Hello All 
I have been reading posts here for a few weeks now.
Here is my story. I have been in a service business for many years with a prestine record of honesty and repeat business.
About a month ago I was accused by a customer of stealing a gun from his home where I was working.
Of course I was in shock at the accusation but understood that he may have believed this. At first he called just to ask if somehow the gun had been "misatkenly taken" when I was cleaning up.
I never saw or taken a gun while I was in his home. At that time I advised him to call the police to report it and that I would answer any questions if they needed to talk to me.
I did get a call from the PD the initial converstaion on the phone was pleasant and as I expected was just to cover all bases.
I was asked if I would submitt to a poly if nessisary and I responded "sure"
A week or so later I was called again by the PD and asked to come down and take a poly. I agreed. the date was made and I showed up never expecting to fail the test.
The poligrapher started by asking questions before the test and some were disturbing like, "if you did take this gun would you be inclined to tell us where it is to get this resolved" I was un nerved by this and other statements like, " we just want to get the gun back to Mr. X"
to the pre question I answered that I did not have a answer since it implies that I did this. Since I have spent no time pondering what I would do if I took it.
Anyway, I was hooked up and I was asked the seires of questions that have been read to me before the test 3 times in different order.
I could feel my heart thump when I was asked questions specific to the accusation.
After the test I was told by the poligrapher " I cannot clear you based on this"!!!
The detective then came back in and interrogated me for a while where I asked what I could possibly gain from this. My record is perfectly clean not even a moving traffic violtion, my credit is presitine and I have never been a gun owner.
Now, I from personal experienceknow that polygraphs mesure only your reation to a question and does NOT detect lies.
I still can't believe it and I shutter at the thought that many people are procecuted and lose jobs based on this scam. 
Any comments are appreciated

Hello, notguilty1

Did your examiner tell you that in his opinion you showed deception, or did he say he was unable to clear you based on those three charts?

ng1

Just so you know, I am a private, not a police, polygraphy examiner.  You were subjected to a rough, but standard interrogration technique following your exam.  If your police examiner states he cant clear you, you can understand that to mean you did okey, but the police dont have another suspect.  Try to keep things in perspective and dont take it personally, realize how difficult, from the police point of view, it is to investigate such a case.   Finger prints are useless, there are no witnesses, there will be no confidential informer.  The only avenue the police have to quickly resolve this is by interrogration and confession, so they gave you their best shot.   

Everyone who enters customers homes and businesses to provide services is at risk for this type of allegation.  Based on your reported answers I think you handled yourself very well.

I love these whoa is me tales. But thats just me. 

A. Have you been charged with a crime?

B. Is there any physical evidence linking you to a crime?

C. Did you slip during the LE Questioning inwhich you incriminated yourself. 

Reading your initial posts, would lead me to believe you know more then what your saying. But, I'm reading it, and analyzing. Nothing more. 

Key words in your statement. 
Submit- Meaning your giving up control, your rights etc etc.

Why were you unnerved that the police wants a stolen (misplaced) firearm in the hands of the owner?  

(Quote) The detective then came back in and interrogated me for a while where I asked what I could possibly gain from this. My record is perfectly clean not even a moving traffic violtion, my credit is presitine and I have never been a gun owner.
(end quote) - You've raised my suspicion ten fold with this statement. Just so you know.


Well, I don't know what to think. Your looking for sympathy from a website that a few users are LEO's, interviewers, and overall good people. You have written a statement concerning your expierence with the polygraph. In your case I whole heartedly believe in the polygraph within the totality of the situation. However, you didn't state whether or not you've confessed to a crime. Which is the object. Kudos to you then. The majority of investigators, interviewers, LE questioneers don't need the polygraph to catch deception, or raise suspicion. It's reading your words (which by the way can be used in court). 

Good Luck, and have a great day.

Pura Vida! 

I can give you some hints on how LEO's think...


Glad to see you haven't been charged with a crime. 
Your right, the test is inadmissable, however your statements are more than admissable, as you did waive your 5th Ammendment Rights.

Admiting to being in the location of the crime is physical evidence, and the fact you were there makes you highly suspect. 

It's amazing what people can say that gets them into trouble. Your rationalizing with the investigator(subconcious), your making yourself sound like a good guy (which you probably are). But thats suspicious in our expierence. 90% of the people I've arrested where overtly too NICE. Willing to help me out as much as they can. Suffice to say, the not guilty ones are the individuals that 
A. Are blunt
B. Are pissed that I'm wasting there time while there trying to make a living.
C. Will never EVER tell me about there history. I can find that out on my own. Or ask ask ask...
D. What does prestine credit have to do with a criminal cases? Criminals can't have good credit either?
E. Did I mention blunt? There answers are too.
F. Wording is key. So is your NVI's. I'd love too see them, but it'll never happen. 
Like anything else. There is no issues with passive compliance. It's the over compliant person I worry about the worst. It's kind of like what are you hiding? 
Did the officer ask you about your credit? If not, why did you bring it up? The only thing he cares about honestly is getting the gun off the street and back into the owner's possesion . Nothing more, nothing less. However the person that did take the weapon will be charged if he/she is caught.



Pleading your innocent. IE: Talking about your credit eitc etc, will raise flags.

About me, well I'm pro polygraph.
I'm not a cop, but I do work for a Federal Agency.
I'm not a polygrapher, however I'm a interviewer/LE Questioneer
I'm here because if you google polygraph. This is the first site that popped up. Plus there is informative information on the website.
NVI non verbal indicators
Again, pleading is NOT a good thing. 
Some will disagree on my stance. Thats fine. I'll disagree with others. 

Again, even though you were hired. You were there. 
Again, your wording is suspicious. It doesn't matter what you wrote, because your not understanding what were looking for.

If your innocent. Cool by me. If your guilty again it's your life, not mine. 

Ok, here is a scenario for you...

A murderer is being interviewed. 
He answers I would of never killed that person, what do I have to gain, I couldn't hurt a fly. I have never been arrested before, and then goes on about his credit. 
If that was me... SUSPICIOUS!!!!!! It's not the credit though, and I'm not giving out information were others can use...

It was a scenario. 
It could be any crime (including theft).

Remember you volunteered to do the poly
Good Kudo

You signed a sheet of paper waiving your 5th Ammendment Rights 
Mistake - especially with no counsel present (I know, you didn't know).

Need I say more...

nomegusto wrote on Feb 14^th, 2008 at 6:42pm:


Say what?  Physical evidence is evidence in solid form, tangile, touchable, displayable in court, (or at least photographs of it).