Polygraph question

[chris11887]

So I have passed all the tests and now I am coming up to the polygraph. I am nervous and am just trying to figure out if I'm dead in the water.

Back in January of this year I went to the final Bears/Lions game in Detroit. After it ended my buddy and I went out to the bars and became heavily intoxicated. Near the end of the night we went to a strip club. I didn't ask for it, but the stripper offered oral sex. To my regret, I accepted. Afterwards I paid her. Is this an automatic disqualifier?

Besides that, I have tried Marijuana like 4 times over the past 3 years. And when I was 18 or 19 I stole an iPod from Best Buy. Besides all that I am completely clean.

Any insight? I am 23. The department I am applying for is in Illinois.

[retdetsgt]

Back in January of this year I went to the final Bears/Lions game in Detroit. After it ended my buddy and I went out to the bars and became heavily intoxicated. Near the end of the night we went to a strip club. I didn't ask for it, but the stripper offered oral sex. To my regret, I accepted. Afterwards I paid her. Is this an automatic disqualifier?

Besides that, I have tried Marijuana like 4 times over the past 3 years. And when I was 18 or 19 I stole an iPod from Best Buy. Besides all that I am completely clean.

You don't sound very clean to me. You stole an IPod a few years ago and smoked dope in the past three, plus engaged in prostitution? Stealing an IPod isn't exactly like a little kid swiping a candy bar. That alone would DQ you with my dept. The prostitution would seal the casket.

[Kimble]

So I have passed all the tests and now I am coming up to the polygraph. I am nervous and am just trying to figure out if I'm dead in the water.

Back in January of this year I went to the final Bears/Lions game in Detroit. After it ended my buddy and I went out to the bars and became heavily intoxicated. Near the end of the night we went to a strip club. I didn't ask for it, but the stripper offered oral sex. To my regret, I accepted. Afterwards I paid her. Is this an automatic disqualifier?

Besides that, I have tried Marijuana like 4 times over the past 3 years. And when I was 18 or 19 I stole an iPod from Best Buy. Besides all that I am completely clean.

Any insight? I am 23. The department I am applying for is in Illinois.

Chris,

By your own admission, you've used marijuana in the recent past, at the ages of being a legal adult. Additionally, you also likely committed a felony due to the value of the iPod at an age (18/19) well past when you should have known the difference between right and wrong.

The whole paying for prostitution (prostitution laws typically don't differentiate paying for intercourse or paying for a BJ, as it typically all falls in the same statutes) aside, you have a very recent past of contining criminal behavior.

I also have to wonder why you bring up the polygraph, besides the thread title, there's no mention of it in your post. Were you less than fully truthful on your application?

[MikeG]

Print out your post and give it to your BI. If you don't feel comfortable doing that, you probably shouldn't continue until you are.

[mobrien316]

I also have to wonder why you bring up the polygraph, besides the thread title, there's no mention of it in your post. Were you less than fully truthful on your application?

+1

Your post really has nothing to do with the polygraph. Tell your background investigator all of the stuff you wrote in your post and see what he or she says. The only way the polygraph enters into the equation is if you don't admit to any of the above-listed activities and you are concerned that hiding that information will cause you to fail the polygraph.

[retdetsgt]

Besides all that I am completely clean.

That comment reminds me of the old joke, "Other than that, how did you enjoy the play, Mrs. Lincoln?"

[Palerider957]

You will need to go over each of these incidents with the background investigation and the Polygraph Examiner. During the polygraph the Examiner will ask about each of these events, don't worry there is NOTHING you can say that will shock your examiner. The Examiner will format the test questions to read something like "other than what you have told me, have you ever......."

For security clearance purposes the "whole person" concept is used, that is they will look at all the good aspects of your life, not just the crap and mistakes.

You have nothing to lose by telling the Investigator and Examiner everything, the worst they can do is not hire you. If you fail the polygraph you certainly won't get hired.

With the passage of time and no further screw ups, most of what you said will be forgiven--the question is can you mitigate what you have done with only a couple of years having passed. Your security interview will be CRITICAL, tell them everything, show remoarse, tell them how much you want this position.

If the agency wants you they will probably increase the scope of the background, using more of your references and the "secondary contacts" developed by speaking with your references and former employers. If they find additional dergatory info. (such as excessive alcohol use, gambling, poor judgement, etc) you will probably be DQ'ed.

