The Polygraph Unit is part of Investigative Support Services. The unit is staffed by one Detective Constable who is certified by the Canadian Police College as a Polygraph Examiner.
The polygraph instrument, commonly called a “lie detector”, measures a person’s physiological responses to a set of questions to determine whether the person is telling the truth or not.
The instrument itself consists of several attachments that are placed on a person’s body to measure a specific physiological response. These impulses are transferred to a laptop computer where they are recorded. The examiner will then analyze the results and provide an opinion of truthful or deceptive.
Participating in a polygraph examination is voluntary. The most common concern people have when asked to take a polygraph is that they are nervous. It is normal for an innocent person to be nervous. Nervousness does not prevent the polygraph examiner from distinguishing between truth and deception.