FBI Dodges Senator’s Questions on Polygraph Screening

The FBI obfuscates and evades in a written response to questions posed by Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA) regarding the Bureau’s polygraph screening program. Senator Grassley’s questions, and the FBI’s responses, appear at pp. 47-50 of a document submitted to the Senate Judiciary Committee on 30 November 2006 and made available by the Federation of American … Read more

Los Alamos Scientist Organizes Resistance Against Polygraph Screening

Brad Lee Holian, a Laboratory Associate at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) and fellow of the American Physical Society, is organizing employee resistance against planned random polygraph and drug screening at the lab. Holian, who has worked as a theoretical physicist at LANL for more than thirty years, has publicized his proposal via the blog … Read more

U.S. Army: Polygraph Coaching Is a “Commonly Reported Questionable Intelligence Activity”

The Federation of American Scientists has obtained a copy of U.S. Army Regulation 381-10 (U.S. Army Intelligence Activities) dated 22 November 2005 under the Freedom of Information Act. Included in a list of “Commonly Reported Questionable Intelligence Activities” at section 15-4, para. d.3, is the following: Coaching a source or subject of an investigation prior … Read more

Operation Truth or Consequences: Polygraphing for Prevaricating Pedophiles in New York State

Associated Press writer Michael Gormley reports on the introduction of post-conviction polygraph screening of sex offenders in New York State: States use polygraphs to monitor paroled sex offenders By MICHAEL GORMLEY Associated Press Writer December 11, 2006, 6:43 PM EST ALBANY, N.Y. — When Andrew McDaniels, a convicted sex offender in upstate N.Y., was interviewed … Read more

Joint Terrorism Task Force Members Balk at FBI Polygraph Testing

Paul Bedard of U.S. News & World Report comments in his Washington Whispers column: “Oh, no you won’t” is the reaction of cops and other first responders to an almost rude FBI decision to ask its Joint Terrorism Task Force members to take a lie detector test. To the FBI, it’s a smart move: Since … Read more

Polygraph Dragnet Fails to Solve Jacksonville Fire Department Noose Mystery

Bridget Murphy reports for the Jacksonville, Florida Times-Union in “Lie-detector tests don’t help find truth.” Excerpt: After 28 lie-detector tests, 50 interviews and tests using DNA, fingerprints and palm prints, investigators don’t know who put two hangman’s nooses on the gear of two black Jacksonville firefighters. But a Sheriff’s Office report released Tuesday on the … Read more

Suffolk County, New York Poised to Expand Pre-employment Polygraph Screening

Long Island, New York Newsday staff writer Chau Lam reports in “Bill eyes polygraphs for some jobs”: Lie-detector tests could be required of applicants for civilian jobs in Suffolk law enforcement agencies under a proposal now before the county legislature. Sponsored by Legis. Daniel Losquadro (R-Shoreham), the bill would authorize the police department, the sheriff’s … Read more

The Polygraph and the Confession of Jonathan Pollard

Former Naval Investigative Service agent Ron Olive, to whom convicted Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard provided a confession, writes about the circumstances leading up to the confession in an article titled, “Detecting a lie: Agent recalls role in catching a spy” that was published 18 November 2006 by the Arizona Republic: I was the assistant special … Read more