The Corpus Christi Caller Times reports in an article titled, “County clerk’s office employees asked to take polygraph tests.” This short article is reproduced in full below:
From staff reports
Employees at the Nueces County Clerk’s office are being asked to submit to polygraph exams as investigators continue to probe the disappearance of $4,700, said County Clerk Ernest Briones.
The money, collected from court fees and fines, was found to be missing last month when office staff reconciled bank statements.
Sheriff Larry Olivarez said the investigation has been difficult because the money was missing for several days before his department was notified. “It’s a difficult case because of the circumstances leading up to the disappearance of the money,” he said.
The office has 25 employees but only employees in the collections and treasury sections of the office were asked to take the polygraph tests, Briones said.
“They do have a choice,” Briones said. “I think the law is such that they can refuse to take it.”
Nueces County Clerk Ernest M. Briones is giving employees a devil’s choice between agreeing to have their honesty assessed based on a pseudoscientific trial by ordeal or refusing and appearing to have something to hide. You can help set him straight on polygraph testing by sending a note through his office’s web-based feedback form:
http://www.co.nueces.tx.us/countyclerk/feedback.asp
or by e-mail to countyclerk@nueces.esc2.net or by phone at (361) 888-0580 or by fax at (361) 888-0329.