lostfaith wrote on May 24^th, 2008 at 3:06pm:


lostfaith,

I have to agree with George, most inactivated personnel files get discarded after a certain number of year.  However, as also stated, they will ask you if you have ever taken a polygraph before.  Just tell them yes and it didn't work out.  Since it has been so long, I doubt anyone will care.

Regarding legal sexual activity, an examiner has no business asking you those type questions.  If ever presented I would simply repond by stating it has nothing to do with the pre-employment process. 

As for your activities reported.  It really is not prostitution to loan someone money to obtain sexual services.  And, it is not a massage therapist that offers to "touch" your privates; it's a hooker!

Nonetheless, these are not significant issues for a law enforcement position and would certainly not prevent you from being hired.  BUT!  You bring it up as significant, therefore, I would suggest you advise the examiner it was bothering you.  My guess is he'll probably laugh it off.

BTW, you never said why you reportedly didn't pass your last test, 8 years ago. 

Just curious?


Sackett

BTW, many departments use the polygraph as a means to deny employment, even though an applicant may have passed.  It alows them to claim a reason, when there may be others they want or something said during the pre-test doesn't sit well with the HR folks.

Quote:


Finally, an HONEST polygrapher!

Well, polygraphers on this board have assured us that examiners are there to "help the applicant get through the process".  I guess this guy was just an exception.  NOT!

Fail a federal polygraph and you DO get blackballed!  And you get calls out of the blue from FBI agents from the local field office wanting to talk with you!

TC

lostfaith,

There's no need to mention the state agency that polygraphed you nearly eight years ago. I'd be surprised if the agency held on to applicant polygraph records more than five years, but it's possible. I agree that it was completely inappropriate for the polygrapher to ask you about your sex life. While I can understand how job applicants who are ambushed with such a line of questioning might, in a state of shock, be cowed into answering them, I think the appropriate answer to such questions is "crappity smack you, asshole!"

I sincerely hope that your past polygraph experience won't become a hindrance to your finding employment with a law enforcement agency. But so long as you remain an educator, I hope you won't allow your students to remain uneducated about lie detectors.

George thank you for responding so quickly. The poly I took was with a state agency and i am afraid to give details because I know he frequents this site. I can tell you this he was so concerned that i would use countermeasures that he said dont worry if you lie to me I will have you blackballed from ever working in LE. I am currently a teacher and to think that I am branded a liar when I told the truth kills me. He questioned everything... I knew nothing about taking a poly other than to tell the truth.

I didnt feel nervous at all when hooked to the machine. Except for the fact that he kept on-and-on about what my wife likes to do to me. It was quite unprofessional and wanting to do the right thing I answered truthfully. I really wish I had done some research in regards to the poly. I have read messages on both this site and polygraphplace.com and believe that by reading both I have become more educated.

Let me ask the anti poly community a question or even Sackett... if I lend someone money for sex does that mean I paid for sex. Also if I go to get a massage and the massage therapist offers to touch my private parts and does touch them then you ask her to stop does that mean you paid for sex? 

The reason I ask is the more people I see passing the polygraph that have gambling, drug, or alcohol problems is rampant. 

I now want to devote some of my energy to helping the truthful get the job they desire.

lostfaith,

You didn't state what agency gave you your polygraph. If it was a state or local agency, it's possible that your polygraph report has been discarded, given the time elapsed. But as TC notes, if you apply for any position that requires a polygraph, the polygrapher is going to ask you about any past polygraph examinations you may have had.

If the agency that polygraphed you was a federal one, then your polygraph results may be retained indefinitely. And despite any promise of confidentiality you may have been given, federal agencies do share polygraph reports. See, for example, the post CIA Released My Sexual History.

Quote:


Most security applications ask if the applicant has ever been administered  a polygraph, and if so, when and where.

TC

I took a poly about eight years ago and was grilled for about three hours over every little detail of my life. I was asked about my sex life with my wife in detail which I could not understand why. 

My question is I want to apply to another agency, will the info from that poly be given to the next agency i apply to. I plan on telling the truth once again... but like many on this site I made admissions that I think would have DQ'd me. Drinking and driving. I am also affraid to give more details because I know mt polygrapher reads this site... he is the one who told me about it. BTW I have been on this site since the day after my poly although I was not registered.