When recording a suspect description for an incident report or BOLO, the most defensible approach is:
Explanation
A systematic head-to-toe descriptor minimizes omissions and produces a usable description for police, BOLO dispatch, and report consumers. The standard order: sex, race/ethnicity (as perceived), age estimate, height/weight, build, hair (color/length/style), eye color, facial hair, complexion, scars/marks/tattoos, accessories, clothing top-to-bottom (hat, shirt/jacket, pants, footwear, bags), then direction and mode of travel. Each element should be qualified ('approximately,' 'estimated') where precision is uncertain. General impressions (a), single features (c), and refusing descriptors (d) sacrifice operational utility. Profiling concerns are addressed by describing observed facts.
Law Reference: BSIS observation curriculum; standard police descriptor protocolPractice all 200 questions free — no signup required.
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