Complaint Against Polygraph Operator Kory Turk

[George W. Maschke]

On Sunday, 18 March 2007, the business section of the Ventura County Star published a puff piece about polygraph operator Kory Turk, who with his wife, Maria-Christina, has opened a business called Elite Polygraph in Ventura, California:

http://www.venturacountystar.com/vcs/business/article/0,1375,VCS_128_5425901,00.html

On the same day, AntiPolygraph.org received by anonymous fax a copy of this article along with a letter to the editor of the Ventura County Star alleging inaccuracies in the article:

[George W. Maschke]

For reasons unstated, Mr. Turk has pulled the content from his website:

http://www.elitepolygraph.com

However, it is still available through Google's cache here:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&as_qdr=all&q=site%3Aelitepolygraph.com&btnG=Search

The most pertinent data, Mr. Kory's professed credentials, is copied here from "Google's cache of http://www.elitepolygraph.com/biography.htm as retrieved on 15 Jan 2007 23:29:02 GMT":

                                 Kory Turk                        Maria-Christina Turk                            

Company owned and operated by Kory and Maria-Christina Turk

Employed in the field of investigations since 2000

Interned with nationally-recognized Polygraph Examiner, Mr. John Grogan, with over 25 years of experience

Respected members of PEOA.US (Polygraph Examiners of America), a nationwide network of polygraph examiners

Graduated from Allan Hancock College Law Enforcement Academy in Santa Maria, California, with top honors

Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology with an emphasis in Criminology from University of California at Santa Barbara, California

Currently obtaining Master of Arts degree in Clinical Psychology from Pepperdine University in Malibu, California

Extensive academic studies in Vienna, Austria

Fluent in English, German, and American Sign Language

[EosJupiter]

George,

This is most entertaining, and isn't nature marvelous !!

You turn on the lights and the roaches head for the darkness or the nearest crack available. Amazing to see this in real life. And above all they are dedicated to the Truth. I know I sleep much better with these people out there protecting me from the deceptive masses, hell bent on destroying the universe. It doesn't get anymore humorous then this.

Regards ....

[G Scalabr]

This whole story reminds me of a conversation I once overheard between a father and son, recounting some exploits in their younger days.

The story is set on the site of a renovation that their firm is conducting on a high rise building that houses a physician's office among other businesses.

At lunchtime, Bob Sr. sits down next to his son and opens up a large ballistic nylon bag. To junior's surprise, the zipper opens to reveal a brand new Nikon 35mm camera and a wide array of accessories (lenses, flashes, filters, etc) worth several thousand dollars.

The son says to the father "Dad... Where the fuck did you get that?" to which the father replies "Up in the doctor's office. Fuck'em, he's got insurance."

"That's not right..." the son retorts... "These people gave us work, trusted us in their place of business, and that's how you treat them?" "As I said, FUCK EM... You'll learn someday, son..." replied the seasoned veteran.

The son concedes and the men stow their lunch pails in the van right next to their new photography equipment.

After several more hours, quitting time arrives. As they are packing up to leave, Bob Sr. notices his son struggling to load tools in the back. He goes over to assist, and notices that junior is having problems fitting the tools inside due to the presence of a video camera, tripod, and porta-pack VCR.

"WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS?!!!" demands the father? "I picked it up in the back of the office," the younger man replies.  I thought about what you said, and you're right... FUCK 'EM"

"You can't do that... You can do some, but not that much. You can't fucking do that shit..." lectured the father. "You're completely out of line..."

The two then proceeded to have an argument about just how much property one can ethically steal. In the end, both the still and video equipment left in the van with our dynamic duo.

Why do I bring this up?

The anecdote is relevant because the situaiton described above is eerily similar to the one allegedly involving Mr. Turk. Yes, if true, his behavior is absolutely outrageous. Yet, like Bob Jr, it's almost hard to blame him considering the pitiful example that his role models in the world of polygraphy have set when it comes to ethics.

After all, a prominent past-president of the American Polygraph Association—the nation's premier association of polygraph examiners—has been outed for falsely representing himself as a Ph.D to courts and major municipalities—and NO ACTION WAS TAKEN AGAINST HIM BY THE APA.

Metaphorically, if Ed Gelb can steal the 35mm camera in public view and get away clean, how can we expect Kory Turk--or any other polygraph operator for that matter-- to leave the video equipment in the closet collecting dust?

They use a state-of-the-art Limestone Technologies polygraph, which costs about $5,000, used in tandem with a computer and specialized software.

Oh, well, there's always eBay.

[George W. Maschke]

A correction by columnist Jim Woodard to his 18 March article, "Polygraph Service Helps its Clients Find Out the Truth" published in today's (25 March 2007) Santa Barbara Star bears out the claims made in the anonymous fax received by AntiPolygraph.org:

Correction

Last Sunday, I profiled Elite Polygraph in Ventura, owned by Kory Turk. The column included inaccurate information.

Here is the correction:

Turk is a former member of Polygraph Examiners of America. He previously worked for seven years as a private investigator. When he said he was licensed, he was referring to his city business license. There is no license required for polygraph examiners in California.

Turk has applied for errors and omissions and liability insurance, but hasn't received the policy. He is enrolled in an eight-week specialized polygraph course at Marston Academy in San Bernardino. When completed, he will start accepting polygraph assignments.

Turk has a bachelor's degree from UC Santa Barbara and is pursuing a master's degree at Pepperdine University in Malibu.

[G Scalabr]

Regrettably, despite the fact that nearly everything in the article about this business was a lie, Elite Polygraph is still listed extensively in the Polygraph Place dictionary of examiners in California. Apparently, Mr. Turk is listed as having an office in nearly every major city in the state (other examiners listed there also do this--I don't know what kind of game they're playing with addresses).

Even I am surprised that the listings have not been pulled, as while we obviously disagree, at least one of the persons affiliated with that site has shown some moral character in the past.

Just makes you wonder how many of the others listed there have also committed similar transgressions.

[George W. Maschke]

Kory Turk's "Elite Polygraph" is no longer listed on PolygraphPlace.com:

http://www.polygraphplace.com/docs/c-15-s-California-examiners.html

However, Turk's own website is back on-line:

http://www.elitepolygraph.com/

To alleviate any doubt concerning his eliteness, Turk avers on his homepage, "Our results are substantially more credible than the ordinary polygraph."



One can only hope that prospective customers might take the precaution of Googling "Kory Turk" or "Elite Polygraph."

[Lienot]

Mr. Maschke,

I think its great that you are finding the bad polygraph examienrs' and holding them accountable, great work on your part.  Keep it up.  We need honesty in the polygraph profession and the bad ones need to go.  

[George W. Maschke]

Mr. Maschke,

I think its great that you are finding the bad polygraph examienrs' and holding them accountable, great work on your part.  Keep it up.  We need honesty in the polygraph profession and the bad ones need to go.  

I am glad that you don't subscribe to the "see nothing, hear nothing, say nothing" philosophy that seemingly prevails in the polygraph community. This being the case, how do you think the American Polygraph Association should deal with the Marston Polygraph Academy, assuming the allegations against its operators are true?

[Lienot]

When the facts are all in, then I could make a reasonable judgment, until then I would not comment.  I do like facts not allegations that have not been investigated and shown to be true.