Police deny claims of failed polygraph tests

A pulse meter used when administering a lie detector test
A pulse meter used when administering a lie detector test

The police force is shooting down claims that several of its officers and inspectors have failed a polygraph test.

The Sun Newspaper reported this week that senior officers have failed polygraph tests recently conducted by the Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force.

The news article quoted a police source who claimed that a number of constables and inspectors also failed the test.

However, Police Public Relations Officer, Inspector John Carbon, said while the polygraph tests were conducted, its findings have not yet been made public.

In fact, he said, not even the police commissioner has been informed of the findings.

“The test was done within a wide section of the police force. What I know is that no report has been received by the Chief of Police so I am not sure where that report came from,” he explained.

Carbon said in addition, “it is confidential information that would be given by the polygraph examiner and the only person that would be given that information is the chief and I had a conversation with him and he assured me that no such information was received.”

When he was appointed Police Chief in 2012, Daniel Carbon said that the use of polygraph tests in the police force was necessary since there is a need for the proper vetting of recruits and existing officers.

Polygraphs tests or lie detectors use an instrument that monitor a person’s physiological reactions while being asked a series of questions.

These instruments do not, as their nickname might suggest, detect lies.

They can only detect whether deceptive behavior is being displayed.

Copyright 2012 Dominica News Online, DURAVISION INC. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or distributed.

Disclaimer: The comments posted do not necessarily reflect the views of DominicaNewsOnline.com and its parent company or any individual staff member. All comments are posted subject to approval by DominicaNewsOnline.com. We never censor based on political or ideological points of view, but we do try to maintain a sensible balance between free speech and responsible moderating.

We will delete comments that:

  • contain any material which violates or infringes the rights of any person, are defamatory or harassing or are purely ad hominem attacks
  • a reasonable person would consider abusive or profane
  • contain material which violates or encourages others to violate any applicable law
  • promote prejudice or prejudicial hatred of any kind
  • refer to people arrested or charged with a crime as though they had been found guilty
  • contain links to "chain letters", pornographic or obscene movies or graphic images
  • are off-topic and/or excessively long

See our full comment/user policy/agreement.

36 Comments

  1. hype
    March 19, 2013

    One ting eh. They ask d police welfare chairman about his views as it relates to die detector test. And he say he not in that wee. He staying fad from that. That is a potential joker. Haha. I suspect a promotion coming d chairman way so he doh want totalk. Not my vote you getting next time. We need a pro-proactive chairman. By d way you ever hear d chief of police tell you if and how many criminals they perform d test. None. So d man just bent to painting an old picture about d police force out there. Nothing else.

  2. hype
    March 19, 2013

    That is pure crap. What I want is for d chief or anybody to try that ting on me and he will see if he not paying a money in court for me to build my house. Police doesn’t read so they will always make people do them anything. I understand he transfer some constables when they fail d test. Now d big boys fail it. They doing deer best to keep it under wraps. I want to know Carbon. What you going to do wid dem boys who fail it. And policemen stupid to make you subject them to that. Anyway you know on who all you can take foot.

  3. Neg Gwanbay
    March 19, 2013

    The security of the country depends on the police force.So it is essential to know the people proctecting the country are not the same ones corrupting it.If u’re a police officer and u’re clean u have nothing to worry about.

  4. Poorman
    March 19, 2013

    DO SQUEEZE ME.Mr.Carbon,is TONY that say he never see one.

  5. March 19, 2013

    There is no statement as to why theses Polygraph tests are been done; is this a big joke!! on the police force? The public needs to know what’s going on. If the Police that we are supposed to trust and depend on for the safety and protection have such secrets of been deceptive (lairs) something needs to be done right away and clear this up for the Dominican Public.The police chief need to face the public and explain this . I do not understand why the people of Dominica just take this lightly. The chief needs to explain whats going on.

