Surveillance Methods & Technology Flashcards
7 cards from real CFI practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Surveillance Methods & Technology flashcards as text
A fire investigator discovers that a suspect purchased accelerant using a store loyalty card. This data is BEST obtained through:
Answer: A subpoena or search warrant served on the retailer
Retail loyalty card transaction records are held by the retailer and typically require a subpoena or search warrant to compel disclosure.
Which surveillance method is used to detect and document vehicle movements across multiple jurisdictions during a fire investigation?
Answer: Statewide or regional ALPR network data integration
Regional ALPR network data integration allows investigators to trace vehicle movements across multiple jurisdictions by aggregating license plate reads from various locations.
When a fire investigator uses photogrammetry software on surveillance images, the PRIMARY goal is to:
Answer: Calculate real-world measurements and distances from image data
Photogrammetry extracts accurate dimensional measurements from photographs or video, allowing investigators to estimate heights, distances, and object sizes from camera imagery.
A fire investigator identifies that a witness recorded the fire on a smartphone. To preserve this footage as evidence, the investigator should:
Answer: Perform a bit-for-bit forensic extraction preserving all metadata
Forensic extraction preserves the original file along with all embedded metadata such as timestamps, GPS coordinates, and device identifiers critical to authentication.
In surveillance conducted in areas where a reasonable expectation of privacy exists, fire investigators acting without law enforcement authority must:
Answer: Obtain consent or coordinate with law enforcement to obtain appropriate legal authorization
Investigators operating in areas with a reasonable expectation of privacy must secure consent or work through law enforcement channels to obtain warrants, protecting evidence admissibility.
An investigator reviewing surveillance footage from a neighboring business notices the fire appears to start simultaneously in two separate areas of the building. This observation MOST strongly suggests:
Answer: Multiple points of origin consistent with incendiary fire
Simultaneous ignition at spatially separated locations is a hallmark indicator of an incendiary fire involving multiple set points.
Which challenge is UNIQUE to obtaining surveillance footage from a wireless IP camera system compared to a traditional wired DVR?
Answer: Footage may be stored in the cloud and require legal process to access from a third-party provider
Wireless IP cameras often offload recordings to cloud storage managed by third-party providers, requiring legal process such as a subpoena or warrant to retrieve the footage.