Abstract
The presenter is a detective and polygraph examiner with the Syracuse Police Department. She is responsible for investigating major felony crimes and performing polygraph examinations for both criminal cases and pre-employment purposes. Prior to becoming a polygraph examiner Ms. Rether conducted numerous background investigations on individuals seeking employment with the Syracuse Police Department. During this time she identified the need for integrity and truthfulness in a police candidate prior to their hiring and entry into the Civil Service System.
The presenter describes the background investigation process including the polygraph examination and the need for such testing to determine integrity in a police candidate prior to them being hired. Also discussed are examples of police agencies that lowered their hiring standards to fill vacancies and the subsequent fallout from the lower standards.
The major purpose of the research project was to determine if the polygraph examiners at the Syracuse Police Department felt that the use of the polygraph examination during the background investigative process was effective at determining a candidate's level of integrity and truthfulness prior to them being hired. The poster describes the research findings with the recommendation that the Syracuse Police Department continue the use of the polygraph examination on police candidates prior to them being hired.
