Which of the following is a potential disadvantage of a supervisor investigating his or her own incident?

• A. It may be difficult to be unbiased.
• B. It may be faster.
• C. It may be more thorough.
• D. It may reveal confidential information.

Answer: (A)

Objectivity is the key issue when a supervisor investigates their own incident. A supervisor has a natural connection to the people and outcomes involved, which creates a conflict of interest. Even with the best intentions, this connection can influence how facts are gathered, which questions get asked, how evidence is weighed, and how conclusions are drawn. That potential bias undermines the credibility of the investigation and can erode trust in the results, making it the clearest disadvantage of self-investigation.

The other ideas aren’t as central here. It isn’t guaranteed to be faster, and it isn’t guaranteed to be more thorough—bias can actually hide important details or shade conclusions. Handling of confidential information is a concern in any investigation, but the core issue when the investigator is closely tied to the incident is the difficulty of staying unbiased.