I took a polygraph for CBP back in the summer of 2013. I had heard a bit about the procedure and it made me nervous. I had done some things in my past that I was not proud of, but I've never even revived a speeding ticket. 

I went for my exam and arrived about 20 minutes early. I made sure to eat (normally I don't eat breakfast but I was told to so I did). The examiner made me wait over an hour and a half past the scheduled start time. When I got in I decided "hey honesty is the best policy right?" So I went ahead and told him thr issue I was thinking about and I wanted to be forthcoming about it. He made me feel like it was no big deal and even stated it "wasn't like I had murdered someone" and I agreed. The problem was (as I now understand), I had just given this guy the means to wreck my life. This guy eventually had me to admitting to almost being as bad as a murderer. I had taken something from a previous employer and felt awful about it. The guy got me to say I had stolen over 2500 bucks worth product (no where NEAR, what I took and I do admit I did take something that didn't belong to me, like many people I'm sure.) Anyway, he said he felt like there was more (really guy?) and I needed to come clean (I just admitted to stuff I hadn't done because of the pressure he put on me). I had to wait 6 hours to finish and he told me we couldn't complete the exam that day. Well long of the short of that was I didn't pass for CBP.

Flash forward to today. I had applied to the TSA several months ago. The interviews went well and the personnel  who did my interview told me I was way over qualified due to my BS CJ. Well I just got a letter in the mail telling me that TSA won't take me because of the CBP polygraph. It said I can dispute it, but I'm not sure what good that will do.

I live in one of the rare states that doesn't require LEO's to take a polygraph but will it matter at this point? Is my education just going to go down the capper because of my polygraph? Will local agencies know I took one (again honesty best policy)? Should I just give up on a LEO job all together? I don't want to and I think it's what I was ment to do. How long will this bad choice I made as a young man and again NO criminal record, haunt me?

It honestly has me a little depressed right now. Nothing crazy just feeling like my dream might be over. 

Is there anyone out there who has overcome a bad polygraph to get into LEO work and if so, how did you do it?

Thank you!