Ray,
I hope your polygraph skills are better than the judgment you've shown here...you're incorrect about a number of things.
First, I can make claims about false positives without spending every waking moment with these guys...2 of them requested 2nd polys by independent 3rd party examiners and were cleared. Not to mention that you don't have to spend every waking moment with an individual to know the kind of person they are. I know there are exceptions, but generally when you're close friends with someone since grade school...ya kinda know what they're about.
Second, the types of BI that I am speaking about wouldn't need to discover very minor issues, as they are almost always no indication of the true character of a person anyway. Example: 31 yr old male that drove drunk 2 or 3 times when he was 19 yrs old in college. Is it relevant whether a BI uncovers that? On the other hand, if that same person drives intoxicated on a regular basis...now we have a problem.
Third, you're right about me not taking
A poly, I've taken and "PASSED" 3 POLYGRAPHS!. 3 different examiners and 3 different agencies and offered a position with EACH agency (1 of which being the Highway Patrol). 8)
Fourth, "Lie and cheat"?...That's stretching it a bit...I did lie about the NUMBER of times I smoked MJ, and I'm not sure to what extent. All I know is that I was WELL outside the timeframe for use (I think the policy is 5 years), but I believe I exceeded the number of uses permitted (20 or less). Did I keep a log? NO. But it was very infrequent use and I never purchased it. For that matter, I can't say, with 100% certainty that it WAS more than 20, I just think it PROBABLY was. Either way, I had NO problem with "cheating" on that question...it's stupid. Like I said, I feel it's ridiculous to say "20 times, you're good to go...21 times, go home, you can't be a cop." It's irrelevant to me that any of this "concerns" you.
As far as abolishing the poly, I'm where I want to be so it wouldn't effect me directly. I would like to see the poly go bye-bye, not for myself though, but because I'm tired of potentially good officers get ousted from candidacy because of it. I guess maybe it DOES effect me, doesn't it? More good officers = more seniority and less work.
You know, Ray, you have certainly taken a high moral stance for someone who LIES FOR A LIVING, don't ya think? It's kinda like a car thief condemning someone for stealing a candy bar as a child. ???
Fact is, Ray (and other poly-screeners out there), when I retire (or die trying) I'll go KNOWING I served my profession, my community and those close to me with integrity, respect and dedication. What will you have? IF you have any shred of conscience left, I suspect you'll have a head full of bad memories...memories filled with lies, trickery, deceit and mind games. I've chosen a career in which I try to help people and make the community safer because that's what I enjoy. I'm out on the street, doing what poly examiners won't (or can't) do. Why do poly examiners become poly examiners anyway? Are they cops that can't handle the street? Too old for SWAT or SRT, too scared for vice or narc work? Don't like not having total control and being able to intimidate others? I just don't recall ever hearing one single person in either of my academy classes say "I can't wait to be a polygraph examiner!" Some say swat, some UC work, some K9, some want brass...none say poly examiner...I wonder why. Im curious, do you tell others what you do? If so, is it with pride? Probably not, huh? Not unless you're trying to score with the local badge bunnies.
Best,
PK