Polygraph Training School

Its structure includes a company - the Ukrainian Bureau of Psychophysiological Research and Security, established in 2007 and focused on the domestic market. The Polygraph Training School as a education center of the company exist since 2011. The courses are conducted in Ukraine in the classrooms of one of Kiev universities under “The use of polygraph during investigations and personnel work” polygraph examiners training program. Also under the terms on a separate arrangements training is conducted on-site in the countries of Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East.
Speaker:

Ihor Usikov - expert polygraph examiner, has received an advanced legal education in the specialty of jurisprudence. He has a great experience from 1986 year as an ordinary investigator to 2006 year the chief of Investigations at the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine. Also has a special rank of lieutenant colonel in retirement. From 2013 to 2016, he was a chairman of the public organization “Ukrainian Polygraph Collegium”, currently he is a member of the Coordination Council of the Collegium. He has published books, methodological recommendations and more than a dozen scientific publication on topic of using polygraph in Ukraine.
Since 2007, he has gained considerable personal experience in polygraph examining, and from 2009 started to use polygraph in experience of forensic activities.
In 2007 Usikov I.P. has completed a basic special training course at the Polygraph Training School under the program “The use of polygraph during investigations and personnel work” polygraph training program; (certificate No. 006945, April 20, 2007).

Additional training:
● advanced training courses under the program “Strengthen the professional excellence in use of a polygraph during investigations and work with personnel in Ukraine” (certificate No. 02 \ 07 of December 26, 2007);
● short-term professional qualification courses of the American International Polygraph Institute (Stockbridge, Atlanta) under the program “Empirical validity of the zone comparison technique”. The testing methods are Backster’s Technique tests, UtahZon Comparison Technique, Federal ZCT (Federal ZCT), DLST tests. The Empirical Scoring System - ESS (certificate issued on 03.05.2013 by the director Charles E. Slupski);
● short-term professional qualification courses of American Academy for Scientific Investigative Training (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) under the program “Effective Interview Techniques. Integrated zone comparison technique - IZCT. The Horizontal Scoring System - HSS” (certificate issued on August 30, 2013 by director Nathan Gordon).
● short-term professional qualification courses of Kyiv Scientific Research Institute of Forensic Expertise of the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine (KFI) under the program “Valid methods of psychological investigations using polygraph testing” (certificate from 19.09 - 21.09.2016).

The quality of polygraph examiners training in the Polygraph Training Center of the East European Centre of Personnel Security educational center is among the best ones in Europe. The acquired knowledge and skills allow our graduates to work in any country in the world. In recent years, our Polygraph Training Center has become the most authoritative in Ukraine, and now it is confidently has a leading position in the quality of polygraph studies in European countries. All graduates of our school are highly competitive and are in demand. They have good knowledge and confident skills. The training course is designed with the account for the most effective psycho-technologies and practical experience, in accordance with the main provisions of ASTM International E2000 – 02 (Standard Guide for Minimum Basic Education and Training of Individuals Involved in the Detection of Deception). The curriculum includes the usage of modern knowledge of the leading international polygraph training schools, being built on the usage of the standardized testing techniques, primarily recommended by the American Polygraph Association, with a scientific basis available and having confidently proven their effectiveness during investigations, personnel testing and forensic psycho-physiological polygraph examination. A company certificate is issued upon completion of the course and passing the final examination; this will become your professional calling card for many years.

Throughout the working period of our Polygraph Training Center has trained over 120 polygraph specialists for private business, the state, law enforcement agencies and military departments. The head of the training center, Igor Usikov, was awarded with the letters of the certificates of gratitude by the Minister of Defense of Ukraine, the Head of the National Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, the honorary signs of the military and law enforcement agencies for high-quality training of polygraph specialists.

The basis of the methodical part of the training course for polygraph examiners at the the East European Centre of Personnel Security is the Basic training program utilizing the most effective polygraph testing techniques that have been tested for accuracy for many decades by polygraph examiners all over the world, making it possible to understand each other without words and knowledge of languages.

