Motion Sensor Channels Should be Mandatory

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Motion Sensor Channels Should be Mandatory - by Jack Ogilvie

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In this age of increased counter measures shouldn't a
motion sensor channel be mandatory on all Polygraph
instruments? There have been no new channels added to
instruments as standard equipment for 30 years. All the
manufacturers offer, as accessories, counter measure
sensors. Isn't it time they were standard issue and
shouldn't we all be using them?

Research, in the 1980's, shows that motion sensors
improve the detection of counter measures. I think we all
realize that counter measures are growing more and more
prevalent. Not only do we have to continue to educate
ourselves concerning counter measures but we should use
all available tools proven to help in their detection.

I realize that none of this in inexpensive but don't we
owe it to our subjects as well as ourselves to use every
tool and resource proven to work? Isn't the detecting of
counter measures at least as important as having two
pneumo channels? Dr. Gordon Barland, while teaching
on counter measures at the recent AAPP seminar thinks we
should use motion sensors. Are there many people out there
more knowledgeable on the subject?

I hear you private guys out there mumbling under your
breath, "Yeah, but he doesn't have to pay for his
equipment", but we did have to convince the powers that be
we needed it. When I retire in a few years, if I continue
to run exams, you can believe I will have anything and
everything I can find to help me run the best test
possible. If I can't afford to do that I will not be
running tests. I am not trying to sound special or high
and mighty, I just want to be able to go to sleep at night
knowing I did my very best. That way I can live with
myself if I find out later that I made a mistake.

Physical counter measures are increasing rapidly, probably
due to the internet and the information, good or bad, that
is easily obtained there. We have to combat it in anyway
that we can. New techniques, new formats, new comparison
questions or anything else we can do, including motion
sensors, should be used. The internet is a vast source of
information and thousands of people are introduced to this
wonderland everyday. Unfortunately they tend to think that
if someone wrote it that means it is true. Too bad, in our
case, it hurts the truthful people but teaches the liars.

No doubt about it, motion sensors should be a mandatory
channel on all Polygraph Instruments.

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