Expert: Dick Rogers - 4/14/2008

Question
QUESTION: I am 20 years old i have a polygraph test to take in Virginia on April 26 i was wondering what kind of things they will ask me and i have drank before underage will that disqualify me i have never done drugs or stole something except when i was 3 years old will that count against me

ANSWER: Chris, the main thing to remember about the polygraph...they are looking for deception.  If you drank as an underage kid (who hasn't) then answer "yes".  It hardly is grounds for terminating a candidate.  And when it comes to theft, I hardly think a question would be formulated in a way that it would include something a three year old did.  Usually, it would go like, "...as a teenager...or as an adult, have you ever stolen any item?"  If you haven't used drugs then you have a leg up as most people have.  You should go into the  exam as relaxed as possible and answer truthfully.  If there is a negative response, you are asked to explain it.  Good luck.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: can you give me tips to help me set myself apart from the other candidates so i could possibly get hired thanks this is Chris again

Answer
Chris, there are two things that a person should be prepared to answer at an oral interview for police officer.  If one is not prepared, they can be daunting questions.  So, here they are.  First, you should be able to reasonably respond to a deadly force question.  I,e., they give you a scenario that puts you on the spot.  A suspect has shot at and hit a fellow officer and he doesn't see you...you have an opportunity to shoot the suspect and they ask you what you would do.  You should be prepared to respond along the lines of "...I am sure I would be well versed by then on the department deadly force policy, but from what you have told me, I would shoot to kill as quickly as possible."  You can even soften the scenario by stating that none relishes the idea of killing someone, but at times the duty of a police officer is to act in such situations.  The second thing that you should be prepared for is the "Partner is a thief" scenario.  Typically, they will describe a scene where you and your partner roll to a business burglary in the middle of the night...sure enough, a hardware store has been entered and the suspects have fled.  While you and your partner are checking out the interior, you see your partner help himself to a bunch of Duracell batteries.  What would you do? There is no room to skate here.  Probably the best route to take is to tell the board that you would instruct your partner to roll to the station after finishing with the info needed at the scene and report your observations to the watch sergeant or lieutenant and ask for a different partner.  The main point about making this a one way street is that anything other than a direct assault would lead the other officer into a complicit arrangement if he didn't report it immediately.  Hope this helps.  Good luck!