The training program for polygraph examiners of our training center is developed on the basis of educational and scientific-practical materials used in the preparation of polygraph examiners by the teachers of the most authoritative international schools:

1) Study materials for the US polygraph examiners, given by Chuck Slupski, the director of the American International Polygraph Institute, vice-president and board member of the American polygraph association. (Certificates of short-term qualification courses 2013, 2014, 2016, issued by the director Ch. Slupski)

2) The basis of the course is the Ph.D. thesis in the field of psychology of one of the most authoritative polygraph examiners in the post-Soviet territory - Sergei Popovichev, on “The relationship between the subject’s security needs and the probability of identifying deception in a polygraph survey”, maintaining the basic provisions of the theoretical justification and practical application of the polygraph as a whole for the first time. (Certificate on taking the basic initial course in the polygraph training program, 2007)

3) Study materials for the US polygraph examiners, provided by Nathan Gordon, the director of the Academy of scientific research of polygraph examiners, vice president of the American Polygraph Association, president of the International association of forensic psychophysiological organizations. (Certificates of short-term qualification courses in 2013 issued by the director N. Gordon)

4) Study materials of the short-term qualification course of the Kiev scientific research institute of forensic science under the “Valid methods of psychological research using polygraphs” program (2016)

The basic training course for polygraph examiners provides an in-depth understanding and obtaining the professional knowledge on standardized test methods in an international format:

In testing:
 test СІТ – Concealed Information Testing
 test Peak of Tension
 test Bi-Zone \ You Phase
 test Utah Zone Comparison Technique
 test Federal ZCT
 test AFMGQT
 test SKY
 test Backster’s Technique
 test R&I

In screening (personnel testing):
 LEPET –the most common technique in most US states. Recommended when hiring law enforcement personnel.
 AFMGQT – general questions screening technique
 UTAH PRINCIPLES – screening technique
 DLC Screening Test for Security – multi-topic screening test on the basis of espionage and sabotage detection test.
 R&I – screening technique

The following can be used for expert analysis and scoring of the obtained data (polygraphs):
1. Classic 7 or 3-point scoring system
2. Empirical scoring system - ESS
3. Horizontal scoring system - HSS
4. UTAH test scoring system

Additional complex of skills for special analysis includes:
• Non-verbal behavior assessment.
• Countermeasure identification and neutralization
• Speech assessment method aimed at identification of psychological signs of truthfulness / non- truthfulness (audio-video records analysis)

The high effectiveness of these standardized methods proves itself in the course of effective investigations, qualitative personnel surveys, as well as in the most complex works - forensic psychophysiological examinations with the use of polygraph in criminal, administrative and civil cases, making it possible to make objective and confident decisions, officially recognized in Ukrainian courts.

In addition to the basic training course, Polygraph Training Center of the East European Centre of Personnel Security develops a number of special programs for advanced qualification courses (AEC) for the already employed polygraph examiners, based on the personal need of each student in supplementing his/her methodological qualifications. The basis of these programs is formed of the most effective scientific and practical developments in terms of expert speech content analysis and forensic expert practice in this area, as well as information obtained in the qualification courses:

The profession of a polygraph examiner puts the highest demands on a person, namely the personal maturity, life experience, high moral qualities, and the social values directed at the respect for people primarily. After all, in many cases a polygraphist (polygraph examiner) literally has to determine human fates. Inept actions can cause irreparable harm not only to a person, but also negatively affect the reliability of the expert himself. Therefore, you should understand that our polygraph examiner training is just the beginning of your way to this complex profession. Further, on much will depend on the personal qualities of the specialist, the desire for self-education, communication with colleagues that are more experienced and studying the specialized literature.

Therefore, when selecting candidates for training in our “Polygraph Training Center”, the preliminary qualitative selection of candidates with a certain number of personal qualities is vitally important, being a conditional guarantee of a person becoming a "unique" specialist, our graduate, whom we can be proud of and share great experience and professional expertise with without any doubt. We have initially set high standards for our school and determined the main condition to be not the quantity, but working on quality.

