Anyone know how the police hiring-process polygraph test works?

[Dakota rube]

Originally Posted by globetrotter

so lets say you used some weed in the past. tell them about it. if you raped and killed 23 tourists, don't apply to the cops. stealing a car falls somewhere in the middle.

My new words to live by...

 

[Hayling]

Originally Posted by Tck13

I've considered LE and after doing some research into different local LE departments, some get paid quite well. It just seems to be dependent on where one goes. Near me, Philadelphia / NYC gets paid in the low to mid $30's while surrounding areas start around $60k. A couple of guys that I work out with are local cops and with minimal OT they're making in the low $70k.
I guess it depends on what you compare it to. In my current field, I'll be making $74k straight out of college at the age of 22...in just a few years I can easily be over 100k. Compare that with 40 - 50k average starting salary of a cop. It would probably require 20 - 30 years to get into six figures unless you are doing substantial OT. Even so, job satisfaction is a big concern for me. I could be making tons of money but if I'm not reasonably happy doing it, I would rather not.

 

[globetrotter]

Originally Posted by longskate88

By "training," do you simply mean believing your lies, or other tactics such as the thumb tac in your shoe? Seems like simply believing your lies would work, as in " I never stole the car" and actually believing that yourself

yes, if you are a complete sociopath, you can pretty much pass a basic polygraph. if not, it is a matter of practice, and feedback. if you have a polygraph at home, and a trained tech to work with you, and a month or so to work, you could definatly get to the point where you can beat a polygraph most times.

a polygraph picks up on basic biological reactions, reactions that you can't really control. 5 of them, if I remember correctly. the tech is looking for changes in your reactions when they ask certain questions.

they ask you questions - and ask for elaboration on the answers, so that they can build up your personal quesions - "so, you used marrajana approx. once a week from age 16 to 21, but never more than 3 times in one week, and only twice since you were 21, right? that will be made inot several quesitons, like "you have never used marajuana since you were 25" you have only used marajuana on two occasions since you were 21" "you have never used crack" etc.

then they go through strapping you in, which is a whole ceromony, and the technitian makes it clear that any mistakes you make, you will be fucked up. this elevates your fear and nervesouness.

then they ask you the quesitons - it is pretty much impossible to control the biological feedback during this time. and patterns will come up.

now, if they ask "aside from the specific instances that you have reported on, have you evedr knowingly commited a crime" and you have been thinking about the car you stole when you were 16 for the past month and how it was going to **** up your chance at this job, then you are definatly going to react.

 

[mikej77]

Originally Posted by slycedbred

Please tell me, if your disposition does not change one bit between a lie and a truth...how the **** is it going to tell the difference? Oh wait, don't tell me...the all powerful genius administrator will get ya! Right.

It has nothing to do with your "disposition", as Globe stated, it deals with your biological responses. Trained polygraphers know of every trick in the book that people use to try and "beat" the machine. People try to concentrate their breathing, tack in the shoe, clenching the butt cheeks to get your heart rate up, they are all easily picked up on. A polygraph measures your biological responses between sets of control and relevant questions to help identify if you are being "deceptive". Going in with the attitude of "I dont give a ****" wont get you anywhere and won't help you pass.

 

[mikej77]

Originally Posted by Hayling

I guess it depends on what you compare it to.

In my current field, I'll be making $74k straight out of college at the age of 22...in just a few years I can easily be over 100k. Compare that with 40 - 50k average starting salary of a cop. It would probably require 20 - 30 years to get into six figures unless you are doing substantial OT.

Even so, job satisfaction is a big concern for me. I could be making tons of money but if I'm not reasonably happy doing it, I would rather not.

It really depends if you are going into locate, state, or federal law enforcement. Federal pays quite well.

 

[x26]

Originally Posted by longskate88

By "training," do you simply mean believing your lies, or other tactics such as the thumb tac in your shoe? Seems like simply believing your lies would work, as in " I never stole the car" and actually believing that yourself

So; You stole a Car you little deviant Prick...

