A Different Question

[nytonh]

Already working for a PD for a couple of years trying to go to a another department.  One question

1. I will have to take a poly for the first time, does anyone think that me being a police officer already will have any effect the way the poly is given to me?

[nunyun]

Depends on the agency but usually yes they may run several more charts than usual looking into use of force, bribes and your integrity as a cop. I would suggest reading this site and decide who you want to control the test you or the examiner.  I have read this board and seen several post of people claiming to be cops who were victims of a false + when switching agencies, you decide which catagory you want to fall into.......

[G Scalabr]

I have read this board and seen several post of people claiming to be cops who were victims of a false + when switching agencies

Nytonh,

We hear a great deal (both publicly and privately) from officers in the above situation that nunyn mentioned. Those with years of service and impeccable personnel records report being denied transfer employment on the basis of unreliable polygraph "tests" alone. The majority of our contacts have been from cops in New York (NYPD and other jobs) and Washington, DC attempting to transfer to departments in Florida (multiple departments but most notably Ft. Lauderdale).  

My recommendations are the same as nunyun's--read The Lie Behind the Lie Detector (available free from this site) and learn as much as possible about the polygraph process.

I'd consider printing a copy out and having it bound at a print shop like Kinko's for easier reading.

[anxietyguy]

In response to your question nytonh I took a polygraph for a department while I am currently employed as an LEO. There were seperate questions regarding my employment as an LEO (ie bribes,use of force,cover-ups,false reports etc.). If anything your polygraph will be more in depth then someone who has not been an LEO. Kind of ironic but that's how mine was.

Anxiety

[dimas]

Same thing happened with me.  Apparently by being a LEO you are given more questions to respond to on top of those required for any other candidate with no LE experience.

Either way, it still comes down to the same old "reliable" polygraph and the examiner to determine if you have or have not been a good cop.

My advice:  find  an agency that does not polygraph and try out for that one.  Reason being that should you fail the poly for this one, you are going to have a heck of a hard time finding employment with another department thereafter.  Ignorance is rampant and even though I never failed a poly, (I received inconclusives)  for a while there every department I applied with assumed that Inconclusive=FAIL.  

[nunyun]

easier said than done Dimas, In Cali the only pd that does not poly is State Universities (there may be a couple of others) and if you have a real desire to work for a city PD or be a Trooper, (Highway Patrol) whatever they call themselves, then you are going to roll the dice and take the test to get your "Dream Job".  If that is the case I would just learn as much as I could and prepare myself for the process ahead, be it poly's, PAT's or written's.  Anyway I see your point but even you took a couple of test because that is a job (at the time) that you really wanted.