The Polygraph Unit administers polygraph examinations to suspects, victims, and witnesses involved in Department investigations, and to Department personnel seeking a voluntary assignment to a specialized unit. As part of the Consent Decree, polygraph examinations became an additional step in the police officer background process in February 2001. The inclusion of polygraph examinations in the background process has proven to be a useful investigative tool. Polygraph examinations are administered to verify the truthfulness of information and/or determine participation in a crime.
The examination is administered utilizing a computerized polygraph instrument to record physiological data from three systems of the human body. A typical polygraph examination will include a pre-test interview, a chart collection phase, and a test data analysis phase. The test data analysis includes a computerized scoring system utilizing a mathematical algorithm developed by John Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory and numerical scoring recognized by the polygraph community.
The following guidelines are recommended to ensure accurate results: maintain a normal routine the day prior to an examination, get a recommended eight hours sleep (in the 24 hours prior to the examination), and obtain proper nourishment (i.e., food and drink) prior to the examination. Undergoing a polygraph examination is not recommended if a person is sick or in severe pain on the day of the examination.
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