What does it mean to be subjective?

• A. Observations an officer makes at the scene
• B. Verifiable facts
• C. The date and time
• D. The color of vehicle

Answer: (A)

Being subjective means relying on personal feelings, opinions, and interpretations rather than on facts that can be independently verified. At a scene, an officer’s observations can include impressions about what might be happening, why someone acted a certain way, or how dangerous the situation seemed. These impressions come from the officer’s perspective, experiences, and biases, and they can vary between observers. Because they reflect internal judgment, they’re not verifiable in the same way as objective data and should be identified as subjective when documenting reports to prevent misrepresentation.

That’s why the choice describing observations an officer makes at the scene fits best: it captures the impression-based input that can be colored by perception. In contrast, details like verifiable facts, the date and time, or the color of a vehicle are observable data that can be confirmed and are objective, not influenced by personal viewpoint.