LAPD does have its own polygraphers, but it in 2001, the city awarded a $615,000 non-competive contract to U.S. Investigation Services, Inc. to conduct pre-employment polygraph examinations at a cost of $395 per examination. I don't know if that contract is still in force, but I believe that a portion of LAPD pre-employment polygraph examinations are still being conducted by contractors.

Dear applicant to LAPD:

You have no idea how many quilified applicants have been dqed due to the polygraph policy at LAPD.  This test is just not realiable and should never, ever, be used in the hiring process for any job!
If I were you I would tell your examiner that you have tryed to prepare yourself for this test and yes you have done your homework.  Why in Gods name would you not read all that you can about a test you have to take to get the job you are applying for?  You prepared for the other tests didn't you?  I am sure you have been working out and trying to get physically fit. So, what is the big deal about reading about the polygraph?

Seems to me that these examiners know that the test is a science that can not be prooven and they use every trick possible to disqualify people. For Gods sake it is not even a test used against the real criminals of our world.  It can't be used in court!!!! If the truth is what they are looking for then yes, tell them that you have prepared yourself for all of the pre-employment tests and the polygraph is no exception. SO What!
These examiners are just trying to protect their own jobs and trying to validate a process that has no truth nor real value.  I bet that the majority of the examiners are those types of people who have egos (or other personality problems) that get off on toying with normal people and thier minds. Truth be known they are quite good at telling less than the truth themselves, as this is part of the polygraph test itself.  They pretend they have caught someone in a lie and then lie to them to get the person taking the test to cop out to something. Tell me this is not a crazy way of trying to bring out the truth.  While they accuse you of not telling the truth - they are sitting there telling lie after lie.......

I would bet that none of these examiners could pass the polygraph themselves as when it comes to the lie questions they would have to admit that on the job they lie on a daily basis - and if they did not admit this - they would fail the test and even if they did admit lies told daily they should be disqualified for lies told while on the job - right? These are the standards that LAPD applicants are held to.....Why should those in charge of hiring be held to lower standards????? ??? ???

Jack T,

I couldn't disagree more with Mom's advise to you about admitting to researching the polygraph.  This is information that the polygrapher simply doesn't need to know.   If you admit to knowing all about control questions, relevant questions, countermeasures, etc.., he will want to know why you researched this.  When you tell him that you failed your last polygraph (obviously something you can't hide) and wanted to learn why you failed, he is going to think two things.  The first is that you failed once, and don't want to fail again (since your job with LAPD rides on this), and the second is that you will employ the countermeasures that you recently read about in your research.  Why on earth would you set yourself up for failure by admitting all this to the polygrapher?   

Just admit that you know the polygraph measures your heartbeat and breathing, and not much else.  Tell him that you don't know why you failed last time, because you told the complete truth (which you did, right?), and leave it alone.  Play his game, let him believe that he is in control, while using countermeasures that you learned here, or by Doug Williams' manual.   

Do yourself a favor, and forget about your past polygraph experience, about what is fair and unfair.  Life isn't fair, now you have to deal with it.  Don't volunteer information to the polygrapher; answer his questions, use countermeasures, and pass the test.  Remember that he isn't there for the truth, he is there to find inconsistencies in your answers, and extract any kind of a confession.   

Good luck,
Kona

I don't plan on telling the polygraph examiner anything. I have the feeling that if I tell the examiner that I have done research on the poly, they will become hostile and fail just for looking into their little secret. No, I think the best approach for me will be to agree with everything the examiner says and act as if the machine is all knowing, watch the examiner fiddle with his little "toy" and laugh at him on the inside. I think the best thing for me is to play along and get the job.

Good luck on your poly. I think you are headed on the right track by not telling anybody anything. I remeber when I was about to go into the room to be tested, some of the other recruits were talking about researching information about the poly. I wonder if they had visited this site. I guess maybe if I would have done research, I wouldn't have had any problems. At least now if I ever have to take a poly again, I will be a little more prepared.