Friday, July 31, 2009

Polygraph Instrumentation Consignment Sales (PICS)

Do you have used polygraph instrumentation that you've thought about selling, but don't want to sell to unqualified strangers on Ebay or Craig's List?

Are you looking for used polygraph instrumentation?

If you have any of the following used polygraph instrumentation/software/accessories, then now may be the time to find a good new home for them and put a little cash in your pocket at the same time:

  • Computerized Systems with or without laptop
  • Analog Instruments
  • Component Sets
  • Movement Sensors
  • Video Cameras
  • Scoring Algorithms/Software
  • Polygraph Chairs
  • Polygraph Carrying Cases
  • Chart Paper/Ink for Analog

The Polygraph Place has been helping connect examiners buying and selling used polygraph instrumentation as a side service for a couple of years, we just never formalized the process into a service to be available for everyone. Well now we have. I'd like to introduce our newest service:

'PICS' - Polygraph Instrumentation Consignment Sales.

As you probably know, this upcoming week is the American Polygraph Association Seminar in Nashville, Tennessee and the Polygraph Place will be there. I wanted to announce our new PICS service just in time for the seminar so that if you have been wanting to sell your used polygraph instrumentation, you could bring it with you and save on shipping costs.

But before I get ahead of myself, here is a brief overview of how PICS will work.

There are three ways to play PICS:

1. We sell it for you. We do all the work - Get the instrumentation to us (at APA or ship to our office). We take pictures, write descriptions, market and sell your instrumentation to a qualified buyer. We do all the work, we get a fee, you get a check.

2. You sell it yourself through us. - You take the pictures, write descriptions and we advertise it through our venues. You negotiate the deal and ship the instrumentation. We collect a percentage based fee that is determined by the sales price of the item(s).

3. Instrumentation Wanted - If you have been looking for any type of used instrumentation, simply submit a request to us and we'll try to locate that for you.

Regardless of which way you may want to participate in PICS, the first step will be to fill out our no obligation PICS form. After we receive the form, we will be in contact with you for the next step and to answer any questions.

The APA seminar is a great time to kick off this service as we will be able to connect buyers and sellers while both of your are present in Nashville next week, but even if you aren't attending, the form is the first step for both Sellers & Buyers. All the details will follow.

PICS FORM: http://www.polygraphplace.com/docs/polygraph_instrumentation_sales_form.htm (There is no obligation in taking this first step)

If you know you want to sell your instrumentation through us and will be in Nashville, go ahead and bring it with you if possible.

Keep in mind, PICS is only for USED instrumentation. We consider this another opportunity to connect examiners and fill what has become an obvious need for the profession. We desire to support all the fine instrument manufacturers and have no desire to compete with them on new instrument sales. Our working definition of 'used' will be that the instrumentation has been purchased at least once, even if that means you bought the instrument but never opened the package and never ran an exam.

More detailed info on the PICS program will be forthcoming here in the blog after the APA Seminar, but feel free to get a jump start and fill out the no obligation form:

PICS FORM: http://www.polygraphplace.com/docs/polygraph_instrumentation_sales_form.htm

Ralph & Nadine Hilliard
The Polygraph Place
770.794.1325

Saturday, July 25, 2009

Polygraph True Crimes - The Cookie Caper

I have to share the unfortunate news that there was a recent crime right in my own neighborhood. The press has been all over this, dubbing it 'The Cookie Caper'. What follows is an overview of the investigation:





Let's start at the beginning. A neighbor of mine came home this evening to find the horrific crime scene above. He was in utter shock and disbelief!





After initial questioning, a likely suspect was discovered after a cookie crumb was found on her shoe.





Of course she denied this dastardly deed and was asked to take a polygraph test





After careful review of the charts, the results were 'No Deception Indicated'! How could that be? It was time to look elsewhere.





Several days later and to everyone's amazement, a long forgotten home security camera had somehow captured the real criminal in the act!





The real criminal was tested, failed, confessed and is looking at hard 'time out'.



And Polygraph helps solve another crime.

The End.




The Polygraph Place will be a vendor at the American Polygraph Association Seminar in Nashville, Tennessee, August 2-7. We hope to see you there and be sure to stop by our tables and say hello. And my hair has grown back. Woo hoo!

