NDIT Surveillance Techniques 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An investigator loses sight of a subject during vehicle surveillance. What is the best immediate action?
- Speed through intersections to catch up
- Abandon the surveillance and report a failed attempt
- Proceed to a known destination or likely route of the subject (Correct answer)
- Call law enforcement for assistance
Correct answer: Proceed to a known destination or likely route of the subject
Anticipating the subject's likely destination or common route allows the investigator to reestablish contact without compromising the surveillance through reckless driving.
Question 2: What is the primary legal concern when placing a GPS tracking device on a subject's vehicle?
- Battery life of the device
- Ensuring the device is waterproof
- Whether the investigator has proper authorization or consent (Correct answer)
- The cost of the tracking service
Correct answer: Whether the investigator has proper authorization or consent
GPS tracking of a vehicle without proper legal authorization or the vehicle owner's consent may violate federal and state laws, including the Fourth Amendment protections.
Question 3: During a surveillance, an investigator notices the subject has stopped their vehicle and appears to be watching the investigator's car. This situation is called:
- A counter-surveillance action (Correct answer)
- A hot pursuit
- A cold canvas
- A pretext stop
Correct answer: A counter-surveillance action
Counter-surveillance occurs when a subject takes deliberate actions to detect, identify, or evade someone they believe is following them.
Question 4: Which type of photography is most useful for documenting surveillance evidence from a distance without alerting the subject?
- Wide-angle lens photography
- Telephoto lens photography (Correct answer)
- Flash photography
- Panoramic photography
Correct answer: Telephoto lens photography
Telephoto lenses allow investigators to capture clear, detailed images from a significant distance, avoiding detection while producing admissible photographic evidence.
Question 5: What does 'burn' mean in surveillance terminology?
- Destroying surveillance records after a case closes
- The subject discovers they are being watched (Correct answer)
- Setting a decoy to draw out a subject
- Submitting a time-sensitive surveillance report
Correct answer: The subject discovers they are being watched
A surveillance is said to be 'burned' when the subject becomes aware they are being watched, which typically ends the usefulness of that particular operation.
Question 6: When documenting surveillance observations in a log, what information is most critical to record?
- The investigator's personal opinions about the subject
- Date, time, location, and objective description of activities observed (Correct answer)
- Background information obtained from social media
- The names of unrelated bystanders in the area
Correct answer: Date, time, location, and objective description of activities observed
Accurate, objective surveillance logs must capture date, time, location, and factual descriptions of observed activities to ensure evidentiary value and credibility in legal proceedings.
Question 7: In surveillance, what is a 'choke point'?
- A location where communication becomes difficult
- A narrow area or route a subject must pass through (Correct answer)
- The point at which an investigator terminates surveillance
- A technique for stopping a subject's vehicle
Correct answer: A narrow area or route a subject must pass through
A choke point is a geographic location—such as a bridge, intersection, or doorway—that a subject must pass through, allowing investigators to reacquire the subject if contact is lost.
NDIT Surveillance Techniques 2
An investigator loses sight of a subject during vehicle surveillance.
What is the best immediate action?