What is the difference between direct observation and indirect observation in a report?

• A. Direct observation is the officer's own seeing or hearing; indirect observation is information supplied by others.
• B. Direct observation is information supplied by others; indirect observation is the officer's own senses.
• C. Direct observation is always written; indirect observation is spoken.
• D. Direct observation is from dispatch data; indirect observation is from body-worn camera.

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is distinguishing first-hand observations from second-hand information in a report. Direct observation is what you personally perceive through your senses during the incident—what you saw, heard, smelled, or felt firsthand. Indirect observation is information you did not witness yourself, coming from others such as witnesses, victims, or information relayed by dispatch or other officers. In a report, you present your own observations as what you directly experienced, and you clearly attribute any secondhand information to its source (for example, “witness stated…” or “dispatch reported…”). This separation preserves accuracy and credibility, and helps the reader understand what was directly observed versus what was relayed by someone else. The other options mix up sources or imply different formats, which isn’t consistent with how reports distinguish between direct sensory perception and secondhand information.