In plain english how are countermeasures....

[policeHopeful]

...employed, and when? Do I bite my tongue only on the Control questions or what? I have done endless research on this subject. I have learned a little, but most if not all of it is not clear exactly on type of countermeasures, when to use them or how to use them properly. PLease any good advice is much appreciated, being that I am less than 2 months from taking a polygraph pr-employment test from a major police department. Passing this test means the world to me. I am a decent and honest person who has never done illegal drugs and who is law-abiding. But I have done some things in my past inwhich would bar from becoming a police officer.  These things I will never tell a sole. But I can assure you that the offenses I commited hurt no one.
Thanks so much,
         central U.S.A

[George W. Maschke]

First see Chapter 3 of The Lie Behind the Lie Detector, which explains polygraph procedure (a prerequisite), and then Chapter 4, which explains in detail how and when to employ countermeasures:

https://antipolygraph.org/lie-behind-the-lie-detector.pdf

[policeHopeful]

I've read those chapters and have learned a great deal, but I still don't totally get it. I wish someone could explain in a more condensed form. Thanks so much

[George W. Maschke]

The information presented in The Lie Behind the Lie Detector is about as simple and straightforward as we could make it. You may wish to re-read it, and if you then have any specific questions, feel free to ask.

In any event, if you have indeed done things in your past that you know would disqualify you from police employment, I would suggest that you withdraw your application and seek a different job. Applicants for positions of public trust have an ethical obligation to answer relevant questions truthfully. Bear in mind, however, that the typical pre-employment polygraph examination also includes questions to which examinees are secretly expected to lie (the so-called probable-lie "control" questions).

[policeHopeful]

I am fit to be a police officer. I am a law-abiding citizen. This is humiliating but, once when I was 15 I let dog lick my genitals. So if they ask "Have you ever had any sexual contact with animals?" , would that be considered a relevant question?

[policeHopeful]

And so if there are only one or 2 questions I want to avoid would I only use countermeasures on those questions?

[palerider]

As soon as your Examiner uses the words "sex" and "with animals", you concentrate on how it felt when your dog licked your genitals---think about how it felt---how you felt "down low"----in your private areas. Also, use countermeasures on the irrelevant and sacrifice relevant on the third asking, but not the first two----unless the Examiner asks what day it is as his irrelevant question. Never use countermeasures on Relevant Questions unless you aren't certain that you didn't lie---in which case use countermeasures on the truthful (control questions) when you are telling the truth. Good luck!

[policeHopeful]

so use countermeasures on all control questions?

[palerider]

No, use countermeasures on controls if you are absolutely certain that you aren't telling truth on the controls and/or relevants---IF and ONLY if you are attempting to lie on the controls and be truthful on the relevants---than avoid countermeasures. If you are intending on telling the truth, than lie on the controls and use countermeasures on the others, but not the relevants that you want to pass. It's simple.

[policeHopeful]

would sexual contact with animals question be a control or relevant?

[policeHopeful]

so if I just lie on this one question will I fail the entire polygraph?

[policeHopeful]

Don't get me I believe honesty is the best policy. And if I believed that I were not a decent citizen who was unable to take the safety of others into my own hands I would absolutely not pursue a job in lawenforcement.

[Administrator]

Off topic replies have been moved to This Thread

[policeHopeful]

but if I were asked that question and I answered "no" and the saw deception, but all of the other answers were seemingly truthful; Would they fail me based solely on that one answer?

[George W. Maschke]

policeHopeful,

"Palerider" is a polygraph operator. His posts were deliberately disinformational, and you should disregard them. Palerider has been banned from this forum for repeated willful violation of AntiPolygraph.org's posting policy.