Failed Poly

[aaaslayer]

I failed LAPD. I then passed SB County Probation. I was on the wait list for an academy date and received a letter indicating that I wasn't accepted because the results from the poly said I associate with people who use drugs. What a f'n joke! I was so pissed off. Such BS and so not true. I went to school for 5 years to get my Bachelors in Criminal Justice at CSULB and attempted several agencies and gave up for now. I was told by my background investigator that I'm a fantastic candidate, but I should aim for a smaller department where they overlook little things, and to try again in about two years. I feel like I wasted my time in school with a useless degree, should've majored in Business or something more useful, at least I'd have something to fall back on. I have friends with Sociology degrees, Political Science, and they couldn't find work in their field so they became cops. I can't even become a cop right now and I'm left with a degree I can't really use. It's frustrating. I'm thinking of just joining the military as an officer, going to OCS using my degree there.

Keep trying, I know I will in about two years again before I get too old for the cut off.

[Notorious]

Screw poly's. Useless witch hunting psuedo science which has such an abysmal reputation that courts don't allow it for anything. It's been rated at best, 75% accuracy, which is not good enough for anything other than making a bet in Vegas.

I've passed plenty of them and encountered enough polygraphers who thought they were NASA scientists playing CSI FBI CIA NSA UFO NFL NAACP USA USA agents. The whole thing is a crock and designed to make you confess to things that you didn't confess to up to that point, is all. They get a hook on something then pester you to admit something until you either admit to it or fail you for evasive responses. Whatever. It's a totally self fulfilling prophecy for them because they can interpret it however they want if they already have a preconceived notion in mind.

[Sam1]

any more to this story? I've taken plenty of poly's, (passed since Im hired lol) and before the test is actually given, you spend at least an hour going over the pre-poly questionaire so the person administering the test can compare the answers you provided to your backgrounder to the answers your giving to him in person.

They most always have copies of what you have turned in to the PD when you show up to take the test. If you are fudging, they will know and immediately make note of it to report back. This interview also clears the air so to speak on any suspect adverse reactions you could have during the test by "getting it all out on the table." It's the interviewers job to try and get you admit things you haven't said before.

The test is normally based on a pre-determined set of questions provided by the department, and questions pulled from your interview with the poly person. The interviewer should run through the test twice, the first to set a baseline reading for heart rate, breathing, etc, and the second to substantiate the first results. The newer tests go as far to have you sit on a sensor pad so the interviewer will know if you are purposefully trying to subvert the test by flinching, squeezing your toes, buttcheeks, etc. If these reactions stop the test twice, you're done.

Now with all that said, I honestly believe that the machine can't tell if you are lying. It senses physiological responses to the questions you are asked. If you have stayed consistant with the answers you provided the PD and the answers you provided the interviewer, theoretically you should be able to pass, even with an elevated heart rate, higher than average breathing, or sweaty hands.

The thing that sucks is that it's completely subjective on the opinion of the person who's administered the test. The bottom line is to stick with whatever you've written down and be completely honest with yourself throughout the hiring process. Your integrity and honesty are primary traits your prosepctive agency is looking for. Remember too that any future agency you apply to will have access to any materials you turned in during the hiring process so once again, consistancy is crucial.

Good luck to you.

All this info is accurate, I had the butt pad and pads on my feet. Not much more to this story other than at the end of the test my examiner wanted a confession and tried to be my friend saying he could help me out etc this was for CBP btw. What ticked me off the most is I had a physical fitness test/interview/psych all at the same date for NDOC in Las Vegas and I chose to take my poly instead of annoying my examiner and rescheduling.

[Sam1]

Thanks for the encouragement guys. I've been kinda down about it because I almost made it to the academy. Will send off applications to local departments while obtaining my CDL and give truck driving a shot.

[OldShooter32]

Walked in, sat down. First question: "Do you own any illegal assault rifles? "
Got up, walked out.
What the heck does that question have to do with a part-time job sending out red-light camera tickets?
What a sham.
Took another while I had a cold and was flagged for being "deceptive" because I coughed. Voodoo science...and no appeal or recourse.

[socalbud]

Walked in, sat down. First question: "Do you own any illegal assault rifles? "
Got up, walked out.
What the heck does that question have to do with a part-time job sending out red-light camera tickets?
What a sham.
Took another while I had a cold and was flagged for being "deceptive" because I coughed. Voodoo science...and no appeal or recourse.

