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Advisory committee backs model polygraph policy additions, new certificate checks and CE tracking
Summary
An advisory committee to the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement approved adding guidance to a model polygraph policy on how agencies verify examiner certificates, and endorsed continuing‑education course numbering and certificate procedures for referral to the June Commission meeting.
An advisory committee to the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement approved additions to a draft model policy for law‑enforcement polygraph use and endorsed steps to track polygraph examiner certificates and continuing education.
The committee voted to add a new section directing agencies how to confirm whether a polygraph examiner holds an active certificate and to finalize the model policy language before the full Commission meeting in June. An agency official explained the change is intended to help smaller agencies verify credentials before engaging outside examiners.
Why it matters: The additions aim to reduce uncertainty for agencies that occasionally contract polygraph examiners and to create a uniform way to document continuing education and certificate status.
What the committee approved and why: Committee members agreed the model policy should direct agencies to confirm active certificates using the personnel system and personal status reports (PSR). "You can check on the public license lookup or you can check-in ... look at someone's PSR to see whether or not they have a certificate and whether or not it's still active," the agency official said, describing how the system will show certificates and their status.
The committee also endorsed a proposal to use distinct course numbers to track training: one existing number (reported in the meeting as 4013) for general polygraph continuing education, a unique number for the multi‑hour certificate course, and a separate number for conference hours. The official said that structure would let agencies report whether training was certificate‑specific, conference‑related or general CE.
Certificate issuance and reporting: The official told members the initial certificate application and some reactivations will require a paper application and supporting proof of accredited or recognized course completion. To support examiners who are not attached to a single agency, the agency will enable an "assignment status" mechanism in the statewide record system so a chief administrator can place non‑agency personnel on an assignment roster and report their training.
Limits on acceptable training: Members discussed whether to credit broader interview or interrogation courses toward polygraph CE and generally supported limiting credit to programs accredited or recognized by APA or AAPP to keep course lists manageable. The agency official noted approved conferences and some online offerings would count if reported under the designated course numbers.
Formal actions and next steps: The committee moved to add the certificate‑lookup section and to approve the model policy draft; members indicated assent by voice and thumbs‑up. Members also moved to approve related rule and certificate language referenced during the meeting (referred to in discussion as "221.51" and "21129") and agreed to present the finalized drafts to the full Commission at its June 24 meeting at the UT JJ Pickle Center in Austin, which staff said will be streamed.
The committee adjourned after confirming the June schedule.
Attribution: Quotes and technical descriptions in this article are attributed to participants identified in the meeting record. Where a speaker was not named in the transcript, this article cites their role (for example, "the agency official").
