Polygraph

[TTN]

Hello everyone,
How's everybody doing? First of all, thank you (especially the senior members of this forum) for providing helpful information regarding hiring process for LEO. I've been a member of this forum for a few months and I have to admit that I have learned a lot. This is my first post. I apologize for my silence in the past few months.
I'm from TX (DFW area). I've been applying to many department around the metroplex and finally got to the further process with Garland Police Department. They scheduled me for the polygraph exam this upcoming Thursday. I'm so excited and nervous at the same time. This will my very first polygraph exam. I don't know what to expect and what to do to prepare for the exam. Please give me some advice. Besides being completely honest, I heard that drinking coffee or taking medicine the night before will complicated the result. Do I dress in comfortable clothing? Thanks in advance! I'm looking forward for your advice.

[retdetsgt]

Dress comfortably, you bet. A few cups of coffee would be no problem. What kind of medication would you possibly be taking?

Don't worry about it, the examiner will explain the process and should give you the questions in advance. If you are concerned about any, bring them up before the test.

[TTN]

Thanks for your reply. I'm running down with an allergy and planning to take an allergy pill. But I'm trying not to! Hopefully it won't get worse by the test day. I moved to TX 3 years ago to continue my education and start a family. I have a clean record, got my B.A in CJ last December, took many civil service test in the metroplex, failed quite a handful, and passed a few. I'm physically fit but I need to work on my test taking skills. My only advantage is that I'm a bilingual in Vietnamese.
If I don't make it through, I don't want to do anything else with my degree. Being a LEO is the only reason I chose CJ major. The wait time stressed me out badly. I took the test on January, had my initial interview 6 months later to get background check started, and finally got to this process in Oct. During this time, I work part time for a company that pay so little and have nothing to do with my degree. I learn it the hard way that LEO position has not short-cut, everybody is going through the same thing, and it's so competitive! Hopefully I make it through. Congrats to those of you who are enjoying your meaningful life as a LEO, and good luck to the rest of you, who are on the same boat as mine.

[retdetsgt]

If you can do without it, that would be good, but if you need to take it, bring the bottle in and show it to the examiner.

[mcsap]

EVERYBODY is nervous taking the polygraph. You are NOT the only one Just like everyone is nervous taking the written test , doing the oral interview , doing the PT test etc.

Get a haircut , lose any earrings , make sure you have a decent looking suit. Look and be sharp and that is a good way to present yourself to a potential department who is trying to see if you can even appear to be there for a professional position.

[TTN]

Will do! Thanks! I think I'm over-reacting by playing trick with my mind too much. I'm trying to dig up every single detail from the day I was little until now, to make sure I did not forget to disclose anything. I don't want to go into the poly-exam room and be tested, then suddenly remember something. All these factors combine make me nervous.

[TTN]

Passed poly, back to waiting time! Thanks again for the advice guys.

[John Solo]

Congrats TTN!
I am in a similar situation to you and have my first polygraph on Tuesday, I was told it will take 3-6 hours.
It looks like you found out right after the test that you passed? I hope I'm the same, like Tom Petty says "Waiting is the Hardest Part."
This site is a fantastic resource I hope to be able to contribute to the wealth of knowledge in the near future instead of just digesting it!