NTN Police - National Testing Network Police Observation and Recall Questions and Answers

Question 1

An officer is told to watch for a suspect who fled a retail store.
The witness provides the following description: 'He was a white male in his late 20s, approximately 6 feet tall with a thin build.
He had short, blonde hair and a goatee.
He was wearing a plain black t-shirt, faded blue jeans with a tear on the right knee, and brown work boots.
He was carrying a grey messenger bag over his left shoulder.' Based on this description, which detail would be most useful for immediate identification?

Accepted Answer

He had a tear on the right knee of his jeans.

Answer

He had blonde hair.

Answer

He wore a plain black t-shirt.

Answer

He was a white male.

Question 2

You briefly observe a vehicle leaving the scene of an accident. It is a dark-colored, four-door sedan. The license plate begins with 'LCN'. There is a circular sticker in the bottom left corner of the rear window and a noticeable scratch on the passenger-side rear door. The driver appeared to be a male wearing a red baseball cap. Which of the following is an accurate detail from this observation?

Accepted Answer

The driver was a male wearing a red baseball cap.

Answer

The license plate ended with 'LCN'.

Answer

There was a scratch on the driver-side door.

Answer

The car was a two-door coupe.

Question 3

Imagine you are shown a photograph of a room for 15 seconds. The room contains a rectangular wooden table with four chairs. On the table, there is a laptop, a blue coffee mug, and a single car key. A window with open blinds is on the left wall, and a painting of a sailboat is on the wall behind the table. A green backpack is on the floor under the table. Which of the following items was present in the room?

Accepted Answer

A painting of a sailboat on the wall.

Answer

A set of keys on the table.

Answer

A black backpack on a chair.

Answer

A window with closed curtains.

Question 4

During a patrol, an officer's attention is drawn to a sequence of events. First, a man parks a silver bicycle against a light post. Second, he enters a bakery. Third, a woman in a yellow coat walks past the bicycle. Finally, the man exits the bakery holding a small white bag. What happened immediately AFTER the man entered the bakery?

Accepted Answer

A woman in a yellow coat walked past the bicycle.

Answer

The man parked his bicycle.

Answer

The man exited the bakery.

Answer

The woman in the yellow coat spoke to the man.

Question 5

When an officer arrives at a complex and chaotic incident scene, which of the following is the most effective initial step for ensuring accurate observation and recall for a report?

Accepted Answer

Take a moment to perform a slow, systematic visual scan of the entire scene from a single vantage point.

Answer

Immediately separate and interview all witnesses to get their fresh perspective.

Answer

Focus on the most critically injured person and disregard other details.

Answer

Start collecting physical evidence before it can be moved or contaminated.

Question 6

An officer observes the following at an intersection: A blue car is stopped several feet past the white stop line. A pedestrian is standing on the corner, looking at their phone. The traffic light for the blue car is red. The crosswalk signal is displaying a 'Walk' symbol. Which of the following is a direct, factual observation from this scene, not an inference?

Accepted Answer

The traffic light for the blue car is red.

Answer

The driver of the blue car is impatient.

Answer

The pedestrian is waiting to cross the street.

Answer

The blue car has run a red light.