Poly?

[hankdal]

I have been researching the exam and the entire process for a while. I have read and heard from several sources that some PD's are opting NOT to give candidates the polygraph test. Has anyone experienced that personally or heard of it? If so does anyone have any information on why these departments are opting against the poly.

[Tob2]

One dept. I'm applying to doesn't have the poly. They DO have the "Voice Stress" test. I assume, it's similar.

[Porl]

In the state of Oregon, it is not permissible to use the poly in any stage of the employment process or post employment process. Nor can the results of any poly be used as evidence in court. Yeah, Oregon gets stranger by the day.

As for the "Voice Stress" I found it extremely easy. The interview actually went over the questions before hand so i would know what to expect and to change the wording on a few so it applied to me and my circumstances. Tip: if you have been talking awhile ask to drink some water right before. I found that it makes your voice more "crisp" for the machine to pick up. I didn't lie during the process, and I found it very simple. The interview actually showed me the results within 5 mins. and then explained the chart. Very interesting. If you can see the graph from where you are; your answers should spike up and immediately fall down.. You don't want rounded tops. Bad. Shows you are stressed.. Doesn't mean you are lying. Just Stressed. If you have emotional issues with a question it will show up. The example from my interviewer: If you were ever sexually abused; the questions regarding that issue: Have you ever committed sexual crimes? would have some stress on it even tho you are telling the truth.

Hope that helps.

Porl

[guest]

I think the reason they are opting not to persue the poly in their hiring is they are realizing the poly does not work and they are infringing on peoples rights. The poly works by scaring the uninformed applicants into believing the polygraph will be able to tell when they are lying (it can't). The nieve applicant then confesses all for fear of getting "caught" by the machine. The force can then defer the confessing applicant before they waste any more time or money processing their application.

I also feel that more and more people are informing themselves about the poly (how it works and how to defeat it) and the forces are realizing it isn't workingin their favour anymore. Some of the more intelligent forces might be realizing that the poly is a farce with extremely high false positive rates and that they are losing out on many qualified appliacants as forces across the country are dying for applicants.

[Jane]

I have been through the basic Interview and Interrogation course. I will be attending the advanced course here shortly. The voice stress test is a different form of the poly test. It detects the slightest change or fluxuation in your voice. Like the poly it all depends on how nervous you are and what your voice is like. If I'm really nervous when I sing I sound like a chipmunk and my voice "rattles".
It's not that big of a deal if your an honest person. The only time people have to be nervous is if they're planning on being deceiving. Police departments are looking for people who are going to be honest enough when they have or think they have made a mistake.

[JohnAynon]

Lets be real on this issue, most departments who dont use the polygraph dismiss its importance because of the COST. It is a tremendous burden to thier budget.
If the exam was scientifically proven to have TRUE relavance in lie detection, all agencies would use it, even microsoft, delta airlines, etc. The COST then would be well worth it.
Good Luck

[George Maschke]

JohnAynon,

I disagree with your assessment that those departments who don't make polygraph screening a requirement for hire do so on the basis of cost. On the contrary, agencies that use the polygraph tend to see it as a cost-saving measure: when applicants make disqualifying admissions during a polygraph examination, the agency is saved the significant cost of doing a background investigation.

When the Philadelphia P.D. scrapped its polygraph screening program last year, it was not a cost-cutting measure. Pseudoscientific polygraph "tests" were replaced with more thorough background investigations:

www.philly.com/mld/philly/news/local/3304851.htm

By the way, private companies like Microsoft and Delta Airlines are prohibited from requiring applicants to submit to any kind of lie detector test (whether polygraph or voice stress analysis) by the 1988 Employee Polygraph Protection Act.

[Conspiracy Freak]

Enough! Geo Maschke will simply styorm the halls of EVERY PD/Sheriffs Dept/State Patrol and throw their poly machines to the ground.Upon smashing the machines he will yell -"Victory to the cheats,liars and thieves!!" Okay so the poly is lflawed ,but so is some of the background checks!!! A LAPD officer was convicted of multiple rapes recently and he passed the poly! without some time of test ,nuts will get into the Dept(as well as criminals) taking the poly away is just another weakening of the system! P.S> I bet you failed a poly ,Goerge....

[JohnAynon]

By the way, private companies like Microsoft and Delta Airlines are prohibited from requiring applicants to submit to any kind of lie detector test (whether polygraph or voice stress analysis) by the 1988 Employee Polygraph Protection Act.
---------------------
I Stand Corrected,
Thank You