PPAER - Public and Police Aptitude and Evaluation Report Observation and Memory Recall Questions and Answers 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An officer is shown a photograph of a busy street corner for 60 seconds. The photograph includes a blue car running a red light, a woman with a red umbrella crossing the street, a man in a green jacket talking on a cell phone, and a delivery truck with the logo 'Speedy Subs' parked in a no-parking zone. After a 5-minute delay, which of the following details would be most crucial to recall for a potential hit-and-run investigation?
- The woman's umbrella was red.
- The delivery truck was for 'Speedy Subs'.
- The man was wearing a green jacket.
- The blue car ran the red light. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: The blue car ran the red light.
In a hit-and-run scenario, the most critical piece of information is the action that constitutes the primary offense. The make, color, and action of the suspect vehicle (the blue car running the red light) are the most important details for initiating an investigation and alerting other units. While other details are good observations, they are secondary to the primary offense.
Question 2: You are dispatched to a loud noise complaint. Upon arrival, you interview the complainant, Mr. Jones, who states the following: 'My neighbor, Bob Smith, who lives at 123 Oak Street, started playing loud rock music from his garage at exactly 10:15 PM. He has a black 2-door Honda with license plate 5X-RAY-BOY-7. I asked him to turn it down, but he just yelled at me. This has happened three times this month.' Which of the following is a direct, factual observation made by the complainant?
- The music started at 10:15 PM. (Correct answer)
- Bob Smith is an inconsiderate neighbor.
- This was the third time it happened this month.
- Bob Smith yelled because he was angry.
Correct answer: The music started at 10:15 PM.
The statement that the music started at 'exactly 10:15 PM' is a specific, factual detail reported by the complainant. The other options involve inference, opinion, or summary. 'Inconsiderate neighbor' is an opinion. 'Third time this month' is a summary of past events, not a direct observation of the current one. Why Bob Smith yelled is an inference about his emotional state.
Question 3: An officer observes a suspect fleeing a convenience store. The suspect is described as a male, approximately 6'0", wearing a dark blue hoodie, light-colored jeans, and white sneakers. He is carrying a black backpack and runs east on Maple Avenue before turning south on 2nd Street. Which of the following details would be LEAST useful for an initial BOLO (Be On the Lookout) broadcast?
- Male, 6'0", wearing a dark blue hoodie.
- Carrying a black backpack.
- Wearing light-colored jeans and white sneakers.
- The suspect appeared to be in a hurry. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: The suspect appeared to be in a hurry.
The statement that the 'suspect appeared to be in a hurry' is a subjective inference and is not a descriptive physical detail. It is also redundant, as fleeing implies being in a hurry. The other options provide specific, objective details about the suspect's appearance and actions that are crucial for other officers to identify him.
Question 4: Imagine you are shown the following sequence of alphanumeric characters for 10 seconds: J-7-R-4-P-9-T-2. After a 30-second delay, which of the following sequences correctly represents the one you were shown?
- J-7-R-4-P-2-T-9
- J-7-R-4-P-9-T-2 (Correct answer)
- J-7-R-5-P-9-T-2
- J-7-R-4-B-9-T-2
Correct answer: J-7-R-4-P-9-T-2
This question directly tests short-term memory recall and attention to detail. The correct answer is an exact match of the sequence presented. The incorrect options introduce common memory errors, such as transposing characters (A), substituting a similar-sounding number (C), or substituting a visually similar letter (D).
Question 5: While on patrol, you witness a minor traffic collision. A red sedan rear-ends a white SUV at a stop sign. The driver of the sedan is a woman with blonde hair, and the driver of the SUV is a man in a business suit. There is a passenger in the SUV. The sedan's license plate is ABC-123. The SUV's license plate is XYZ-789. What information is critical to recall but was NOT explicitly provided in this scenario?
- The color and type of the vehicles involved.
- The license plate number of the red sedan.
- The description of the drivers.
- The specific location of the intersection. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: The specific location of the intersection.
The scenario provides details about the vehicles, drivers, and license plates. However, it never states the specific location (e.g., 'the corner of Main St. and Park Ave.'). For any official report or follow-up, the exact location of the incident is a fundamental and critical piece of information that an officer must observe and record.
Question 6: An officer briefly glances at a suspect's identification card. The name is 'Christopher B. Roberts,' the date of birth is '07/14/1985,' the address is '4550 N. Ashwood Dr.,' and the expiration date is '11/30/2027.' Later, when running the name through the system, the officer must rely on memory. Which of the following represents the most likely 'transposition' error the officer might make?
- Entering the name as 'Christopher G. Roberts.'
- Entering the address as '4550 N. Ashwood St.'
- Entering the DOB as '07/14/1958.'
- Entering the address as '4505 N. Ashwood Dr.' (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Entering the address as '4505 N. Ashwood Dr.'
A transposition error involves swapping the positions of characters. Entering '4505' instead of '4550' is a classic example of transposing the middle two digits. The other options represent different types of errors: substitution of a letter (A), substitution of a word (B), or a significant number error that is not a simple transposition (C).
