Hello,


    I took a lie detector test for a police officer position last month and the examiner initially told me I pass with no problem. I told the truth during my pre-background investigation and my background is spotless. I never used drug, steal, drink alcohol, used contermeasure, or read about lie detector test because I believed honesty is the best way to go in life. I was completely honest to the investigator and to the examiner. So, when I took the test, I pass with flying colors. The examiner told me there was not a problem with the result. He even congraduated me and we chat for awhile. I was so happy and relieve that it was over. However, a month goes by and I received a letter telling me that I have fail the test. I can't believe this at all. I talked to the examiner again and he can't believe this also. Some guy at the police department looked at my result from the test and concluded that I was not telling the truth or used some kind of contermeasure. That is not fair. How come two experts come up with different results if lie detector is so accurate? I would trust the examiner who was there giving me the test than  some guy in the office looking at my graph result and made conclusion about me. Imagine some guy ruin my opportunity in couple of minutes while tarnnished my name and reputation at the same time. This is not fair. Can the guy accept the possibility that  I really pass because I was telling the truth. I'm an honest person and believe in the system but this is not right.

Upset,

You're quite right that the scoring of polygraph charts is subjective. Others have shared your experience of passing and later being told they did not pass, after all.

If you haven't already done so, I suggest that you download and read our free book, The Lie Behind the Lie Detector. In Chapter 3, you'll learn how these pseudoscientific "tests" are administered and scored. You may have been completely honest with your polygrapher, but you can rest assured that your polygrapher was not completely honest with you: the "test" depends on the polygrapher lying to and otherwise deceiving the person being "tested" about the nature of the procedure.

Don't just accept the false accusation of deception/ countermeasure use. It is important that you appeal the polygraph results in writing. Send your appeal by certified, return-receipt mail. Depending on which state you live in, you may be entitled under your state's freedom of information laws to obtain copies of your polygraph charts and report. See Chapter 5 of The Lie Behind the Lie Detector for further suggestions on the appeal process.

Please feel free to post any further questions you may have here or, if you'd like a private response, send e-mail to info@antipolygraph.org.