NYPD Visualization and Matching Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An officer is comparing a recent booking photo of a suspect to a photo from a driver's license issued five years ago. Which of the following is the most reliable feature for making a positive identification, assuming no major surgery has occurred?
- Hairstyle and color.
- Presence of facial hair.
- The distance between the eyes and the shape of the nose. (Correct answer)
- Wrinkles around the mouth.
Correct answer: The distance between the eyes and the shape of the nose.
Core facial structures like bone and cartilage (distance between eyes, nose shape) are the most permanent and reliable features for identification. Features like hair, facial hair, and superficial skin changes like wrinkles are easily altered or change significantly with age.
Question 2: A witness provides the following description of a person seen leaving a theft scene: "Average height, wearing a dark-colored hooded sweatshirt, light-colored pants, and carrying a distinct bright yellow backpack." An officer later observes four individuals a few blocks away. Which one should the officer prioritize for a stop based on the description?
- A tall individual in a black hoodie and black pants, carrying a black backpack.
- An individual of average height wearing a dark hoodie and light-colored pants, carrying a bright yellow backpack. (Correct answer)
- A short individual in a grey sweatshirt and blue jeans, walking with a pronounced limp.
- An individual of average height wearing a dark jacket and dark pants, carrying a yellow duffel bag.
Correct answer: An individual of average height wearing a dark hoodie and light-colored pants, carrying a bright yellow backpack.
This individual matches the most specific and unique combination of descriptors provided by the witness: average height, dark hoodie, light pants, and the highly distinctive bright yellow backpack. While other individuals may match one or two characteristics, this option presents the strongest overall match.
Question 3: An officer is viewing a photograph of a stolen vehicle. The photo shows a blue, four-door sedan with a large dent on the front passenger-side door, a roof rack, and a bumper sticker on the left side of the rear bumper. The officer reads the BOLO (Be On the Lookout) report which states: "Stolen vehicle: blue four-door sedan, significant dent on front passenger door, roof rack, sticker on the right side of the rear bumper." Which detail from the BOLO report conflicts with the photograph?
- The vehicle color.
- The location of the dent.
- The presence of a roof rack.
- The location of the bumper sticker. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: The location of the bumper sticker.
The photograph shows the sticker on the left side of the bumper, while the BOLO report incorrectly states it is on the right side. All other details in the report accurately match the visual information provided in the photograph.
Question 4: You are shown a wanted poster featuring a suspect with a unique tattoo on their forearm, described as 'a serpent coiled around a dagger pointing downwards.' Which of the following descriptions accurately matches this visual?
- A snake wrapped around a sword that is pointing up.
- A dragon wrapped around a dagger that is pointing down.
- A serpent wrapped around a dagger that is pointing down. (Correct answer)
- A serpent wrapped around a sword that is pointing sideways.
Correct answer: A serpent wrapped around a dagger that is pointing down.
This answer is the only one that correctly identifies all three key elements from the description: the creature (serpent, not dragon or snake), the object (dagger, not sword), and the orientation (pointing downwards). Effective matching requires attention to each specific detail.
Question 5: An officer briefly observes a suspect's car as it speeds away. The officer memorizes the license plate as "FBR-7432". After returning to the precinct, the officer is presented with four potential plate numbers from a database search. Which of the following is the correct match?
- FBR-7342
- FBR-7432 (Correct answer)
- FBR-4732
- FBR-7423
Correct answer: FBR-7432
This question tests the ability to accurately recall and match a specific sequence of letters and numbers. Transposition errors (swapping adjacent digits) are common, so careful matching is required. FBR-7432 is the exact sequence observed.
Question 6: You are shown a photograph of a busy intersection. In the foreground, a red car is stopped at a traffic light. To the right of the red car is a cyclist wearing a blue helmet. A newsstand is visible on the northwest corner of the intersection, and a bus is turning left. Based on this scene, which of the following statements is definitively true?
- The traffic light for the red car is green.
- The cyclist is wearing a red helmet.
- A bus is making a left turn within the intersection. (Correct answer)
- The newsstand is located on the southeast corner.
Correct answer: A bus is making a left turn within the intersection.
The description explicitly states that "a bus is turning left," making this statement factually correct based on the provided information. The other statements contain direct contradictions: the car is stopped at the light (implying it's not green), the cyclist's helmet is blue (not red), and the newsstand is on the northwest corner (not southeast).
NYPD Visualization and Matching Questions and Answers
An officer is comparing a recent booking photo of a suspect to a photo from a driver's license issued five years ago.
Which of the following is the most reliable feature for making a positive identification, assuming no major surgery has occurred?