I took my poly last week for law enforcement pre-screening at a relatively large police department.  Wow, what a nightmare!  I guess being truthful just doesn't cut it.  Before the actual in-test phase I was given a brief lecture about how the poly works and the involuntary, uncontrollable things that your body does when you lie.  What a crock of shit.  During the in test phase the polygrapher told me that I was moving (although I wasn't) and I continued to sit still.  He also told me that I held my breath (which I didn't).  We ran the 3 charts and he came back in and told me that my charts were all over the place.  He said that my heart was jumping all over the place, and he said that I was moving throughout the exam.  He must have asked me 5 or 6 times about my movement in the post-test to which I answered "No, I was not moving."  Then he removed all the gear from me and told me that there was nothing I could do.  I have since heard from my background investigator and he said that the polygrapher wrote that I was moving all over the place, I was playing games, and I was uncooperative.  Plus I was insulted as well.  I don't know what kind of operation they're running, but it seems like they had it in for me from the start.  And the kicker is that this report will be sent to another agency I have applied to.  Now I can truly understand the b.s. and the broken dreams associated with the poly.  I hope that nobody else would have to go through what I went through, but I know that this is not reasonable.

Sorry, that really sucks. I have one coming up and I hope mine doesnt go the same way.

Hello,

Sorry to hear of your experience.  I had a similar one this past year.

I am 39 and changing careers to law enforcement.  No criminal record ,no drug usage, no alchohol usage.

I took a polygraph with a fairly large PD (500 officers). It cost me a lot to go to this test at my own expense since I was out of state.  The polygrapher did similar things e.g. the "Don't Move!"   

If these things are so darm accurate then movement breathing and the lot should be irrelevant.

First of all, you are in an artificial environment.  Your blood pressure is increased artificially,  your breathing is restricted artificially, you are not allowed to make natural movements, and you are told to stare at a wall for 20+ minutes.  That sounds like real science to me. Not!

How can a scientific method be applied when their "Control Group" is not natural.

It is like sticking a plant in a dark closet, vacuuming out the area and coming back in a few days to find it wilted and say. Hmmmm, this plant must have been sick.

Anyway, a few days later I got a letter in the mail stating that I PASSED the polygraph and psychological exams.

Over 2 weeks after the exam, I got a call stating that they made a "mistake" (I thought they didn't make mistakes) and that I had failed the polygraph exam.  They wouldn't say why. After several weeks of pressuring for an answer, I received a letter that totally ignored the fact that the first letter existed.

Since that time, this PD is in damage control mode.   

I hope it is some comfort to you to let you know taht you are not alone.

Ill share a quick and very similar experience with you all. I recently (late fall 04) was finishing my application process for a federal law enforcement agency and made it all the way to the poly.  I had to take the polygraph on 2 different occasions.  Both times were "inconclusive".  Here's the kicker...The examiner, who by the way was the same person both times, accused me of having reactions to different questions the second time.   The first exam I "had a strong reaction" to the question regarding "contact with foreign intelligence agencies" , and the second exam it was "not being truthful on my application".  How I was treated on both occasions is also a matter of contention with me.  The first was nothing but intimidation and guilt trips.  The gentleman would make sighing questions off and on during my exam and generally made me feel uncomfortable.  The second, and the same examiner mind you, was very cordial and friendly.  Im sure he didnt remember mebut still...I wont get into my views on the validity of these tests, you all I believe of a very similar opinion.  The worst part for me is yet to come.  For my job we have recently been notified that all our work will be classified top secret as of the end of february, and we all need to apply for clearances......<enter appropriate curse word here>.  Sorry to hear that so many are having problems similar if not worse to mine.

I am sorry to hear that but I also failed one given by the georgia bureau of invesstigation i thought this was the most unprofessional person I have ever met.  I was tested because of theft of money in a jail I worked at. The first thing the examiner said to me was "you know you did it so jsut go ahead and admit it now because you just ruined your career over 360.00 dollars". I was also any answer that I failed on out of ten questions that automatically made me failed the whole test.  I had an idea who took it and one of the quetions was "do you know where the money or any parts of the money is?"  the guy I assumed took it had just came to  work with all new clothes on the day before.  and he asked if I had ever told a lie to someone I loved, I thought that was none of his business so I told him no.  I had just told my mom that everything was okay on my job so that she wouldn't worry being in another state that same morning. so between the anger I felt from being accused by the examiner when i walked through the door and the question I knew that I lied about I failed.... but the job didn't fired me for that they waited until I did something else then fired me year later.....

confused,
you definately need to read the book!! No where will it say to lie on a control question! You don't have to lie to cause a response to a control question. You won't GET IT until you download the book.

well said Sergeant

I too was accused of moving, It was very challenging to sit absolutely still while hideously uncomfortable in a wooden chair staring at a blank wall.  Using polygraphy junk science, he probably read my slight movements in my neck and back as being a 'squirming deceptor.'  He also told me that he I should lean back and close my eyes, which I felt would add more impact to his words, but he allowed me to keep my eyes open. 

He was a hardnosed a-hole, but the funny thing was that this fellow had been doing this for so long, that he didn't pull it off genuinely.  It was obvious that he was faking it.

I'm not convinced that honesty is the best policy, because it will not satisfy your interrogator.  For example, no matter how many times you say you smoked weed, he will ask you if you smoked it more.  No matter how many minor thefts you've committed, he'll as you if you stole more.  The more I read the book and this message board, the more I understand that the poly tests your poly skills and nothing else, and that 'truthefulness' is a dangerous thing to put your faith in.