How long does it take to become a polygraph examiner

The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) employs a number of polygraph examiners to work in its Office of Security. Polygraph examiners (forensic psychophysiologists) are trained to be proficient in the use of a polygraph machine.

Polygraph examiners must be able to prepare a subject for testing, conduct polygraph exams, work closely with investigators, prepare written reports and, at times, provide courtroom testimony.

The general accepted definition of a polygraph examiner is a polygraph specialist who has graduated from a recognized polygraph academy and has been accredited by the American Polygraph Association.

The majority of polygraph examiners must be licensed or certified by the regulatory organization in the jurisdiction in which they practice. However, CIA polygraph examiners must be federally certified. Individuals can still become polygraph examiners with the CIA without being federally certified; however, they must complete the federal polygraph examiner certification program upon being hired.

American Polygraph Academy Accreditation Requirements

The American Polygraph Academy (APA) sets standards for its accredited polygraph academy programs. Individuals who attend an APA-accredited program must complete, at a minimum, 400 hours of in-residence study. Study must be completed in 10 to 17 weeks, and all study must be completed at a qualified education and training facility. At least 95 percent of all the instruction within an APA-accredited academy must be done by a recognized faculty member.

Courses within a typical APA-accredited program include:

• History and development of the detection of deception
• Mechanics of instrument operation
• Pre-test interview and post-test procedures
• Ethics and standards of practice
• Psychology and human behavior
• Polygraph basic skills development
• Validated polygraph formats and scientific testing
• Polygraph test question construction
• Legal aspects related to polygraph

Individuals who want to become polygraph examiners with the CIA must be prepared to make a five-year commitment to the Agency. They must also possess a bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited college or university.  Candidates must have earned, at a minimum, a 3.0 GPA and have an exhibited an interest in polygraph examiner work.

Typical degree programs for individuals interested in CIA polygraph examiner jobs include:

• Criminal justice
• Criminology
• Forensic psychology
• Forensic science

Candidates for CIA polygraph examiner jobs must possess:

• Excellent written and oral communications
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• The ability to work independently or as part of a team
• A high degree of professional and personal integrity, trustworthiness, and loyalty
• A broad range of interests
• The ability to interact with people from a wide range of cultures and backgrounds
• Tenacity, confidence, and maturity
• Excellent communication skills
• The ability to manage multiple tasks

CIA polygraph examiners do not receive polygraph premium pay until they have successfully completed the federal polygraph examiner certification training program. The CIA trains and certifies all applicants through the CIA’s Polygraph Examiner Program.

Further, all applicants must be able to successfully complete a number of occupational tests, including an aptitude test, a writing test, and a personality interview.

Other pre-employment testing includes a medical examination, a psychological evaluation, a polygraph examination, and an extensive background investigation.

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High School

In general, take courses that will prepare you for college. More specifically, be sure to take courses that help you understand how the body functions and how it is affected by stress. Courses in psychology, physiology, and biology will be especially useful.

Postsecondary Training

A college major in science or criminal justice will prepare you for this career. In addition, classes in English and writing will help prepare you to write reports, and classes in public speaking will help you develop the self-confidence you will need when testifying in court.

Candidates for lie-detection schools usually need four-year college degrees, but applicants with two years of college courses in criminal investigation plus five years of investigative experience may be accepted. Polygraph training, often referred to as a Psychophysiological Detection of Deception Program, in an approved school usually takes from six to eight weeks.

You must take polygraph tests upon entering a lie-detection school to ensure you have the good moral character this field requires. During your training, you learn how to operate the polygraph, how to develop and ask questions, how to interpret polygraph charts, the legal aspects of polygraph testing, and about the physical responses the polygraph measures. You observe polygraph tests administered by others, administer the tests yourself, and hear and see audio and video playback of your own performances. After you complete your study in lie-detection, you go on to an internship of at least six months before becoming fully qualified as a polygraph examiner.

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