PCI Surveillance Methods & Technology 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When conducting a moving vehicle surveillance, which technique minimizes the risk of being 'made' by the subject?
- Maintain a fixed one-car gap at all times
- Use a two- or three-vehicle rotating team with radio coordination (Correct answer)
- Follow closely to avoid losing the subject at traffic lights
- Always use the same lane as the subject vehicle
Correct answer: Use a two- or three-vehicle rotating team with radio coordination
A rotating team allows different vehicles to take the follow position, preventing the subject from recognizing a single car trailing them consistently.
Question 2: What is the primary legal concern when using a GPS tracking device on a subject's vehicle during a private investigation?
- Device battery life affecting data reliability
- Whether the client owns or has legal authority over the vehicle (Correct answer)
- Signal interference from urban structures
- Data storage capacity of the device
Correct answer: Whether the client owns or has legal authority over the vehicle
Attaching a GPS tracker to a vehicle requires legal authority—typically ownership or consent—because unauthorized tracking may violate federal and state wiretapping or stalking laws.
Question 3: A subject enters a building with multiple exits. What is the BEST surveillance strategy?
- Post one investigator at the main entrance and wait
- Abandon surveillance until the subject re-emerges
- Deploy team members at key exits and communicate via radio (Correct answer)
- Enter the building to maintain visual contact
Correct answer: Deploy team members at key exits and communicate via radio
Covering multiple exits with coordinated team members and radio communication prevents the subject from leaving undetected through an unmonitored exit.
Question 4: Which camera lens characteristic is MOST important for covert long-distance surveillance photography?
- Wide-angle focal length for broader coverage
- Long telephoto focal length to capture detail from distance (Correct answer)
- Fixed focal length for image stability
- Macro capability for close-up detail
Correct answer: Long telephoto focal length to capture detail from distance
A long telephoto lens allows the investigator to photograph subjects from a discreet distance while still capturing identifiable detail.
Question 5: During a stationary (fixed) surveillance, an investigator notices neighbors becoming suspicious. The BEST response is to:
- Confront the neighbors and explain the operation
- Immediately relocate to a new observation point (Correct answer)
- Continue the surveillance and ignore the neighbors
- Call law enforcement to handle the neighbors
Correct answer: Immediately relocate to a new observation point
Relocating preserves the covert nature of the operation; staying risks the neighbors alerting the subject or escalating the situation.
Question 6: What does 'burn' mean in the context of surveillance operations?
- Destroying surveillance evidence after collection
- The subject becoming aware they are being surveilled (Correct answer)
- Using incendiary devices to access a location
- Overexposing photographic film in the field
Correct answer: The subject becoming aware they are being surveilled
A surveillance is 'burned' when the subject identifies the investigator or realizes they are being watched, compromising the operation.
Question 7: In digital video surveillance, what is the purpose of metadata embedded in recorded footage?
- To compress file size for easier storage
- To provide date, time, and location data that supports evidentiary chain of custody (Correct answer)
- To encrypt footage from unauthorized viewing
- To automatically delete footage after a set period
Correct answer: To provide date, time, and location data that supports evidentiary chain of custody
Metadata timestamps and location data help establish the authenticity and chain of custody of video evidence, which is critical for legal admissibility.
PCI Surveillance Methods & Technology 2
When conducting a moving vehicle surveillance, which technique minimizes the risk of being 'made' by the subject?