Policy Text
DEFINITIONS:
ADMINISTRATIVE INVESTIGATION - The inquiry into allegations of misconduct by
employees.
APPLICANT - Any person who has formally applied for employment with the
Department.
AUDIOTAPE ANALYSIS - The CVSA examiner’s analysis of the recorded responses of
the digitally taped interview.
BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION - The pre-employment investigation of the character,
work history and suitability of an applicant for employment with the Department.
COMPUTER VOICE STRESS ANALYZER (CVSA) - A technical device that detects,
measures and charts the stress in a person's voice modulations from recordings or live
analysis following preformatted questions.
COVERT CVSA EXAMINATION - A live interview by a CVSA examiner with a suspect,
victim or witness. These interviews are recorded live and captured by the CVSA for
analysis, without prior knowledge or consent. All covert CVSA examinations must have
the prior approval of the Investigative Division Major. Covert CVSA examinations will
not be done in IA investigations.
OVERT INTERVIEWS AUDIO - The CVSA examiner performs audio analysis on voluntary
interviews from persons that were obtained by investigators. The interviews are
designed to capture a yes or no response to preformatted questions. The CVSA
examiner will then analyze this digitally recorded interview.
OVERT INTERVIEWS LIVE - Interviews by the CVSA examiner with the examinee. These
interviews are conducted with the examinee's prior knowledge and permission that
certain questions will be recorded live and captured by digitally recorded CVSA
instrument. An overt examination will cease immediately when requested by the
examinee.
POLYGRAPH - An instrument designed to detect and record changes in physiological
characteristics, such as a person's pulse, galvanic response and breathing rates, used
especially as a means to detect deception.
QUALIFIED CVSA EXAMINER - A person who has satisfactorily completed training by
the National Institute for Truth Verification (NITV Federal Services) in the use of the
CVSA. CVSA examiners must recertify or otherwise maintain certification in
accordance with NITV requirements. Only currently certified CVSA examiners will be
authorized to use the CVSA instrument.
QUALIFIED POLYGRAPH EXAMINER - A person who has satisfactorily completed
training by a training academy or course(s) designated by the Department and certified
by the American Polygraph Association (APA). Only currently certified polygraph
examiners will be authorized to use a polygraph instrument.
SECOND OPINION - A review by a second CVSA operator who is not familiar with the
details of the case who evaluates the results of an examination based strictly on the
assessment of the charts that were generated from the initial examination.
STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS - Audio interviews designed to capture responses to
preformatted questions that are analyzed by a CVSA examiner.
PROCEDURE: