Podcast: Describing a Suspect to the Police
Tall, male, dark hair, jeans and a T-shirt…
Think about how many people you know who could fit that description.
Exactly.
Being a witness is one of the hardest jobs around, especially if you’re also the victim: your heart is racing, your head is spinning and your body is so full of adrenaline you could probably lift an elephant.
I actually had to describe a suspect once after my home was broken into one Sunday afternoon: he was skinny, short, wore red shorts and a white T-shirt and had black curly hair. I only saw him for about 5 seconds so it was hard to remember every detail!
But there are a few things that would help you and the police, should you find yourself in this situation, either as a victim or witness. Here Minneapolis Police Dept.’s Officer Ron Reier offers helpful tips on how to describe a suspect to the police after a crime:
- Describing a suspect.mp3 (click on the link to listen)
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UPDATE: Can’t listen to the podcast? Read the full transcript…