Polygraph
in the Fight
Against Corruption
Regional Law Enforcement
Anti-Corruption Conference
Kingston, Jamaica
March 23, 2011
Assistant Commissioner Cal Corley
Director General Canadian Police College, and
Senior RCMP Envoy to Mexico & the Americas
As Anti-Corruption Tool
• Polygraph is an effective Anti-Corruption tool if
properly employed in multi-faceted manner:
• With current staff
• Pre-employment screening
•
Cases in Point:
– Jamaica Constabulary Force – vetting within the
ranks
– RCMP: Pre-employment Polygraph
Why Polygraph?
• Intelligence-led organization
• Polygraph a smart way to operate
• Help minimize risk
• Proven tool in protecting our intelligence and operational
assets
• Not looking for perfection
• just people who reflect our organizations’ Core Values
• Requires: communications strategy
– (internal + external)
POLYGRAPH: JCF Vetting Tool
Impact
Percentage Vetted
• Re-enforces zero-tolerance
to corruption
• 100%, including immediate
staff
High
Command
• 20-25 % at random, plus
key sensitive positions
Supt
Ranks
Only sensitive position
incumbents
• Those not vetted but who
are engaged in corrupt
behaviour either:
• self-select out
• cease and desist
Inspectors
and other
Ranks
• higher risk of being
caught
• Clear message to partners
and community
• Increase in reporting of
incidents of wrong-doing
• Provides critical foundational
enabling transformation
PRE-EMPLOYMENT POLYGRAPH
• The RCMP adopted PEP in 2005 in support of
the commitment to our priorities
 de-stabilize organized crime
 combat terrorism
 assure Canada’s economic integrity
Other Canadian Police Agencies using PEP
• Vancouver
• Medicine Hat
• West Vancouver
• Moose Jaw
• Delta
• Regina
• Calgary
• Saskatoon
• Edmonton
• Lethbridge
• Québec City
• Halifax
• Cape Breton
Where PEP fits -
in the RCMP
Recruitment Process
i. Applicant Questionnaire
Recruiter reviews Applicant’s answers, entire
file, determines suitability to proceed.
Marketing
Formal
Application
Career
Presentations
&
Selection
(from IRL)
(an information
session)
RCMP Police
Aptitude
Battery
(RPAB)
Regular
Member
Selection
Interview
(RMSI)
Physical
Abilities
Requirement
Evaluation
(PARE)
Field
Investigation
& Security
Clearance
ii. Interview &
Polygraph
Examination
- then, File Review
by Recruiting
Medical
Clearance
Enrollment
PEP Interview &
Polygraph Exam
• Average 4.5 hours
• 3.5 hours interview, question review
•
No trick or surprise questions
• 15 – 20 minutes actual polygraph exam
• 95 questions
+ 4 if past military service
+ 16 if past police service
RCMP PRINCIPLES IN PEP
• Not a ‘lie detector’
• No pass or fail
• Interviews performed only by trained,
certified polygraph examiners
• Only one of several tools in selection
process
• Applicants assessed on entire
selection process
• Instructive – NOT determinative
PEP Questions
Explores:
• Employment history, behaviour
• Driving history, record, incidents
• Gambling, alcohol, drug use
• Use of force, interaction with
police
• Technology & Internet behaviour
• Unlawful sexual activity
• Security, loyalty issues
Criteria for Non-Suitability
•
Any criminal activity (3 years)
•
Serious provincial offences (3
years)
•
Unpardoned criminal
convictions
•
Pending criminal charges
•
Use of illicit drugs
Success Rates and Data
After 5 Years:
 Over 12,000 PEP Interviews / Exams completed
 64 % move to next stage of recruiting process
 36% not recommended after PEP
Safeguards
• Independent 2009 study into
PEP confirmed the value and
ROI from use of PEP
• PEP often surfaced “new
admissions or disclosure of
information” detrimental to
employment application that
would not otherwise have been
available to recruiters
STUDY RESULTS
Previous Employment
• Most common was having cheated or
plagiarized, including on RCMP
aptitude testing
• Also included theft from employers
Driving History
• Hit and run motor vehicle accidents
• One case involved admission of street
racing leading to death and evasion of
police by applicant
STUDY RESULTS cont’d
Gambling
• New disclosures on how much they had
lost, won
Alcohol and Drug Use
• Including admissions of impaired driving,
extensive alcohol consumption
• Recency and extent of drug use
• Rare, but present were new admissions
concerning the use of heroin, meth,
crack cocaine and date-rape drugs
STUDY RESULTS cont’d
Use of Force
• Most related to minor disputes with
intimate partners or family members
• One case disclosed a self-described
violent racist, who was fascinated with
sharp-edged weapons, had previously
strangled a classmate and wanted to be
a police officer so he could ‘legally’ carry
a weapon.
STUDY RESULTS
Computers and Technology
• 41% admitted to pirating software and
music off of the internet
• A few were involved with internet
fraud, hacking and on-line threats
Unlawful Sexual Activity
• 14% admitted to involvement with
child pornography or prostitution
• Others included a variety of deviant
behaviours
STUDY RESULTS cont’d
Involvement with Law Enforcement
• Involvement in theft was most common
(40%), often involving employer
Current or former Police, Military officers
• Use of authority for personal gain,
improper search and seizure, and
falsifying reports
Summary
• “There can be no greater risk area for
security in Jamaica than is posed if
personnel security within the ranks of its
national police service is not assured” JCF Strategic Review report, 2009.
• Polygraph is a proven and effective tool in
support of a comprehensive AntiCorruption Strategy – use it!
19
QUESTIONS
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