Colorado POST Practice Exam

Which of the following is considered physical evidence at a crime scene?

1. Witness interviews

2. Fingerprints

3. Police reports

4. Surveillance footage

The correct answer is: Fingerprints

Physical evidence refers to tangible items that can be collected and analyzed to provide information about a crime. Fingerprints are a form of physical evidence because they are unique to each individual and can link a suspect to a crime scene or victim. They can be collected from various surfaces and subjected to analysis to identify or exclude potential suspects. In contrast, witness interviews, police reports, and surveillance footage represent types of evidence that rely on human accounts or recordings rather than direct physical items left behind at the scene. While surveillance footage can contain visual evidence of a crime, it is not classified as physical evidence in the same manner as items that can be directly touched and analyzed, like fingerprints. This distinction underlines why fingerprints are a clear example of physical evidence at a crime scene.