A former co-worker ,whom I worked with at the original department I began my LE career with, sent me an email the other day, she was very excited because that agency had approved her request to go to polygraph school. I immediately called her and basically pleaded with her to research the subject further before she ruined anyone's life or career based on this "wanna-be" science. She was very confused at first, understandably so, because of everything she "knew" about the polygraph (or so she thought). I then gave her some info on the poly and several websites (this being one) for her to begin her research.

At about 1830 hrs yesterday, she called me very upset and feeling very guilty. She was so distraught at the thought of what she almost became a part of, she actually considered completely resigning from the department. Not to mention the thought weighing on her mind that she could possibly have been one of the many false positives and never been able to pursue her dream of LE. Of course I helped her realize that quitting was NOT the thing to do, and that she had nothing to feel guilty about, after all, she thought she was doing a good thing for herself as well as the department. The good news is she is staying with the department and NOT going to poly school.  Instead she is going to request training as a background investigator so she may actually be able to be a service, rather than a disservice to the department and it's recruiting efforts. Score another one for the good guys!!


PK

Sue, you just fell for a good interrogation trick - and don't be surprised when they schedule you for their polygraph test.

PK,

If your friend goes to the chief to talk about scrapping the polygraph, she might cite the example of the Philadelphia P.D., which ended polygraph screening last year. See the discussion threads NO MORE POLY FOR PHILLY and List of Non-Poly LE agencies?  Want to start one?.

fed-up Fed,

The position I applied for does not have a polygraph test as part of its process. 

I believe that the investigator was sharing his honest opinion and not trying to use the old 'I'm on your side buddy' tactic.  He gave detailed information and spoke in a manner that was far from canned.   

I think the dark ways of the polygrapher have rubbed off on you a little.  An investigator is supposed to find out the truth and paint an accurate portrayal of a subject. 

Leave the lies and trickery to the polygrapher!  It's the only thing they're good at....

PK,

I'll keep my fingers crossed, too. Your friend might wish to contact Dr. Drew Richardson, whom I suspect would be willing to provide her with a letter of support that she could include with her documentation packet for the chief. She can contact Dr. Richardson by sending him a private message through this message board.

Fed-up-Fed,

Unfortunately, Dr. Drew can't recruit you as one of his test subjects for his 'brain wave' test, for obvious reasons...

I hate to disagree but I don't think taking the anti poly info to the chief will do anything but potentially harm a career.  I have to think that it is best for one to not rock the boat when it comes to a LE career.  Conform, continue to do your little bit each day and continue to collect your paycheck.  Do and learn what you can while you are in and save the crusading for later.   
 
I put the chances of making a police chief sit up and take notice at around 1%.

I can only assume that the upper crust of the force in question has some assemblance of intelligence.  Anyone with two brain cells to rub together, and a shred of scientific logical thinking ability can research and deduce that the poly can't detect lies!  As we all know it is a farce.  I am 100% sure that the police forces know this too and are maintaining it in their programs strictly as a thumbscrew type scare tool to gain confessions, and as a backup measure to weed out undesirable applicants under the guise they "did not pass the poly".

I have a hard time believing that the police actually think this machine works to detect lies.  If they have the wool pulled over their eyes to that degree then we had better start worrying about their ability to properly police and protect us.

Quote:


I believed this too, but after recently failing my FBI polygraph my belief has been shaken.  I think there are true believers in these organizations.

On the question of whether polygraph failures are just a "front" for eliminating candidates for reasons these organizations would rather not explain...  has there been any research on race and gender and polygraphy?