Not sure if you are serious, but I'm guessing they want to hire someone that obeys the law..

[ldsnet]

My local Sheriff office uses CVSA (voice stress analysis). You think polygraph is voodoo science try a CVSA.

[tyrist]

The poly is only as good as the person giving the test.

[epilepticninja]

There are alot of agencies that don't require poly's. A good friend of mine flunked a poly at one agency, turned right around and got hired at the agency that I used to work at. While they didn't require a poly, they put you through the wringer on everything else to make sure you are worthy of hiring. OP, don't let a failed poly discourage you. Keep applying.

[Baconator]

My local Sheriff office uses CVSA (voice stress analysis). You think polygraph is voodoo science try a CVSA.

Lol, I agree. I took one and there was one question I "reacted" to. Couldn't tell the difference in my voice.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

[Sleighter]

My experience was nearly exactly the same. After going through the questions the first time, the examiner gave me a speech about how my breathing was all over the place and to just "breath normal." So the rest of the time I was freaking out about how I was breathing. Then after the 2nd round he told me that I was rocking back in forth in the chair and setting off the pressure pad, I was sitting as still as a statue. I told him that I was doing my best and I knew it was in my best interest to cooperate fully, so why would I be messing around? He said he'd give me another shot and at the end of the 3rd round of questions, he got fed up and said that I was worthless and the test was inconclusive. He said he'd re-schedule me with another examiner.

I got a cold when I was supposed to re-test and the 2nd examiner said I couldn't take the test. By that time I ended up getting another job and didn't feel like going through the stress and anxiety of another poly. I'm done with LEO jobs for now. Maybe in the future. Good luck OP.

I failed my first one because I had issues "breathing normally", whatever that is. They told me to return in two weeks. I passed the second one, but not without having to explain some "inconsistencies". Damn thing flagged a lot of answers as being deceptive. Things that both myself and the examiner knew for a fact I was being honest on. In addition to that, some of the control questions in which I was supposed to lie came back as me being honest.

I did pass a voice-stress analysis with another agency. I found it to be more accurate and less intimidating.

After this, my opinion on polygraphs is that they are nothing but high-tech witch hunts.

[1-M-42]

Not sure if you are serious, but I'm guessing they want to hire someone that obeys the law..

He retired after 30 plus years, probably thought the question was silly, which it was...

[JoeJinKY]

I have ZERO faith in polygraph machines. They don't tell you anything. They just record your physiological activity. A change in the heart rate, or increased moisture in the largest organ of your body, your SKIN! The "results" are nothing more than the opinion of the guy taking the test. He would be just as accurate if he pulled his opinion out of his rectum.

The fact is that you are not a machine. Your mind (your subconscious) brings up thoughts and even plays through little "mind movies" spontaneously, and you have no control over that. Ask any polygraph examiner if the machine is capable of reading ONLY your physiological reaction to the question he asked, and not your physiological reaction to a thought that passed through your mind before, during or after your answer. If he is HONEST he will tell you that there is no way to determine the source of the reaction. He can only record it.

So you were a little boy, and you were accused of stealing another child's toy in a playground. You KNOW you didn't take it, and you know which kid took it, but when you told the truth, "I DIDN'T TAKE IT!" the adults decided you were lying anyway, and you were punished.

So now you are sitting there as an adult, and you are hooked to a polygraph. the man tells you that the machine will ACCURATELY tell him whether or not you are telling the truth. He asks, you, "Did you take the money from the cash register?"

If you are brain dead, I suppose you could answer that question truthfully and show NO reaction, but if you aren't a liberal you will most certainly flash through your mind the last time you told the truth and they didn't believe you. You might relive the punishment in an instant, or even entertain the thought of finding and punishing the kid who did take it now that you have been reminded of that incident ... ALL of this will be recorded on the polygraph, and the guy will make a notation that you lied when you answered the question because he recorded a reaction.

I will NOT let some BOZO determine my fate and put my reputation into question by recording my heart rate or acidic level of my skin and belch out some supposedly "educated" conclusion about my honesty. I always tell the truth, and if that isn't good enough for someone, F--K 'EM!

[socalbud]

I like the polygraph personally. It's a good investigative tool if anything, and it is going to show them how your body responds under mental duress. It's really not a "lie detector" but it's just a fantastic way to weed people out.

[Notorious]

That's all it is good for, getting people to DQ themselves.