Watch this video closely (just once), then let's talk about it…
You just saw what appeared to be a crime: a man stealing a camera. The bad guy got away, but it’s OK. This wasn’t real. It was a simulation to help demonstrate how hard it is to be a good witness.
Think about it. Can you describe the man who took the camera with absolute certainty?
What was he wearing? Did he have any facial hair? How about glasses or a hat?
“As a police officer responding to a scene, you may have some very accurate descriptions and some very inaccurate descriptions,” Detective Patrick Altiere of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office explained.
It’s not uncommon for people to have a slightly different recollection of what they witnessed. We all see things in different ways.
“What you take in by vision is highly selective,” said Dr. Daniel Reisberg, professor of psychology at Reed College. “One person might focus on the face, feature-by-feature, where somebody else might get a global impression.”
Unlike video which replays an exact replica, psychologists have found that memories are reconstructed. Witnesses recall events piece by piece. Fragments of the memory may be unknowingly combined. Witnesses can also create false memories.
“It’s a problem with stress and a situation you are not used to being in,” explained detective Altiere. “Your mind fills in the gaps- which isn’t necessarily helpful.”
To be a better witness, the detective offered a few tips.
Stay calm and stay safe
Don’t try to stop the bad guy. You don’t want to get hurt. Instead, police suggest you find a safe location to watch what is happening around you.
Get a good description, focus on specifics
Investigators want to know the basics. Was the suspect a man or a woman? How tall? What was the suspect wearing? But, the more specific a witness can be, the better. For example, it is helpful if a witness can describe unique facial hair, tattoos or jewelry. In a crowd of people, police need to narrow their search based on specific information.
After the crime, write down notes
Quickly, grab a pen or pencil and write down everything you can about what you witnessed.
“If you write it down right after it happens, you can go back and jog you memory and it might even cause you to remember a detail that’s sort of buried in the writing,” explained detective Altiere.
Take photos or video
Almost everybody has a cell phone camera. If you are in a safe location, take out your camera and shoot photos or video. A quick image of a suspect leaving a scene or driving away can be incredibly valuable to investigators.
By the way, how did you do describing the suspect?
A closer look reveals he does have a beard, was not wearing glasses, was wearing a baseball cap with the University of Oregon “O” logo, and had blue jeans on. And a reminder: He's not really a bad guy! He just played one on TV.