I recently took a polygraph for a local Police Department. My examiner was a nice guy, he never became nasty and I never felt like he was interrogating me during or after the test. It was my first polygraph, as such I was nervous but I tried to remain as calm as possible. I answered all the questions, there were only a dozen or so, the same way I had since day one of starting the process. He asked me each set several times and even readjusted my pressure cuff once saying my heart rate was all off. After the test his demeanor became more professional but still not nasty. He sat there righting notes on my packet and saying something to himself about discrepancies when he was writing something.
I asked him if I passed or failed. He said he didn't score a pass or fail, that it would have to be reviewed and someone would call me. I definitely didn't feel good about it after I left. What the heck does discrepancies mean anyway? My background is squeaky clean and I was even told that I was one of the top applicants by my BI. Anyone have any insight on this experience? And how long does one usually have to wait to be notified they failed, if in fact they did.
Polygraph operators score the charts on the spot, while you're there. The standard procedure is to interrogate those who fail and press them for admissions. I cannot read any meaning into your polygrapher's complaint about your heart rate being "all off" or his muttterings about discrepancies. But based on your account, it doesn't sound as if you've failed. One would expect a direct accusation of deception and a harsher interrogaton.
It is true that many departments will have a second polygraph operator review the charts before the report is finalized. This usually doesn't take very long either, but I cannot predict how long it might be before you receive official word of the results.
I wish you all the best, and hope that you'll be receiving good news soon.
Thank you for the insight. I was under the impression they would probe harder if I had discrepencies. Since he did not, I hope that means I had none, or they were negligible. I will update as soon as I get any news.
So what happened? What was the outcome?
Well, believe it or not, it has been six weeks and I have heard nothing. I don't know what the hell is going on