New JCF recruits to undergo polygraph testing soon

All new recruits to the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) will soon be required to undergo polygraph testing, better known as a lie detector test.

In a report posted on the Jamaica Information Service’s website, Commissioner of Police Owen Ellington says the measure is to ensure that persons recruited by the JCF are of the highest professional standard and integrity.

Currently, only senior officers and those appointed to sensitive assignments undergo the examination. Commissioner Ellington says the screening should build confidence among officers and in the JCF and the organisation’s capacity to preserve integrity.

During a polygraph test, a polygraph machine is used to record physiological data such as blood pressure, pulse, respiratory, sweat gland and cardiovascular activities, while the subject responds to a series of questions, to determine the truthfulness of the answers given.