  6. massive
    March 19, 2013

    we have to be very careful with these test, as the article says, and i know for a fact that they do not detect lies, those machine can be tricked by a smart human being as well, so even some officers failed the test it dosent mean that they are corrupted or a bad person, it has a wide range of effects, could be so many deferent result in a person behavior.

  7. Unknown
    March 19, 2013

    It have more corruption inside of the police force than outside of the police force, that’ s what you’ll need to remember n emphasise on. There are a lot of good cops in the force who experience some of the BS that plays out when certain cases are commenced on n can’t say nothing about it. The lie detector is both positive n negative impacted. I think in our poor interrogation techniques the police use n their methods of strategy they had to go the other route because so many cases were going out the door . Last thing there are so many police in there drugs especially with the big boys its not surprising, but hey that’s life. Police is just another profession men wearing a suit with authority n also a job in the end they are the same human beings just like everyone else so please give be a break.

  8. Justice and Truth
    March 19, 2013

    Those polygraphs or lie detector tests are not always accurate.

    This is strange to give them such tests. I never heard of police being given lie detector tests if they were not accused of crimes/murders or committed other felonies.

    How about tapping their telephones? Is this next?

  9. XTRA
    March 18, 2013

    I wonder how many of us would pass a polygraph test in our field – Work, Sports, Family Life, Writers of Comments and Stone Throwers, People who operate in the dark. Remember the Pharisees who wanted Jesus to condemn a lady to death by stoning because she was caught committing adultery?

  10. ex police
    March 18, 2013

    All my children are good, my kids do not lie, steal, and respect my rules, that’s any parent cry, do we the people really believe that? we the people are not stupid, we know otherwise, been there done that!!!

  11. eyes
    March 18, 2013

    make the prime minister skerrit take one. or is the test for poor people alone?

    • Distured
      March 19, 2013

      Thank you~. I just had a good idea.

      When swearing in leaders, let them do it while taking a “test”. Especially when they are “promising” stuff.

      If a question is asked, say “we testing incompetency”.

    • Bogoroy
      March 19, 2013

      Would you pass one?

  12. eyes
    March 18, 2013

    make the prime minister skerrit take one. or is the test poor people alone?

  13. London
    March 18, 2013

    Are you guys really serious??!!? “lie detector tests’ for police officers in Da??
    First of all this has to pass through pailiament for such an action to be taken of a Police Force, so all police officers should know their legal rights.
    To conduct a polygraph test (if not volunterilly conducted) one must be under the suspicion of wrong doing.
    This is too much of a scientific method that is employed in Da, too sophisticated for a low level police force like ours.
    I mean Da is a small country and every body knows the P.Os who are involved the illegal trades.
    Tel the Commisssioner who they are and this will save us a lot of money .

    • Distured
      March 19, 2013

      Pigs are never wrong? Plz. Dirty cops exist. Sometimes…no, most times, you have to get lucky to find a “good” 1. That and a green donkey. =_=”

    • Justice and Truth
      March 19, 2013

      Only in Dominica you say? :lol: I think they are jokers. If they passed, will it prevent them from shady actions? I doubt it.

    • massive
      March 19, 2013

      But really, whos idea was that, is it the commissioner, let me say this to all the police officers in the force in dominica, you do not have to take this test in you dont want to, they cant force you to take this test, if you refuse, they cant proceed with disciplinary charges against you either,its a choice of yours, whether you want to or not, it was not passed before the house so that means it is not mandatory and it is not in law, if you refuse, the most they could do is victimize you, as they do in many other police force, i hope this commissioner not giving directives for these officers to take that test, by the way, did they commissioner took the test himself, if so i would like him to tell the people what was the first question he was asked, and i hope is not this one “Are any of your decision made as commissioner of police were influenced by political insight”?, right there mr carbon going to asked to use the bathroom.

    • Bogoroy
      March 19, 2013

      LMAO!

    • Neg Gwanbay
      March 19, 2013

      U must be one of the dirty officers in our police force or family to a rotton apple in the bunch.Good move next is to drug test all of dem.The security of the country depends on the police force.So it is essential to know the people proctecting the country are not the same ones corrupting it.If u’re a police officer and u’re clean u have nothing to worry about.

