Speaking in unusually blunt terms for a senior law enforcement official, El Paso, Texas chief of police Greg Allen has decried the polygraph as a “piece of junk,” while El Paso Municipal Police Officers Association president Bobby Holguin has pronounced it “garbage.” Adriana M. Chávez reports for the El Paso Times:
EL PASO — The El Paso Police Department has dropped the use of polygraph exams — commonly known as lie detector tests — on police officers during internal investigations because the results were considered useless.
Until several months ago, the exams were used when complaints were filed against officers.
Police Chief Greg Allen, who was appointed police chief in late March, called the exams a “piece of junk” and the president of the police union said they are “garbage.”
In August, the El Paso City Council approved a new contract with the El Paso Municipal Officers Association that made it possible for an officer to request an independent polygraph examiner to administer the test, instead of one employed by the department, if the chief requests a polygraph test.
But the new administration of Chief Allen simply decided to not use them even though they are still an option.
Criminal suspects also have the option of taking a polygraph test, said police spokesman Officer Chris Mears.
The Police Department has three police officers who are certified to administer polygraph tests.
Both Allen and El Paso Municipal Police Officers Association President Robert “Bobby” Holguin said they have issues with the accuracy of polygraph tests.
Allen and Holguin are in good company. The consensus view among scientists is that polygraphy has no scientific basis.