SFPD Polygraph Policy

[George W. Maschke]

As mentioned on the blog, the current issue of S.F. Weekly has a great article by Matt Smith about the San Francisco Police Department's misplaced reliance on polygraph screening in the hiring process. See, "SFPD can't tell a lie: It still uses unreliable polygraph to screen recruits."

[George W. Maschke]

Matt Smith follows up his article about the San Francisco Police Department's polygraph practices with an in-depth look at the man the department has hired to conduct its polygraph screening examinations -- Patrick T. Coffey. Among other things, Smith looks into bigoted posts Coffey made to this message board under the screen name TheNoLieGuy4U. See, "SFPD polygraph expert's controversial views":

http://www.sfweekly.com/2009-08-19/news/the-lie-detective/

The message board posts discussed in the article may be found here:

https://antipolygraph.org/forum/index.php?topic=2237.msg15906#msg15906

[AnotherPolyVictim]

In the 8/12/09 article, the SFPD background investigator interviewed stated that they use the polygraph as a fact finder and will investigate more thoroughly any potential issues raised by the polygraph.

Does anyone know if this means that they don't use the polygraph alone as the sole basis to disqualify a candidate and that they actually try to investigate any issues raised by the polygraph? This would be a dream come true. I have nothing to hide but have been victimized by the polygraph in a prior application with another department.

I wouldn't have a problem having a background investigator talk to every single person I've ever met in my life, but hate the thought of going through another poly only to be kicked to the curb without any recourse or way to prove myself. I'm hoping the SFPD has a more enlightened view on polygraphs and uses them as a tool rather than a sledgehammer... does anyone know?