I did what1?

[Ted Seals]

I took my polygraph with LAPD last month and passed it.  I lied on the control questions too!!  I read TLBTLD and studied possible control questions for months.  Here is how it went:

First, I smoked tons and tons of marijuana, did LSD, meth, and E back in high school.  I have even sold a few bags of weed in the past.  I smoked marijuana up until February when I decided to give trying to be a cop a try.  I started to exercise and "clean" myself up.  I took the writen test and passed it.  I took the interview and scored a 96 (I have no clue how I pulled that one off)!  I passed the phyical fitness test and turned in the background "book"!  I lied about my drug history by saying I tried marijuana twice and never touched anything else.  I also said I never sold or bought drugs.  I called all the people that the background investigator might contact and told them not to say anything and not to refer him to anyone else except certain people.  I did this so that the BI will not be able to contact anyone that I had not already talked to.  It worked.  He did not find out about my drug history.  Then, came the polygraph.

I wore a nice siut and showed up early.  The polygrapher was very frank and to the point.  He brought me into this little room and had me fill out a questionair about my background.  He then told me how the polygraph worked, just like TLBTLD said he would.  Then, to my suprise, he mentioned Anti-polygraph.org by name and a few other web pages and told me that any attempts to defeat the polygraph will be obvious.  He said that countermeasures give distinct patterns of tracings that would detected by the computer.  I acted stupid and told him I have no idea what countermeasures were.  He then had me sit on this black chair that had a pad of some sort and a red and black wire/cable coming out of it on the cusion.  I even heard a beep come from the computer when I sat on it.  To be honest, it freaked me out.  He then place the two tubes on my chest and abdoman, two finger plates, and the blood pressure cuff.  Once he did this, I began to count my breathing in my head:  one...two (inhale) 3...4 (exhale).  He began the test by asking me :

Are you in the State of California? (Irrelivent)
Yes.

Are you sitting down? (Irrelivent)
Yes

Are you going to attempt to defeat this polygraph? (Relevent)
No--I stayed calm and kept my breathing normal.

Are you worried you will not pass this polygraph?
no
(control)----I did the anal pucker for about 5 seconds and slightly increased the volume of air I was inhaling by using the breath count:1...2...3...(inhale) and 4...5...(exhale) for about 10 seconds.  I also thought to myself "He knows I am using countermeasures and I am going to get caught" thinking that made my heart beat harder out of fear. I then returned to my baseline breath count.

Did you smoke marijuana more than two times? (relevant)
no

Other than what you told me, have you ever lied to a supervisor? (control)
no

Have you ever stolen anything worth more than $200? (relevant)
no

Did you withhold information or did you lie on your background packet? (relevant)
no

Would anyone you know say that you are unfit to be a police officer? (control)
no

Have you, as an adult, ever had sex with a minor? (relevant)
no

Have you ever sold illegal drugs? (relevant)
no

Other than what you told me, have you used any illegal drugs? (relevant)
no

Have you ever struck or used violence against someone you lived with? (relevant)
no

Have you ever driven while intoxicated? (control) I treated this as a relevant question just in case.

He asked me these questions three different times in a different order.  When the test was done he said that there was a problem.  He then asked me the following:  What when through your head when I asked in you ever lied to a supervisor?  I answered him by telling him when he asked the question, I thought ablut the time when I called in sick to work and was not sick.  He said ok and aksed what I was thinking about when he asked me if I was worried about passing the polygraph.  I reponded I am not worried that I will pass but the thought of not passing went through my head.  he then asked me what I thought about when he asked would anyone say you are unfit to be a police officer.  I told him about the woman down the street that does not like me because as a kid, I went into her backyard without her permission to get my baseball.  He then said that he would be back in a moment and took the charts and paperwork out of the room.  

About 10 minutes later, he told me that he did not see any indication of deception and wished me luck with the rest of the hiring process.  I was utterly and totally shocked!  He had to have been kidding!  Well, a few days ago, I got a letter saying I passed my polygraph and was scheduled for my psychological test.  

This goes to show you "non-believers" that the polygraph is beatable.  I used countermeasures and lied my ass off.  Maybe the pad on the seat was not really for catching countermeasures, but the thing did beep when I sat on it.  Who knows.

Now, I know I did an unethical thing.  I did a lot of drugs and even sold some.  I lied to get this job and it is not right.  However, I know I will make a great cop and I will never do drugs again.  It is in my past and I am now going to forget about it.  Thanks to the guys at Anti-Polygraph.Org and thanks to "The Lie Behind the Lie Detector".  I do not know what to tell all you other guys out there that are having polygraph problems.  I would suggest using countermeasures even if you are going to be honest.  However, you need to do them right.  You need to practice them and you need to practice them right.  It takes prefect practice to perform perfectly.  And beating the polygraph is nothing more than the PERFECT PERFORMANCE!!!!!!!!!

[Ted Seals]

PS...Ted Seals is an alias so don't go tripp'n

[Ronin]

With all due respect, I have to say I am somewhat disgusted by your nonchalance. I had nothing to hide and still failed my polygraph. Your background is not conducive at all to becoming a police officer yet you will have the good fortune of moving forward in the process.

That being said, congratulations. You did what you had to do. My disgust is mostly laced with jealousy of your situation and disdain for the polygraph process as a whole.

[james]

I concur with Ronin 100%.  It's unfortunate that innocent people like myself, Ronin and George get screwed by the polygraph and some cat like you goes in there and crushes it.  No disrespect intended, but surely you can see my point.  The crazy thing about the whole poly issue is that this is an all to common occurence.  The guys who are most worthy of getting the job are often being falsely branded as liars.

