[Zuke]

I am finally making the move to get out of this loopy state we call Mass and applying to every department south of NJ. A few years back I went through the process with 2-3 large mid south cities, and had no luck....oh well. So, I retreated to my birth place (Mass) and have worked as a Reserve PO in a small town and a College PO for the last few years.

Now that I have had a brief experience of going through a non-Mass department's hiring process, I wish I was better prepared for it. With so many books out there on the background investigations and Polygraphs, I am ready to purchase a few to help aid and prepare me for the "processing." :wink:

Any suggestions?
Thanks
Z

 

[TripleSeven]

Get a book from amazon.com called Deception Detection... a paperback with white and orange cover. A must read before you take ur first poly.

 

[Zuke]

Thanks! I have taken the poly twice in the past for pre-employment. 1 went great the other I still have nightmares about. Wish I read up on it beforehand.

 

[2-Delta]

t: Your avatar guy kind of freaks me out.....

 

[TripleSeven]

yea, ur avatar is a little freaky! Anyways... The Poly's i've taken are very intimidating but you need to understand... that they are total BS. They can't detect lies... read that book i told you about and it will be a huge help!

 

[KozmoKramer]

... The Poly's I've taken are very intimidating but you need to understand... that they are total BS. They can't detect lies... read that book I told you about and it will be a huge help!

EMcNeice - In your opinion, why are they (polys) used then?
To evaluate how you conduct yourself during the exam?
Mannerisms, poise under pressure, indicators of anxiousness or apprehensiveness, etc..?
Your opinion is they serve no genuine diagnostic purpose? :-k

 

[BartA1]

My experience is that polygraphs are an outdated item that serve no purpose as they are used in employment hiring decisions. I am no fan of Massachusetts as my previous posts show, but I think the commonwealth actually did the right thing in not allowing polygraphs to be used as a condition of employment.

 

[Mortal knight]

Doesn't the Polys just react to ones reaction to the questions. In other words if one believes that what he states the truth it will registar as such. If he conscienciously knows he is lying it will result in a negative reading?

 

[TripleSeven]

When you take a polygraph, as long as your not a nervous wreck, you can pass. They ask relevant and irrelevant questions and compare your readings to baseline questions, like is your name so and so... then compare them to questions like, have you ever used illegal drugs? Or have you ever stolen anything? As long as your not paranoid then lying and getting away with it is actually very easy if you know how it works. I think they are used more to see how u react to a stressfull situation, rather than confim things you've told them. From my experience, they most certainly cannot detect lies.

 

[Gil]

I took the polygraph for VASP back in 98 and the kicker to the test was when the investigator told me "If you can not remember the specific date and time, it did not happen" With a clause like that I don't see how anybody could fail it.

 

[bpd19]

It says in many books on polys that a total sociopath can even pass a poly with flying colors. The test measures reaction so if you can answer the questions back with no hesitation and conviction you can get away with huge lies. (see Simpson, OJ)

 

[Zuke]

Thanks for the input! As stated before I have taken it twice for Baltimore and a Maryland County PD. Both times I had the same questions and gave the same answers. I breezed through Baltimore's no sweat. At the other department's poly, it felt like I had no chance at all of passing. The same Q&A's as Baltimore's test but the examiner kept pressing me harder and harder. After SIX hours of sitting in the room recalling everything I have ever done wrong in life, I just wanted out of the exam and to get something to eat.

 

[KozmoKramer]

...After SIX hours of sitting in the room recalling everything I have ever done wrong in life, I just wanted out of the exam and to get something to eat.

6 HOURS??? :shock:
When I was poly'ed by CT SP it took all of 2 hours filling out the background questionnaire and 45 minutes (max) in the chair...
The examiner and I spoke more about the Hartford Whalers than we did my background...
6 Hours? Thats fk'ed. :HS:

 

[EOD1]

I just bought that book. I would like to learn more about the testing process.

