Lie Detector Training

The professional term for lie detector is polygraph. People licensed to give lie detectors tests are called polygraph examiners. Accredited polygraph schools across the United States offer licensing programs.

American Polygraph Association (APA)

The APA is the only accrediting organization for lie-detector training. The association provides a list of accredited schools that meet the training standard for becoming a licensed polygraph examiner.

Eight-Week Basic Course

Orange County Polygraph Institute, an APA-accredited school, offers an eight-week basic introduction to lie detector testing. The 320-hour course covers test question construction, polygraph testing technique and chart evaluation.

Prerequisite

Polygraph school is available not only to people with a law enforcement background but to the general public. You must be 21 years old and fill out an admission application. If you have had a felony conviction or a misdemeanor involving fraud, you will not be accepted into the program. A professional reference or a background check will also be needed.

Continuing Education

The APA requires examiners to undergo continuing education or advanced training. Acceptable courses for continuing training include Air Force modified general question technique, federal guidelines for test data analysis and law enforcement pre-employment test.

References

• Global Polygraph Network: How to Select a Polygraph Examiner
• Orange County Polygraph Institute: Eight-Week Basic Polygraph Examiner Course
• Orange County Polygraph Institute: Five-Day Advanced Polygraph Examiner Course
• Orange County Polygraph Institute: Admission Requirements

Resources

• American Polygraph Association