding gathers information; disciplinary interviews address rule violations
Fact-finding interviews gather information without presupposing wrongdoing, while disciplinary interviews address specific alleged violations.
Question 7: When an investigation involves potential criminal conduct, what should a BMO officer do regarding law enforcement involvement?
- Always conduct the full internal investigation before notifying police
- Consult legal counsel and determine whether mandatory reporting obligations apply (Correct answer)
- Immediately turn over all evidence to law enforcement without preserving copies
- Handle all criminal matters internally to protect company reputation
Correct answer: Consult legal counsel and determine whether mandatory reporting obligations apply
BMO officers must consult legal counsel to assess mandatory reporting requirements and coordinate properly with law enforcement when criminal conduct is suspected.
BMO Investigation Procedures & Methods 2
During a workplace investigation, what is the primary purpose of establishing a 'chain of custody' for physical evidence?