I typed up a huge story and lost it when I accidently clicked the back button my mouse. 

Anyways, here is the condensed version.

I am a prior LE candidate for a local agency and after passing the written and oral interview, I schedule my poly a few days later. Before I start, I should note that in 2009 I had passed the polygraph for a different agency. That was my first poly and this one I am to discuss was my 2nd.

I meet with my polygrapher and he is very professional.  We go over my background packet and he asks pretty much all the normal questions. He was very professional during the questioning (interrogation) and even though I felt annoyed, his reasoning that he needs to ask these questions because he doesn't know how I am is fair and rational so I don't get too annoyed.  Based on my responses and background, he states that he is going to draft up 14 questions which will be my poly questions.  So I step outside in the lobby and after 10 minutes I come back and get hooked up.

The first chart (of three) he states that my breathing was eratic and asks if I was hyperventaliting.  I tell him that I am fine and we proceed to charts 2 and 3. On chart two he loosened the two cables that are strapped to your chest due to the eratic breathing of the first chart.  After we are done with charts 2 and 3 (little fanfare, not much discussion), I am told I can wait in the lobby for my results.  After about 10 minutes, I am invited back into the room and he states that I did poorly on the polygraph and had two questions in which my body responses indicate a problem.  The first question that I had failed 3 out of 3 times was "Other than the crimes you mentioned, have you ever committed any other crime that you didn't get caught doing?".  He states that no matter the sequence that question was asked, for all three charts my body had a reaction to that question.  He asks me "what were you thinking when I asked that question and don't say you weren't thinking of nothing".  I tell him the ABSOLUTE TRUTH: "Honestly, I was looking at the wall and blanking out as you asked the questions and trying to focus on staying still as you asked".  He naturally responds that is not an acceptable answer and says that he can't articulate what happened on my polygraph.  He then tells me that I failed the polygraph.  Being in prior LE, I know that this is pretty much game over but he states that the polygraph is not used a reason to DQ someone.  He then says my investigator will call me and let me know what happens next. 

Today, I get the call from my investigator and as expected, I am told that the agency will not be moving forward with my application and that I will have to wait a year to reapply.  Naturally, I was pretty upset and devestated. It is extremely unfair that I lost a job based on a machine that clearly doesn't work.  The sad part is that the polygraphers sware by it and don't seem to be open to any fault on the machine part.  The polygrapher was very professional and was actually much nicer than my first polygrapher back in 2009.  It's pretty upsetting and I just had to post my story as I see so many who are wronged by this machine.  I have another poly coming up with a different agency in a few weeks and I think for that one I am going to keep it real in what I think of the polygraph since I know the moment I tell him I failed one poly and passed another, that I will fail that polygraph as well.

It definitely felt like an interrogation.  Being a former police officer, I know exactly what an interrogation is and it most certainly was that.  I only say he was "professional" in the sense of behavior not necessarily in regards as to whether he follows the polygraph standards.

To put it in a better way, I was always "professional" when I was arresting someone but even then at the end of the day I am putting that particular person in an uncomfortable position.  I could be an a$$ about but I never was.  That was the polygrapher for me, he wasn't a jerk or anything like that. Even then he did screw me over but did so in a manner that left me with no ill feelings toward the polygrapher.  As for my first polygrapher, I thought he was a jerk but I passed that polygraph.  Maybe the meaner the polygrapher the better the chance I have at passing lol.   

But yeah my main problem is just going into that room and knowing that its the equivilant to fliping a coin.  That BS about "We can't DQ you cause of your poly" is complete crap.  That is the SOLE reason why I was DQ'd and was told to me today. I had even been scheduled for the PT test prior to my polygraph exam and that same phone call also told me not to bother showing up to the PT test since I am no longer in the process due to my polygraph results.   

I know life isn't fair and all, but we can at least try and make it so.  Ugh, its just upsetting to lose a job opportunity because of a "crime" that I apparently committed but stayed quiet about i.e. a non existant event that was made to be real by a machine. 

Cmon now, lets get real.

Jack B wrote on Oct 5^th, 2011 at 12:49am:

Most cunning....

Quote:



I don't hold grudges.

Woe is us!  For years we have used our unchecked power to accumulate vast wealth from our cash cow while filling the ranks of police departments with knuckle-draggers.  But now we are exposed, laid bare to the world by the Lex Luthor of Polygraph.

Look, the business between you two is your own and I have read a bit around the site and you two seem to go back and forth.

I can see both sides of the argument, as someone in prior LE the polygraph can be a useful tool sometimes.  However, to disqualify someone from an employment opportunity JUST because of the polygraph results is not cool.   

Pailryder, even you must admit that probably doesn't make sense. How can I pass one polygraph and fail another when I answered the same way? Does this make sense? I'm a person of reason and logic, and you can't say that the polygraph is so accurate or reliable when my experience has shown that it seems closer to chance.   

Before I went to my polygraph, about a week prior I had an appointment set up for the next phase in the process.  So after I failed the poly, I get a call few days later saying don't bother showing up (albeit in a more professional and polite tone). I was pretty upset that the results of my polygraph were the sole reason I was kicked out of the process. 

Pailryder, I won't knock what you do for a living because honestly, if I could be a polygrapher and make good money doing it then why not? But you cannot be this naive in regards to its reliability.  Also, I think the point Stefano was making is that there is no accountability in regards to how the polygraph is used. So the sarcastic response you made does indeed say alot about your ability to make a counter argument.  It's cool though, keep the hustle up, don't blame you in this economy.   

"No good social purpose can be served by inventing ways of beating the lie detector or deceiving polygraphers."  If polygraphs don't work and they are being used indiscriminately then a social good does exist in beating them. Sorry. 

Regarding the "knuckle-dragger" comment. I did not mean to offend, I was trying to emphasize that many top-notch applicants are being cast aside like old shoes without recourse. I'll endeavor to be less caustic in my wording.

Jack B

There are, as we both know, problems with pre employment polygraph.  I am a private examiner.  In the private sector this type of test ended in 1988 with the passage of the Employee Polygraph Protection Act, which has worked well, has generated few complaints, and could be extended to the governmental work place.  

But one thing LE pre employment is not is a cash cow, LE examiners do not personally profit from failing applicants.  One thing LE examiners do not have is unfettered power.  They follow the rules of the agency that employes them, unless they are self-employed private examiners, they do not decide policy matters.  They all report to someone, a chief, a sheriff, or agency director.  

My reply to the Lex Luthor of Polygraph was not an argument, just sarcasm, pure and simple, directed at his absurd statements, not at you. 
Jack B wrote on Oct 6^th, 2011 at 12:56am:


I totally agree with you.  Your attitude is commendable.  Bitterness will not get you where you should be.  Persistence will.  Hang in there.