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I was thinking about calling the recruiter or HR person at the dept and explaining that everything was going well, or so I thought, and he accused me of lying...that my chart was "all over the place". I can't think of anything else I can do. My only hope is that my CVSA comes out okay in a couple of weeks and that I get a job offer from the other agency I applied at. Maybe they will never hear about this...or maybe I'll have some explainging to do. I really have nothing to hide so hopefully it will work out okay.
Posted by: Johnn Posted on: Sep 8th, 2005 at 1:07am
Some of the other places I applied use the CVSA, and I guess that they will indeed share my results with each other. Like I said above, I did not have anything to hide. So, if an examaner asks me if I have had a poly before, I can say I was nervous and that I was honest. He did not say I was deceptive on any of the drug, DUI, stealing/theft, honesty questions. It was an undetected crime question, and I was being truthful. My only hope is that this will not ruin my chances of becoming a cop forever. I am extremely disappointed with myself and this whole process, I thought I was headed to do some good and now some poly "expert" calls me a liar to my face. It has been a very discouraging day. Any advice would be appreciated.
I"ve been doing a lot of research on the polygraph lately - believe me, I now completely understand George's "obsession". It's very traumatic to have to go through this ordeal. In any case, I found out that a lot of people are accused of using drugs. It's unbelievable. Funny, since my polygrapher told me that "it's very rare for people to come here and say they've never used drugs". What a load of baloney.
Some of the other places I applied use the CVSA, and I guess that they will indeed share my results with each other. Like I said above, I did not have anything to hide. So, if an examaner asks me if I have had a poly before, I can say I was nervous and that I was honest. He did not say I was deceptive on any of the drug, DUI, stealing/theft, honesty questions. It was an undetected crime question, and I was being truthful. My only hope is that this will not ruin my chances of becoming a cop forever. I am extremely disappointed with myself and this whole process, I thought I was headed to do some good and now some poly "expert" calls me a liar to my face. It has been a very discouraging day. Any advice would be appreciated.
Posted by: George W. Maschke Posted on: Sep 7th, 2005 at 9:10pm
While it is possible that your polygrapher was bluffing when he told you that you "failed," it seems more likely that he meant it.
The agency with which you applied can, and probably will, share your polygraph results with other agencies with which you apply.
Additionally, if other agencies with which you apply use the same polygrapher, your chances of "passing" will be quite slim, because that would entail the polygrapher contradicting his own earlier result.
Even worse, during the "pre-test" phase, polygraphers always ask examinees whether they have been polygraphed before. At that point, you have little choice but to mention your previous polygraph failure. This will tend to bias the polygrapher against you from the outset.
Posted by: JB933 Posted on: Sep 7th, 2005 at 7:40pm
Well, he said "you failed the test", so I guess I did. He tried to get me to admit to something, but since I had nothing to give him he got confrontational and pissy. The whole "I can't help you if you don't help me" crap . I just hope this doesn't hurt me too much with other agencies that I have applied to, that really wouldn't be fair.
Posted by: Johnn Posted on: Sep 7th, 2005 at 6:27pm
I took a polygraph yesterday morning for a LE agency. The guy was polite, at the beginning. The whole test consisted of relevant questions, no controls. He went over the 15 or 20 questions twice. Everything he did went by what the book said. Then, he tells me that one question is bothering me. He asks me "what question do you think it is". I said it was probably the one about undetected crimes, he nods. I told him that I have nothing to hide and that noone could be 100% sure that they have never committed an undetected crime. He accused me of lying and told me that I failed. I didn't admit to anything (I had nothing to hide), and he told me I could leave. Is it possible that he was bluffing? And, will they share my results to other agences that I am applying to? This was a private polygraph place, not a police dept. one.
Isn't the stress unbearable? When I asked my polygrapher (FBI) if I failed, I saw his eyes open wide as if I put him on the spot. He refused to say that I failed - he just kept on saying that "there is a discrepancy with your psyiological symptoms and the drug question". For some reason or another he didn't provide me with an answer- I think it's because the charts are reviewed by someone else - maybe headquarters, and the tester might not be at liberty to say. (correct me if I'm wrong). So in your case, if your polygrapher told you outright that you failed, I would guess, based on my experience that you did.
But, on a more severe side note, the fact that you told him what specific question was bothering you before he told you, put you in the polygrapher's "automatic trap". So yes, I guess based on my expereince and the documents that I've read here after my experience that you did indeed fail.
Posted by: JB933 Posted on: Sep 7th, 2005 at 5:59pm
I took a polygraph yesterday morning for a LE agency. The guy was polite, at the beginning. The whole test consisted of relevant questions, no controls. He went over the 15 or 20 questions twice. Everything he did went by what the book said. Then, he tells me that one question is bothering me. He asks me "what question do you think it is". I said it was probably the one about undetected crimes, he nods. I told him that I have nothing to hide and that noone could be 100% sure that they have never committed an undetected crime. He accused me of lying and told me that I failed. I didn't admit to anything (I had nothing to hide), and he told me I could leave. Is it possible that he was bluffing? And, will they share my results to other agences that I am applying to? This was a private polygraph place, not a police dept. one.