Ralph & Nadine Hilliard

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Polygraph in the News - 7/7/2009

The following are article(s) in which Polygraph is playing an important role in the World. (Article descriptions are mine)

** Please note that many news sources archive/move their articles after a certain period of time. If a story link no longer works, this may be what happened.


  • Amy Dierks, the South Dakota daycare worker accused of hurting baby Henry Johnson was acquitted. Although she confessed during her polygraph test, there was a successful motion to suppress the interview so the jury never heard the confession. Click the link to read the story or you can watch the video.
    http://www.ksfy.com/news/local/50089702.html
  • There is a poll being taken on about.com regarding whether polygraph should be used in criminal investigations. The obvious answer is 'of course', but lets unite and vote that way as well. It will take all of 30 seconds to enter your vote at the following page. Thanks.
    http://crime.about.com/b/2009/07/05/polygraphs.htm

Monday, July 6, 2009

Polygraph in the News - 7/6/2009

The following are article(s) in which Polygraph is playing an important role in the World. (Article descriptions are mine)

** Please note that many news sources archive/move their articles after a certain period of time. If a story link no longer works, this may be what happened.


Polygraph Place Examiners Private Forum - Recent Topics

Listed below is a summary of recent topics from the Polygraph Examiner's Private Forum. If you are a polygraph examiner and have never registered for the private forum, it is free and informative. Instructions for registering are below the topics list.

Recent Topics from the Private Forum
  • I have noticed in some recent tests... I am getting similar excuses for reactions in the middle of the test...
  • ...any literature that suggests one answer ("yes") is better than another ("no") on RQs and neutral questions?
  • What is the average breathing rate for a polygraph examinee?
  • How much variance is there, from region to region, in articulated definitions of sexual behaviors described in the new PCSOT Model Policy?
  • Is it appropriate to put our opinions in the body of the report concerning what we perceive as the examinee's feelings, apparent emotions, etc? Is there anything which prohibits this commentary?
  • Can anyone tell me what effect, if any, Dilantin, an anti seizure medication, will have regarding the polygraph?
  • I am putting together notes on Chart Markings and Annotations. What other markings are you examiners utilizing that I may have missed?
Are you an examiner who is not yet a member of the private forum?

Registration is a three step process.

1. Agree to the forum rules and fill out the registration form.
http://www.polygraphplace.com/cgi-bin/ubbcgi/Ultimate.cgi?action=agree

2. After submitting the form, the automated system will send out an email to you that will contain your login information (username/password). This information WILL NOT WORK YET! Forward a copy of that email to me (detector@polygraphplace.com) and include proof that you are a legitimate examiner. Include in the email your state license (if applicable), Polygraph School attended, Government Agency or Department, Association Memberships, etc. If you do not provide something that we can independently verify, you will not be given access.

3. Be patient. We have to verify your information and once we have, we'll authorize your account and be in contact with you.

Friday, July 3, 2009

Polygraph in the News - 7/3/2009

The following are article(s) in which Polygraph is playing an important role in the World. (Article descriptions are mine)

** Please note that many news sources archive/move their articles after a certain period of time. If a story link no longer works, this may be what happened.


  • Survivor contestant Benjamin 'Coach' Wade tells his side of the story and part of that story involves his polygraph test that was announced live on the final Survivor Episode as being conducted by John Grogan. Below is a quote from Coach Wade as printed by Reality TV Magazine. Full article link is below this excerpt and it is worth reading the entire section in that article under the sub-heading 'The Lie Detector Test'.
    “My manager and a couple of my advisers were like, ‘Take your own lie detector test.’ So I did. Passed it three times. Took it three times, passed it with video and without. Two different days with a .01 deception. I felt real solid about it. I even asked the guy that gave it to me, ‘I’m going to take the CBS test.’ And he said, ‘No.’ And I was like, ‘What do you mean no?’ And he was like, ‘If the studio tells me to give a failed result I have to do it.’
    http://realitytvmagazine.sheknows.com/blog/2009/06/23/exclusive-survivor-coach-argues-his-case/

  • Florida resident Jerry Cooper (pictured below with examiner Mike Alaiwat) passes polygraph test confirming beatings he received as a 'White House Boy' in 1960. (As a side note, there is an 8 minute video clip of the deposition of Troy Tidwell, one of the men accused of the beatings. It is an interesting study in body language. You'll find the video about halfway down the page in the article link) Photograph by Edmund D. Fountain - Times
    http://www.tampabay.com/features/humaninterest/article1015532.ece