What the APA Advises Members About Third-Party Polygraph Referrals

Updated

The American Polygraph Association (APA) advises its members to exercise due diligence before accepting referrals or assignments from any third-party service provider. The advisory responds to reports that certain service-based companies may assign a polygraph examiner to an examination without first obtaining that examiner's knowledge or consent. Before accepting such an assignment, the APA suggests members verify the identity of the requesting party, the terms of the engagement, and that the assignment has been authorized with their knowledge and agreement.

What Prompted the Advisory

In a message from APA President McCloughan, the association states that concerns have been raised about service-based companies that may assign an examiner to an examination without the examiner's knowledge or consent. The APA notes that it has not received formal complaints from its membership on this issue, but became aware of reports from individuals outside the Association describing such situations. The guidance is therefore framed as a precaution rather than a response to confirmed member complaints.

The Specific Recommendations

The advisory gives members a short checklist to apply before accepting work through a third party:

  • Verify the identity of the requesting party. Confirm who is actually offering the assignment.
  • Review the terms of the engagement. Understand what the assignment involves before agreeing to it.
  • Confirm authorization. Make sure the assignment has been authorized with your knowledge and agreement.

The President's message closes the point with the observation that "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" — the advice is meant to head off problems before an examiner is committed to an engagement they did not knowingly accept.

Why This Matters for Examiners

The APA describes itself as dedicated to evidence-based science and practices, and states that it promotes high standards of professional, ethical, and scientific practice for its 2,700+ members — including standards for techniques, instrumentation, analysis, research, training, and continuing education. An assignment arranged without an examiner's consent sits awkwardly against that framework: the examiner cannot confirm the terms, the requesting party, or the conditions under which the examination will be conducted. The advisory is a practical extension of the association's emphasis on professional and ethical practice.

How to Apply the Guidance

If you are an APA member and a third-party provider approaches you with an assignment, treat the three checks above as a gate rather than a formality:

  1. Ask who is requesting the examination and confirm that identity independently.
  2. Get the engagement terms in writing before committing.
  3. Confirm that you have expressly agreed to the assignment — not merely been listed for it.

If any of these cannot be established, the advisory's logic suggests declining the assignment until they can be.

Context: The APA and Its Members

The American Polygraph Association was established in 1966 and describes itself as the world's leading association dedicated to evidence-based scientific methods for credibility assessment. Its membership consists of professional polygraph examiners, educators, and researchers across private, law enforcement, and government fields. The referral advisory is one of the practical notices the association issues to that membership; the same announcements section also points members toward the APA's 60th Anniversary Seminar in Chicago.