You are some Naughty. I hope you learned your lesson--Chalk it up to "Youthful Indiscretions"...

 

[Ge Fuzz]

I know a guy that went through this. He said it was really intimidating, the whole process, the room, the guy, the equipment. Then they ask questions like, "have you ever had sex with a minor?" This guy was 19 with a 17 year old girlfriend so should he lie? Tell the truth and look like a pedophile? Stuff ike that. Its not so much "have you ever killed anyone?"

He ended up failing the psych test but then applied again a few years later and now hes a cop.

 

[BP348]

Originally Posted by longskate88

A sheriff I know is in his mid 50's, and making $170K in retirement per year.

I find this really hard to believe. I know several officers and a few agents and none are making anywhere near that. But they are not in Southern CA either.

As far as the poly goes, it's not foolproof, hence the fact that most courts don't allow them & I agree with the others that for the most part people get so worked up they start spilling their guys & they forget that they guy/girl giving the exam is an officer who has been trained to pul this stuff out.

If you had stolen a car why would someone apply for a police officer job?

All that being said honesty is the best policy.

 

[Mr T]

There are two basic types of poly for the feds (I have experienced both in non-LE positions). The first is a lifestyle poly. That is a new level of hell and I don't think any job is worth the demeaning experience. The other is a counter-intelligence poly that is more humane and straight forwarded.

Good luck - sorry I can't help with LE specific tests.

 

[lawyerdad]

Originally Posted by longskate88

Seems like simply believing your lies would work, as in " I never stole the car" and actually believing that yourself

Well, sure, but that's kind of a tautology. If you actually believe it to be true, it's not a lie. It's a lie detector, not a wrong answer detector.

 

[BB1]

Originally Posted by globetrotter

if they know what they are doing, you won't beat the machine. trust me.

This is bullshit. The polygraph is nothing more than interrogation technique. The machine is more of a prop than anything else. The science is not there, although I have no doubt a good interrogator can often get good results.

So why have famous serial killers often been tested using the infallible polygraph (prior to being caught or admitting guilt) and passed with flying colors? Or are we to assume the police use their worst polygraph examiners when testing a potential serial killer?

Should we believe L. Ron Hubbard's e-meter works too? Reportedly the Scientology auditors are pretty good at getting people to spill their guts while using their e-meter prop.

 

[BB1]

Here's a good summary of how the polygraph interrogation technique works. Cops and other law enforcement types are predisposed to believe in it because it appears to justify their interrogation via the almighty "science". http://antipolygraph.org/lie-behind-...e-detector.pdf

 

[globetrotter]

Originally Posted by BB1

This is bullshit. The polygraph is nothing more than interrogation technique. The machine is more of a prop than anything else. The science is not there, although I have no doubt a good interrogator can often get good results.

So why have famous serial killers often been tested using the infallible polygraph (prior to being caught or admitting guilt) and passed with flying colors? Or are we to assume the police use their worst polygraph examiners when testing a potential serial killer?

Should we believe L. Ron Hubbard's e-meter works too? Reportedly the Scientology auditors are pretty good at getting people to spill their guts while using their e-meter prop.

sorry - but where is your knowledge from?

we aren't talking about interegating criminals here, although polygraphs are pretty good for interegations. we are talking about using polygraphs for employment purposes.

serial killers are, mostly, sociopaths. applicants to police acadamy that post on clothing threads aren't.

 

[Ge Fuzz]

Originally Posted by globetrotter

serial killers are, mostly, sociopaths. applicants to police acadamy that post on clothing threads aren't.

sociopaths most likely wouldn't pass the psych evals...There was that guy who set like 2000 fires in LA who wasn't accepted into the police academy so he became a fireman instead and was a serial arsenist and one of the leading arson investigators/experts.

 

[FidelCashflow]

Originally Posted by Ge Fuzz

sociopaths most likely wouldn't pass the psych evals...There was that guy who set like 2000 fires in LA who wasn't accepted into the police academy so he became a fireman instead and was a serial arsenist and one of the leading arson investigators/experts.

Like dexter.. but a flamer