PREREQUISITES for the candidate for training at the Polygraph Training Center of the East European Centre of Personnel Security:
• Age between 25 and 45, must have at least 3 years of experience working with people.
• higher education – compulsory
• no previous convictions;
• must have a consistent interest in the profession;
• must have experience being a team member in a workplace and building relationships with people;
• well-developed communication skills, erudition and versatility;
• ability and willingness to learn and perform self-education;
• must have good analytical thinking ability;
• the ability to make independent decisions and to resist the external opinions;
• good health and high stress resistance;
• creative personality;
• respectful attitude towards people;
• GOOD PC user (a confident user)

Based on the results of preliminary qualifications, a further interview is conducted with a candidate for polygraph examiner training course, where he is given a notion of the main "pitfalls" of the profession and the complexities for the person to understand and realize what he will be facing while working as a polygraph examiner, to “try on” these conditions and the specificity of the work, to be able to understand right away whether he or she is fit for this profession or not.

The experience of other polygraph schools, especially in the CIS countries, with the similarly high selection requirements, has fully justified itself and the effectiveness of selection of candidates with their further preparation as polygraph examiners turns out to be quite high. In the future, the productivity of work and communication with such a colleague delivers a more pronounced effect to both parties. The indicated requirements help avoiding the profanation of the polygraph testing method on the polygraph (the lie detector) and significantly reduce the risks of non-professionals entering this market. The ability to collect and analyze information is the makings of a professional; therefore, the correct choice of the place of training is a certain test for professional selection even when making the first steps in the search for a polygraph training school.

Graduates consolidate their knowledge and skills, gained at the intramural basic course of the training through additional self-training based on the material provided by the Polygraph Training School, and conduct independent inspections in real working conditions based on the basic practical skills. Continuous methodical and practical support and assistance is provided for the whole period of the correspondence course.

GENERAL SYLLABUS:

Training course in other countries with the help of an interpreter and regular rest days – from 6 up to 10 weeks

Intense training course without rest days, conducted in Ukraine – 32 days

The duration of training is 320 hours. It’s designed to take period from 6 up to 10 weeks to prepare foreign specialists and 32 days to prepare Russian speaking specialists, being a full-time course with full separation from the main job or other studies. An interpreter for your language is guaranteed. The groups consist of 4 to 12 people, which ensures the most efficient digestion and absorption of knowledge.
The basic training course in volume of 320 hours can be organized in 2 options:

1. By a method of "stressful training", in the mode of high cognitive loadings, with one day off for the entire period of a training course. The high efficiency of this approach has proved at the deficiency of time, in the conditions of military or other need and allows to carry out basic training of polygraphist with full preservation of quality acquisition of knowledge and practical skills, for conditionally short term. For Russian-speaking group the period of training is from 32 days (5 weeks). For listeners of other language groups, taking into account involvement of the translator, the period of training is from 40 to 60 days (6-9 weeks).

2. By the method of an equable teaching load, at 5-day educational week with the scheduled days off. For Russian-speaking group the period of training is 40 days (6 weeks). For listeners of other language groups, taking into account involvement of the translator, the period of training is from 40 to 60 days (6-9 weeks).
Trainings at the Polygraph Training Center of the East European Centre of Personnel Security is full-time. During the training period, the classes are held every day from 10 AM to 6 PM. Depending on the kind of the training course, the students are given daily tasks which can be done at home independently, or in class (completion time 2 to 4 hours). Training is held ONLY in the training group, composed in the course of student enrollment. Individual training, i.e. training for just one person is not offered, this form of training being ineffective. Skipping classes is not allowed, because it is VERY hard to catch up after even one missed lesson due to the extremely high information loading and absolutely impossible after missing two lessons. In addition to daily lectures, additional daily homework is also assigned.
Each student gets training handouts, which he/she will be actively using both in training and after graduation. Video recordings of real-life polygraph examinations are used during the training course, to name a few: the videos of investigations, forensic examinations with the use of polygraphs, personnel inspections, countermeasure identification and collective analysis of these cases.