[Ted Seals]

I can not blame you for feeling the same way.  Knowledge is Power.  I read, studied, practiced, and got the knowledge.  In the end, I overcame an obstical to the job I want.  Countermeasures work and they work like a charm.  I would suggest that, in the future, you use countermeasures on control questions so that you will give yourself a little breathing room on the relevant questions.  That is not cheating or unethical if you are honest on the relevant questions.  And that is the point right, being honest?  Or is the point to just pass the damn "test"?  If you want to be a cop, go get the job and be competitive.  If you do not use knowledge and "street smarts" to your advantage, people like me are going to get your slot in the academy.  Is that not what makes a good cop, "street smarts" and knowledge?  When taking a polygraph, it is nerve-wrecking, intense, and it takes balls to stand up to the man and use countermeasures.  Some people I know went into the polygraph with the intention of using countermeasures and got scared and tried to pass using nothing but luck.  Well, each and every one of them failed.  Even the ones that were honest on the relevant questions.  I was the only one of my friends to use countermeasture and I was the only one to pass the polygraph.  And guess what, I was the one that had the most to lie about.  So I tell you this; next time you take a polygraph, use countermeasures and pass!  If you are afraid of getting caught, study TLBTLD, practice identifying controls and countermeasures, and have some Balls and use them.  If not, move aside and someone like me will take your spot in the next academy.

Peace

[beech trees]

How fortunate for you that you were able to convince your drug dealing and drug using friends to lie about your drug usage and dealing history when asked by the background investigator concerning the accuracy of your sworn statements.

Considering the ease with which you lied multitudinous times during the course of your police application and testing, can you think of a reason why anyone reading your posts should believe you now?

[Guest]

Ted Seals you are truely ignorant. A polygraph unit the size of LAPD reads this site daily. You have laid your polygraph out in such detail that they will be able  to identify you without exception. Guess what ???becasue of your false stetments to swore officers you could now be looking a criminal charges. You will get what you deserve and you are not fit to clean the crap out of the cages of the LAPD's K9 Division.  

[Marty]

....First, I smoked tons and tons of marijuana, did LSD, meth, and E back in high school.  I have even sold a few bags of weed in the past.  I smoked marijuana up until February when I decided to give trying to be a cop a try.

Odd choice of career path - dealer to cop.    Do us all a favor and find another job. Perhaps making license plates.

-Marty

[Ted Seals]

I sold a couple dime bags of marijuana so I am now a drug dealer?  I know all of you have looked at porn on the web so does that make you all perverts?  You go jogging a couple times so that makes you a jogger?  I went boxing a couple of times so does that mean I am a boxer?  If you want people like me not to be cops, then perhaps people like you should do it first.  Better yet, why not pressure the Police to do better background checks.  It is someone like me that is going to catch the "real" bad guys when I hit the street.  It was not easy growing up in East LA but at least I am making something of my life reguardless of the stupid things I did in the past.  Roll on, right!?

[Marty]

I sold a couple dime bags of marijuana so I am now a drug dealer?

Actually you WERE a drug dealer but I do give you credit for deciding to "clean up your act."  Keep it up. However, becoming a cop to "try it out" so soon after engaging in such extensive illegal acts seems strange.  The fact that you are so cavalier suggests you may have a tendency to make your own set of personal rules as you go along. This is not a formula for a good cop. We deserve and expect police to have integrity and fairness.

-Marty

[Guest]

Ted once again you show your ignorance. We are cops and we are doing the job, i.e. narcotics for 20 years. You can simply be assured of this, everytime you identify yourself in such detail like you have, that you are done and you dig the hole deeper. My bet is you signed a disclosure statment and you have lied on your drug use statement, along with being engaged in felonies. You will never see LAPD's academy. And you can be sure that if someone from LAPD hasn't already seen this post they will be notified of your stupid/ boastful way's.

[Ted Seals]

The point is this:  Countermeasures work.  The work well.  As far as this website is concerned, the polygraph was beaten and beaten by an amature.  So long everyone.  I will no longer be posting on this webpage.  

[Guest]

Coward........And you know you are done, darn skippy you won't be posting and you will never see a LAPD badge ever......There is no other point, you have beaten the polygraph test but you clearly did yourself in by your ego, see the polygraph worked after all.

[Skeptic]

Coward........And you know you are done, darn skippy you won't be posting and you will never see a LAPD badge ever......There is no other point, you have beaten the polygraph test but you clearly did yourself in by your ego, see the polygraph worked after all.

The magic hasn't faded?  Seriously, wouldn't it have been better to do a more thorough background investigation in lieu of trusting the polygraph?

It sounds to me like your statements here are largely wishful thinking, "Guest".  I'd rather rely upon something a little more concrete.  Good lord, man -- even if you're right that "Seals" can be identified, what on earth would you have done if he hadn't boasted of his performance in detail?  A passed polygraph would have been the "seal" of approval on this obviously unqualified candidate.

If anything, this appears to be a prime example of why the polygraph shouldn't be relied upon for decisions regarding an applicant's trustworthiness.  How many other unqualified individuals are breezing through, while the public is denied the service of those wrongly branded as liars?

Skeptic

[Ted Seals]

As I said, Ted Seals is an alias and the actual events have been changed to protect the "innocent".  Was it LAPD or San Fransisco PD? Maybe Jackson County Sheriff or Miami-Dade?  Maybe I am not really from East LA but from Waco, Taxas.  No one knows who I am and no one will know that I beat the polygraph because I only "boasted" here and no polygrapher is going to be able to tell what control or relevent questions are "his".    Sorry to let you guys down.