 

[Zuke]

...After SIX hours of sitting in the room recalling everything I have ever done wrong in life, I just wanted out of the exam and to get something to eat.

6 HOURS??? :shock:
When I was poly'ed by CT SP it took all of 2 hours filling out the background questionnaire and 45 minutes (max) in the chair...
The examiner and I spoke more about the Hartford Whalers than we did my background...
6 Hours? Thats fk'ed. :HS:

Yes 6 hours! By the end I didn't know if I wanted to end my life or stop at Subway. It started at 1300hrs with the background/poly questionnaire, I finished with that at about 1430, then was given a "lecture" on how wonderful and great the poly machine was for about an hour. For the last 3 1/2hours I was in the hot seat with wires strapped, stuck and clipped to me. After the first full test he told me i had "marginal" scores and instructed me to recall more.... That cycle replayed 3 more times. Each time he stated i had "marginal" scores. It all ended around 1900hrs. I felt like I was the worse human to ever walk the face of the earth.... :ermm:

Anyway the book is on its way.

 

[rpd1603]

Just a word of caution, I went through 3 polygraphs last year and one dept specifically asked during the test if I had read any books on polygraphs or had looked up any information on how to deceive them. They also said that I would fail the test if they thought I was trying to use any deceptive technique. I passed all 3 but it is nerve racking....

 

[EOD1]

I don't necessarily wanna try to cheat or decieve one but I would like to learn more about how it works and techniques on taking them because they really intimidate me and thats not cool.

I read that if you put a tack in your sock and step on it when you tell the truth that the pain will cause a rise in anxiety and everything else and it would give the same result as when you lie. so the results will just look like you are nervous and anxious but not lying. so pain when you tell the truth & no pain when you lie= same results??? :? :?:

 

[Zuke]

Thanks for the heads up rpd1603. I don't want to use countermeasures, but just knowing what not to do before and after (ie. red flags) the test is a great help.

EOD1 pm sent.

 

[TripleSeven]

I don't want to give too much info on here because ya never know who's watching... but, in my opinon, poly's are useless. Some people are better lyars than others... but lying on a poly and getting away with it is easy. Anyone who reads that book I mentioned will see what i mean. There is really no need to use countermeasures for these types of polys b/c they are based only on relevant and irrelevant questions. Also, if you were to get caught trying to use these, than you can kiss a career in LE goodbye. I think the degree of what you are being deceptive about will make a difference, like if you commited a serious crime and got away with it. Myself, i have nothing to hide, but did have to 'tweak" a few answers. There's a certain mentality you need to have when going in for these tests... feel free to PM me for an elaboration. But the whole reason they bust your chops with hours of questions, and telling you how great and accurate poly's are is to build anxiety. Most examiners will come accross as very intimidating as well. The Lt. from VT SP was a HUGE and VERY intimidating guy. But anyways... i could on and on about this... PM me with any questions

Posted Wed Sep 08, 16:25:

One more bit of advice... and i think this might be where a polygraph gets some people. Make sure you try and remember dates or times of occurances as accuaratly as possible. My recent poly, they asked for specific dates on everything, and when i told him i wasn't sure, he threatened to end the exam. When i said i had to "tweak" my answers, this is what i meant... i was probably off quite a bit with some dates, but in my mind, the fact that i told them about it should be good enough, therefore it didn't make me nervous, whereas it might in other individuals. So i'd reccommend making a list of all the things the you've done wrong such as drug use, thefts, whatever you can think of anddo the best you can to come up with accuarate dates. If they don't allow you to bring a sheet of paper in with you (i tried to walk in with a newspaper :lol: ) than try and memorize the dates. HTH, Good luck!

Erik

 

[Channy1984]

I think polygraphs are used just to scare the person into admiting things that might disqualify him. Some guy I know had a test done on him and said that it's just the same as being asked all those questions before taking the oath for military service where they threaten you with jail time.

Just ignore whatever the machine does and you'll be all set.