If you had to describe someone to the police

[Soubriquet]

Due to witnessing a crime/victim of a crime could you do it?

I can’t. I witnessed a robbery once and all I could say was it was a man.

I couldn’t estimate age, height, weight.

Hair colour and everything was a blur.

I’m sure the police felt a bit with me but I seriously couldn’t describe anything.

But now when I think of it, I would struggle to describe most people. If I picture someone I had just met, I couldn’t describe them.

I once spent an hour in the company of a man telling me how he was going to murder a named police officer.

I memorised his hair, eye colour, face, name and even the brand name on his jacket. Then called the police. The local CID knew exactly who I wa describing.

It's only years later I remembered he had a really strong regional accent.

Yes, because I have a part time job where this is essential (monitoring CCTV and radio control at events). I often have to contact the emergency services for this job and give detailed accounts of what I've witnessed, as well as providing the detailed log of events. Its an acquired skill though, I'm not naturally observant.

I’m the same..I have that pro....something or other
Face blindness
Quite mildly...but enough to not recognise similar looking characters in films or seeing people I don’t know really well out of context.

I would not be able to describe my boss. I met her three (?) times four months ago and have never seen her since. It is just me in the office!

But then, I struggle with faces anyway!

Many years ago I used to work in a bank, and was sent on a training course for cashiers.
It was back in the day when you did get bank raids / hold ups, etc every now and then, so one part of the day was all about what to do in that scenario.
We were actually told we were going to watch a video of a bank raid and afterwards would be asked to write down whatever we could remember, and descriptions so we could help the police.
It was quite scary just how bad they were - how different from each other, and how wrong we were or how lacing in detail. We couldn't even agre on how many raiders there were. This was even though we were sat there like at the start of Kims game concentrating, and knowing there was about to 'be a raid'. There was no surprise element.

What they tried to teach us was techniques...... so notice how tall someone was compared to something they were standing by rather than trying to 'guess', etc.

They were really thorough in their questions when I had to describe someone kicking my fence in one night about 10 years ago. It took hours! I remember not being able to tell them much apart from that he was slim and had a stripy top on. They asked if the stripes were horizontal or vertical, were they wide or narrow and what colour they were. They asked what he sounded like and all I could say was that he sounded like a big dog in the way he was growling.

Prosopagnosia @Dowser me too

I would remember. Im shocked at how little you were able to describe.

The shop I worked in when I was still at school got held up and I was quite probably the worst witness ever

The only three things I could remember was the colour of the guys scarf round his face, the fact that his jacket was black and the cuffs were a slightly darker shade of black and that he was wearing Farenheit aftershave (it makes me sneeze so I can smell it from a distance)

I was within an arms length of the guy and that is literally all I could remember

I would be utterly useless. I am close to face blind. I really struggle with films if more than one character has the same hair color cos I can't tell them apart.

I am a 1-2-1 coach for a company, and was coaching someone for 8 hours one-to-one. The next day When I came to meet him in reception for the second day's coaching, I got confused which one he was cod there was another guy of roughly the same age and hair color..... things people say, on the other hand, I remember very clearly for years.

I was ok the only time this was tested.
But it wasn't a personal attack and I was angry that someone was damaging someone else's property so wanted to remember every detail I could.

There was a guy crouching beside another car in the work car park. I heard a hiss as he slashed the tyre. He turned his face away from me and got back into his car, then left. I got into mine and wrote down his number plate, then I let the car owner know. Next day the police took a statement.

The guy was blonde (not balding), mid height and slim, and I had his number plate (he'd used his own car). The police got him fine.

I would definitely find it hard. However, I once was asked to take part in an identity parade which was 18 months after the event. I picked him out instantly which I couldn’t believe 😂 Strange.

I would struggle

I do take notice of people’s height I’m only 5’2 so most adults are taller than me but anyone over 5’11 I will count as very tall

It’s interesting when you read up on witness statements and how many gaps we fill in ourselves

OP I think this all the time!

Maybe I'm remarkably unobservant but I am amazed at the things people seem to notice. And the fact that they are good at guesstimating height and weight. My late father could do this with incredible accuracy about someone he glanced at for 2 seconds in a committee meeting.

I don't even keep any kind of diary these days so if the police came round and said "what were you doing on the night of the 8th" if there was no reference in my messages, I wouldn't have a clue. I clear my messages regularly.

I notice everything but am professionally nosy - and used to have a job that required me to notice everything!

I was a witness in a street assault once and had very clear recollections of it - I was a witness at court and refused to accept the defence barrister trying to tell me I was muddled.

Nonstopbuttmachine was that Lark Lane post office? My uncle lived nearby and said he went to get his pension but carried on walking as he saw it getting done over. The way he casually dropped it into conversation made me think it was a regular event

I would not be able to describe my boss.

I’m trying that on a test of myself at the moment.

I could tell you average (?) height - but perhaps I’m wrong, build and colour hair but I’m struggling to even think of the words to describe him other than “he looks really normal”.

I’d clearly be of no help to anyone! Although I do remember car reg licences.

That sounds totally dodgy, I just mean sometimes when I see something that looks a bit suspicious I make a mental note of the car reg in case I have to report it.

I am AWFUL at this.
I did once have to report someone to request a welfare check after they left hospital against medical advice. I had to keep checking with colleagues re estimated height, hair colour, eye colour, clothing description. I was amazed at how much they could remember. i just knew he was an average looking white bloke.

I would be useless at this.
Sometimes I am out with DH and he will stop and chat with someone. After, I'll ask him who it was and he'll say something like, it's our neighbour, you know, the one we've lived next to for 4 years!