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Expert: - 2/3/2012


Question
I am currently enrolled at the Valencia College CJI and you came and spoke to us a couple of weeks ago. My question is that in looking at different agencies to apply with they all have a psychological exam listed as part of the application process but not all have a lie detector/ voice streess test listed as part of the exam. My question is one, would the lie detector test be including in the psychological exam in the agencies that don't have it listed on their website. And two, what would the psychological exam consist of?

Answer
Good morning Matthew,

I am sorry that I did not get back to you sooner..

The lie detector is not part of the psychological exam and they are listed separately if they are using them. The psychological exam generally consists of a questionnaire that you fill out and submit which is then scored by psychologists and then you are scheduled to sit down and speak with a psychologist for a short amount of time to discuss any issues or areas of concern that may have arisen during the filling out of the questionnaire.

It really is an easy test and nothing to worry about. You have to be a sociopath or have some serious psychological issues in order for you to have any problems with the psychological exam. As long as your favorite pastime is not running around lopping the heads off the bunny rabbits then you should be okay.

Hope this answers your question if you have any more feel free to post a follow-up here. I should be down at Valencia college teaching for a week next month if all goes well, if you're still need Academy maybe you can get hold of me and we can sit down and talk about it in person. It's really nothing to worry about.

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Chris Wagoner

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I have been a police officer for 30+ years! I am the Police Academy Commander at the Santa Fe College, Institute of Public Safety in Gainesville Florida It is a full service Law Enforcement and Corrections training facility. I can answer most questions concerning law enforcement procedures, law enforcement training and general questions about law enforcment. I can also answer questions about becoming a law enfocement officer. I have a booklet and web page I have written that answers many questions about how to become a police officer called "So you want to be a cop (police Officer) in Florida?", which is free, Google it.. All you have to do is ask. I teach the following subjects: RADAR/LASER, Law Enforcement Driving, Law Enforcement Firearms and Patrol Techniques, Officer Safety, WMD's for Patrol Officers, Application of Law, Communications skills, Dealing with the Mentally and physically handicapped, and many more subjects. I have worked as a subject matter expert for the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and helped to write the police curriculum for the State of Florida. I like answering questions about how to become a police officer, and questions about why did an officer do this or that type questions. I also like answering any questions you may have about police work in general. I do not mind helping with homework questions or trying to answer your questions about legal subjects that I have knowledge of. You will never know the answer until you ask! If you do ask a question, PLEASE take the time to at least rate the answer. I do not get paid to answer these questions and do it on my own time. If you ask, please rate it when I answer. Thanks!!! If its a question about becoming a police officer, it may be answered here: http://sites.google.com/site/flaleohelp/ My "hobby" website - http://www.youtube.com/user/3rdID8487 Military Videos on YouTube and Facebook!!

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I am a 30+ year veteran police officer, I am currently the Police Academy Commander of an Academy in North FLorida. I have been training police officers since 1993 and have trained them in all aspects of law enforcement, including firearms, Driving and legal subjects including patrol techniques and others and training all over the world. I have trained over 5000 officers worldwide in the last 16 years of training.

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I am a published author in Accident Investigation from the University of North Florida, Institute of Police Technology and Management. Also have written and published on the Internet, "So You Want to be a Cop (Police Officer) in Florida?" you can Google it..

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Phi Theta Kappa, plus 50+ Departmental Awards over the years. FBI Directors award for assisting in a Nationwide investigation into Child pornography.

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