The purpose of the training is to give each student a scientific and practical basis for understanding the methods, to develop practical skills in using the existing, basic set of methodological options, and the ability to think independently and be able to make independent decisions. The polygraph examiners training does not come to an end with the completion of the initial 30 or 70-day course, but is constantly continued through subsequent remote mentoring and the necessary consultations based on specific life situations. Unfortunately, many people realize the real significance and value of this communication only later on.

During the education, training center uses Axciton (USA) or devices from other manufacturers, which are considered to be the most reliable devices in our opinion. Listeners can use their own polygraphs of any model. At the end of the training, the polygraph expert obtains the knowledge and skills, which will help him to learn to operate another model of polygraph independently whenever necessary.
The East European Centre of Personnel Security is official representative and distributor of the American company Axciton System, Inc. Axciton Systems, Inc. is a solid and authoritative leader in the development and production of devices for assessing the truthfulness of reported information through the registration of psycho-physiological parameters. We have the opportunity and authority to implement polygraphs in Europe and other regions of the world from the official manufacturer.

Prior to the beginning of the training, students should provide the following documents:
1. Questionnaire (completed at the interview).
2. 1 photo (3.5 x 4.5 cm.).
3. Photocopy of the passport.
4. Photocopy of the official document certifying higher education.
Candidates arriving for training with them must have:
a 96 page notebook with a good hardcover and binding (preferably quad ruled, A4 format) for taking notes;
a 48 page notebook - for practical classes;
a pencil, an eraser, a short transparent ruler;
a set of colored pens (red, black) and at least 5 pens with blue ink;
a sound recorder is recommended;
a laptop is compulsory!

Upon completion of the training course and successful final examination, a Certificate of training completion on the “Application of the polygraph during investigations and personnel management” program is issued.

THE COST OF TRAINING:

(from January 1st, 2019)

1. In Ukraine (for Russian and Ukrainian speaking listeners) the full course cost is the equivalent of 3,000 USD or EUR. The initiation of the course requires 4-20 listeners. The length of the course is 32 days, 320 hours total.
2. In Ukraine (for listeners from Europe, Asia and Africa with an interpreter) the full course cost is 4,000 USD or EUR (Not including the interpreter’s fee). The initiation of the course requires 4-20 listeners. The length of the course is 7 weeks, 320 hours total.
In the country of request (countries of Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia, Middle East and Africa, with an interpreter) the full course cost is 5,000 USD or EUR (Not including the interpreter’s fee, transportation, the cost of living and contingency costs). The initiation of the course requires 4-20 listeners. The length of the course is 7-8 weeks, 320 hours total.

If the country of request is currently in the state social, military or political difficulties, an additional risk fee applies as follows*:
Yellow – 20%
Orange – 40%
Red – 60%

(* - the risk level is determined by professional consultant-analysts from our company)

Conditions the realization-training course of polygraphist when departing to another country:

The host side in addition pays:
 Visa (if necessary to obtain it),
 A flight to both sides,
 Accommodation (for the whole period of stay in the country for training),
 Cost of food (for the whole period of stay in the country for training),
 If necessary, transfer service at a place of stay for the entire period of the finding the teacher at the place of training. If necessary, provides the necessary security stay in a country.

The host side provides the places for the learning sessions. One main roomy lecture hall for lecture classes and additionally several small lecture halls for the period of realization practical lessons. In the lecture hall should be comfortable tables, overhead projector, whiteboard and other equipment by agreement. A comfortable temperature in the classroom. The permanent availability of water, tea, coffee and other necessities are in the right quantity.

The host side pays the additional participation of Interpreter engaged for the entire period of the course.

The host side translates the training handout (slides, brochures) into the language of the country of stay.

The host side produces the mandatory printing of training materials, which our Polygraph Training School provides by the number of listeners.

If necessary, and the desire of the customer by the Polygraph Training School can be given separately and additionally the video materials in the volume from 2 to 5 hours for the translation. The host side may do for its students duplicated translation of video (subtitles). We can prepare for the translation the verbatim of the text from the training video.

Igor Usikov
General Director
EASTERN EUROPEAN PERSONNEL SECURITY CENTRE