The Relevant v Irrelevant Test

[ronin_3]

I took my polygraph test to aquire a job in a Canadian police force about three weeks ago...and of course I got some "spikes" (guess I wouldn't be here otherwise). Anyway after my "interview" I was only questioned for a short period of time and then sent on my way. The next day I had another interview with a recruiter and he questioned me about my "spikes". Anyway to make a long story short I received my letter stating that I was no longer in the recruiting process and that my file was perminently terminated. I have become very interested in this website over the past few weeks. I believe my polygraph was one of the Relevant / Irrelevant types. As I can not recall a single control type question. The test went something like this.
Q1 : Are you sometimes called _______
Q2 : Are you planning on lying in this test
Q3 : Are we in ____________
Q4 : Are you planning on using CM's
Q5 : Do you live in ______________
Q6 : Have you ever taken illegal drugs
etc...
Untill recently I thought the control questions were the irrelevant ones. Infact the polygraph adm. told me thats what they were. I heard that this type of test is very rarley used due to its even greater lack of usefulness. Is this true? And what type of countermeasures can I use against it next time? Thanks.
By the way this is a great site...just wish I would have read about it a few months ago. I am however telling all my friends who are looking to get into the police about it. Thanks again.

[Canadian Crusader]

I hate to say it but you are done in finding a career in policing because of that one test.  The force you failed with will divuldge that info to any other force you apply to.  Sorry.  Same thing happened to me.  I have tried to warn people on a web page called cops2be but the "children" there refuse to listen or take heed.  Take my advise and don't waste your time trying to help others avoid the false negatives of a poly.  Most applicants just go in blindly saying how they don't want to fail the poly because they studied the joke behind it.  Appears it is quite common now for the polygraphers to ask if the applicant has studied the poly.  Fail that question alone and you are done.  

[George W. Maschke]

ronin 3,

The polygraph format you have described indeed seems to be the relevant/irrelevant technique. Although this technique has been largely abandoned in favor of the "Control Question Test," some agencies continue to use it, including, notably, the U.S. National Security Administration.

You'll find the R/I technique described in more detail in The Lie Behind the Lie Detector, along with suggested countermeasures.

Please do tell your friends who are considering getting into law enforcement about the polygraph. It is important that law enforcement applicants become informed before they are subjected to this quackery.


Canadian Crusader,

Although some participants on the Cops2Be message board seem to prefer to remain ignorant about polygraphy, I don't think it's the norm. Remember that many who read the board don't post. I think the warnings you (and I) have posted there were not in vain.

[guest]

George, George, George....don't you think that all of your followers expect more out of you than to "misidentify" an agency, especially one with which you have had extensive contact (your FOIA requests,etc.).  By the way George and company, the agency to which is being referred is the National Security Agency, not Administration. Now say youa re sorry!

[beech trees]

Oh what a devastating catch you made-- an egregious error indeed.

George, George, George....don't you think that all of your followers expect more out of you than to "misidentify" an agency, especially one with which you have had extensive contact (your FOIA requests,etc.).  By the way George and company, the agency to which is being referred is the National Security Agency, not Administration. Now say youa re sorry!

[George W. Maschke]

I regret any confusion my misnaming of the National Security Agency may have caused.