William Iacono, a psychology professor at the University of Minnesota is seen in his lab with a lie detector machine, foreground (on desk) and an EEG machine, background.

Judy Griesedieck/MCT

Polygraph world’s close ties spark accusations of favoritism

When polygrapher Walt Goodson began moonlighting for a private company, he didn’t think the law enforcement agency he worked for would care. After all, his supervisor had worked for his company’s competitor and had approved his outside job. But after investigators found Goodson’s relationship with the manufacturer to be improper partly because of his involvement in a bid, Goodson agreed it looked bad. Public employees are supposed to avoid conflicts of interest because they could give a company an unfair advantage over competitors or create a greater expense for the public agency that’s buying a product. Even so, Goodson is one of 14 current or former law enforcement officers across the country who’ve been described by Lafayette Instrument Co. Inc. as dealers over the last six years.

Glitch in widely used polygraph can skew results

Police departments and federal agencies across the country are using a type of polygraph despite evidence of a technical problem that could label truthful people as liars or the guilty as innocent, McClatchy has found. As a result, innocent people might have been labeled criminal suspects, faced greater scrutiny while on probation or lost out on jobs. Or, just as alarming, spies and criminals may have escaped detection.
FBI turns away many applicants who fail lie-detector tests

Thousands of job applicants come to FBI offices every year, eager to work for the top law enforcement agency in the U.S. But many of them have their hopes dashed, and it’s not because of their work experience or education or criminal records. They’re turned down because they’ve failed their polygraph tests. The FBI’s policy of barring applicants who fail their polygraph tests clashes with the view of many scientists that government agencies shouldn’t rely on polygraph testing to decide whether to hire or fire someone.
US adviser on board of firm that sold anthrax drug

Former Navy Secretary Richard J. Danzig, who has served as a bio-warfare adviser to the president, the Pentagon, and the Department of Homeland Security, urged the government to stockpile an anti-anthrax drug while serving as a director for the company that supplied it, according to a report published Sunday. 1369019227
Phoenix police officer dies in fatal hit-and-run

A Phoenix police officer and firefighter both died Sunday after suffering critical injuries in separate accidents on the job, officials said. 1369020711
10 Things to Know for Monday

Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about Monday: 1369020711
Trace volcano ash reaches small Alaska city

Alaska's Pavlof Volcano sent ash and steam skyward Sunday but not enough to raise the aviation threat for international air carriers. 1369007052
Weeklong traffic mess possible after CT derailment

Traffic in southwest Connecticut could be a mess for as much as a week until service is restored to the commuter rail line affected by a derailment that injured scores of passengers, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy warned Sunday. 1369007052
AP PHOTOS: College commencements across nation

In a commencement address at Atlanta's historically black Morehouse College, President Obama said graduates should "find time to defend the powerless." 1369006451
Official: Va. driver likely had medical condition

Authorities believe the driver who plowed into dozens of hikers marching in a Virginia mountain town parade suffered from a medical condition and did not cause the crash intentionally, an emergency official said Sunday. 1369005127