[chris11887]

You will need to go over each of these incidents with the background investigation and the Polygraph Examiner. During the polygraph the Examiner will ask about each of these events, don't worry there is NOTHING you can say that will shock your examiner. The Examiner will format the test questions to read something like "other than what you have told me, have you ever......."

For security clearance purposes the "whole person" concept is used, that is they will look at all the good aspects of your life, not just the crap and mistakes.

You have nothing to lose by telling the Investigator and Examiner everything, the worst they can do is not hire you. If you fail the polygraph you certainly won't get hired.

With the passage of time and no further screw ups, most of what you said will be forgiven--the question is can you mitigate what you have done with only a couple of years having passed. Your security interview will be CRITICAL, tell them everything, show remoarse, tell them how much you want this position.

If the agency wants you they will probably increase the scope of the background, using more of your references and the "secondary contacts" developed by speaking with your references and former employers. If they find additional dergatory info. (such as excessive alcohol use, gambling, poor judgement, etc) you will probably be DQ'ed.

Thank you for your response, this was helpful. This is the first time I have ever applied to a law enforcement agency. Very ignorant of the process.

[mobrien316]

From your post I think it is safe to assume that you did not share all of the above information with your background investigator. If you did admit to paying for sex, smoking post in the last couple of years, and shoplifing four or five years ago it seems unlikely you would be progressing to the polygraph portion of the application process.

Go back to your background investigator, tell him or her all of what you listed here, and if your past choices disqualify you accept responsibility for your actions and move on to a different career field. If the BI tells you that paying for sex with a stripper, smoking pot, and shoplifting are all cool with his department, then you don't have anything to worry about.

[chris11887]

From your post I think it is safe to assume that you did not share all of the above information with your background investigator. If you did admit to paying for sex, smoking post in the last couple of years, and shoplifing four or five years ago it seems unlikely you would be progressing to the polygraph portion of the application process.

Go back to your background investigator, tell him or her all of what you listed here, and if your past choices disqualify you accept responsibility for your actions and move on to a different career field. If the BI tells you that paying for sex with a stripper, smoking pot, and shoplifting are all cool with his department, then you don't have anything to worry about.

I think a lot of responders to my post think that same as you. However, there has been no mention of any BI yet. I have passed the physical agility test, written test, oral board interview, and now I am off to the poly.

I have been 100% honest through the entire hiring process and still plan to be. I was under the impression they use the poly to both check for deception as well as history. My original statement implied that I was wondering if the odds were either in my favor, or against it, going into the poly. Apparently most departments assign you to a BI and that person is charged with interviewing past employers and acquaintances, as well as other matters. But like I said, there has been no mention of that yet. I believe that will come after the poly, not sure though.

Thanks to all the responses.

[mobrien316]

Didn't you have to fill out an application? Didn't the application ask questions regarding past crimes, past drug use, and other similar things?

Generally, police agencies try to save money on applicants and don't send people through more than a written test and a physical agility without some kind of personal history statement and at least a cursory background check. Polygraphs in particular cost an agency a decent amount of money and police agencies aren't inclined to spend that money on applicants who included disqualifying admissions such as paying a stripper for sex, recent shoplifting, and recent drug use on their initial application.

In Connecticut, the polygraph is the last part of the application, because an applicant has to receive a conditional offer of employment before they take it. Connecticut law precludes polygraphing job applicants for municipal or state positions unless that applicant is "conditionally" employed by the agency requesting the testing.

Perhaps an Illinois LEO can chime in on this, because I would assume Illinois is not too different with regards to polygraphing applicants.

[chris11887]

Yes I filled out an application. But the only questions on the application regarding any kind of criminal history were:

Have you ever received a dishonorable discharge from the military?
And
Have you ever been convicted/plead guilty/received supervision for a misdemeanor or felony?

Nothing about drug use or anything else. I guess it is a little different here.

[Citicop]

Yes I filled out an application. But the only questions on the application regarding any kind of criminal history were:

Have you ever received a dishonorable discharge from the military?
And
Have you ever been convicted/plead guilty/received supervision for a misdemeanor or felony?

Nothing about drug use or anything else. I guess it is a little different here.

Don't take this the wrong way, but was it an applicatoin for employment with McDonald's?

Every police application I have ever filled out has been at least ten pages long.

-Citicop.