  14. Five o
    March 18, 2013

    8) ok now that the tests are complete…Now what..Man the state of affairs is so bad. Everyone is on the Take…Everyone is Hustling in DA….

  15. Doc. Love
    March 18, 2013

    Please ask Skerrit or Patter St. Jean to take a lie detector test and the results should be made public because they are paid by the people,therefore ,the people would like to know wether Skerrit and St. Jean ever applied for or travelled on a French Passport. We would also like to know wether Skerrit has any interest in the Villas.

    • Bogoroy
      March 19, 2013

      Would you like Ron Green to take one too?

  16. Anonymous
    March 18, 2013

    a police does not have to do the test for everyone to know that they will fail the polygraph test anyway. at least a high percentage will fail the test.

    • !
      March 18, 2013

      The only one that will pass that test is Inspector Weeks, all the rest must fail

      • Anonymous
        March 18, 2013

        You sure

  17. Shameless
    March 18, 2013

    :-D :-D :-D ! Not at all surprising. Even without the final examiner’s report I am 10000% sure that some of these officers are in trouble be it constable, inspector, or ASP. Question is; what are we going to do with those who fail the polygraph? Fire them? Keep them? Retire them in the public interest with benefits? We know that Carbon passed his test in Barbados along with the Woman Inspector and the Marine Base Inspector who accompanied him to Barbados and thats a good start. Therefore, let us hope the government has a plan that is LEGALLY sound to deal with the unfit zoros with our force.

    Also, are ministers of government going to take the test reference their current holdings/ assets? Hmmmmmm! I will hold my breath for now.

    Assertive, NOT Agressive!

  18. inspector X
    March 18, 2013

    a polygragh test is only for vetting the officers and the results should not be taken to punish anyone since it results cannot be used in court…

    what is worrying is that if this report goes in the had of the politicians then all hell will break loose… remmeber when skerrit told people to go and pay their loans in the aid bank?. then that will be the same result, he put carbon there so carbon will give him the results if he asked for it.
    i think the politicians and all those big wigs should be the first to be given a polygragh

  19. CC
    March 18, 2013

    They should be giving these polygraph tests to politicians as well.

    • Anonymous
      March 18, 2013

      For skerritt….definitely

  20. me
    March 18, 2013

    but polygraphs tests are no admissable in courght they are only right 70% of the time and are affected by the persons emotions or state of mind so what u expect nuh polygraphs are only used as a guideline

  21. X
    March 18, 2013

    Regardless of what the outcome was there is no way that Insp. Carbon will come right out and admit it but I do hope that those that fail the commissionner will know what to do with them, every man deserves to eat hence deciplinary actions should be taken so especially those in Task Force, Coast Guard and the certain female officer that like to be the “look’ out for the drug men I hope they transfer them to hmmmmm traffic……?

  22. Shadow
    March 18, 2013

    Mr. Carbon, with all due respect…. Doesn’t he know how useless polygraph information is?? This hardly holds water on shows like Maury and Jerry Springer – what is his objective and rationale for wanting to use it on police officers? Because of the limitations and weaknesses of polygraph tests – one can fake a response, or responses or contaminated due to often inadvertent physiological responses – they cannot be used in a court of law and various other scientific circles. I really don’t know what point this Commissioner is trying to prove!!!

    • Shadow
      March 18, 2013

      or responses can be contaminated**

    • mouth of the south
      March 19, 2013

      It can’t be used in a court of law, yet it was used in the O.J Simpson case…. however his big shot lawyers had means and ways of preventing it from appearing in court… cause he failed the test…

  23. Imagine that
    March 18, 2013

    Imagine that…. 8-O

Post a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

:) :-D :wink: :( 8-O :lol: :-| :cry: 8) :-? :-P :-x :?: :oops: :twisted: :mrgreen: more »

 characters available