Bennyblanco,

[You ask]
“If I fail a poly with one dept. will it ruin my chances with the other dept.”

Assuming that you have not yet been subjected to a pre-employment polygraph exam with either of the two CA departments in which you seek employment, you must consider: 

Should you fail a pre-employment polygraph exam with any Federal/State/LE agency; I don’t believe that any other agency would “readily” dismiss or “forgive” your previously failed polygraph exam without further extensive questioning with regard to the exact nature of your failed result.

[You wrote]
“I Have nothing to hide, but considering what I have heard about failing the poly even if you do tell the truth, it has made me alittle concerned.”

You have every right to be concerned with respect to failing a polygraph exam even if being completely forthright and truthful. Total honesty and simply telling the truth, is no guarantee of passing a polygraph exam. False positive results are not uncommon.

[You wrote]
“Also what if one of the dept.'s do not poly? will failing the other one effect the appl. Process of the other”

Good question. I would “theorize” that any agency that does not require experienced, qualified and potential candidates for employment to pre-employment polygraph testing evidently does not put much confidence or trustworthiness in the polygraph. 

Likewise, a previously failed pre-employment polygraph exam with another agency would not exactly preclude a candidate from some degree of suspicion. Having said that, a previously failed pre-employment polygraph exam could reasonable play against a candidate’s advantage.

Good luck.


Respectfully,
Triple x