FOI 1272-2024/25 Polygraph Examiners

Request

Polygraph Examiners employed by North Yorkshire Police per calendar year:

a. How many Polygraph Examiners were employed by North Yorkshire Police between 2020 - 2021?

b. How many Polygraph Examiners were employed by North Yorkshire Police between 2021 - 2022?

c. How many Polygraph Examiners were employed by North Yorkshire Police between 2022 - 2023?

d. How many Polygraph Examiners were employed by North Yorkshire Police between 2022 - 2023?

e. Which service provider/contractor currently provides polygraph training to North Yorkshire Police Polygraph Examiner(s)?

f. How much per calendar year, does North Yorkshire Police pay the service provider for each Polygraph Examiner?

g. Between 2020 - 2021, how many Polygraph Examiners did North Yorkshire Police pay the contractor for polygraph services?

h. Between 2021 - 2022, how many Polygraph Examiners did North Yorkshire Police pay the contractor for polygraph services?

i. Between 2022 - 2023, how many Polygraph Examiners did North Yorkshire Police pay the contractor for polygraph services?

j. Between 2023 - 2024, how many Polygraph Examiners did North Yorkshire Police pay the contractor for polygraph services?

k. Is there a mandatory requirement for North Yorkshire Police Polygraph Examiners to undertake additional training and/or development and/or CPD and/or supervision following completion of the initial polygraph training course?

ANSWER: YES/NO

l. If so, what additional training/development/CPD/supervision is required following the initial course?

m. Is there a mandatory requirement for North Yorkshire Police Polygraph Examiner(s) to retain accreditation in order to practice polygraph examinations?

ANSWER: YES/NO

n.If so, how is accreditation retained?

o. Who determines/sets the accreditation requirements to practice?

p. How are the requirements imposed?

q. Between 2020 - 2021, how many North Yorkshire Police Polygraph Examiners retained accreditation to practice?

r. How was accreditation achieved?

s. Between 2021 - 2022, how many North Yorkshire Police Polygraph Examiners retained accreditation to practice?

t. How was accreditation achieved?

u. Between 2022 - 2023, how many North Yorkshire Police Polygraph Examiners retained accreditation to practice?

v. How was accreditation achieved?

w. Between 2023 - 2024, how many North Yorkshire Police Polygraph Examiners retained accreditation to practice?

x.How was accreditation achieved?

y. Is there a UK national register that records accredited Police/Constabulary Polygraph Examiners?

ANSWER: YES/NO

z. If so, which organisation/body holds the register of accredited Police Polygraph Examiners?

aa. Are North Yorkshire Police Polygraph Examiners listed on the national register?

bb. Are all North Yorkshire Police Polygraph Examiners members of the American Polygraph Association (APA)?

ANSWER: YES/NO

cc. If so, did being a member of the American Polygraph Association (APA) enable North Yorkshire Police Polygraph Examiners to retain their accreditation to practice?

ANSWER: YES/NO

dd. Between 2020 - 2021, How many CPD hours did each Polygraph Examiner obtain through the service provider?

ee. Between 2021 - 2022, How many CPD hours did each Polygraph Examiner obtain through the service provider?

ff. Between 2022 - 2023, How many CPD hours did each Polygraph Examiner obtain through the service provider?

gg. Between 2023 - 2024, How many CPD hours did each Polygraph Examiner obtain through the service provider?

Extent and Result of Searches to Locate Information
To locate the information relevant to your request searches were conducted within North Yorkshire Police.

I can confirm that the information you have requested is held by North Yorkshire Police.  

Decision
I have today decided to disclose the following information to you.

a. 1.

b. 1.

c. 1.

d. 2 (2023/24).

e. Behavioural Measures UK (BMUK).

f. I am exempting this information pursuant to Section 43(2) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act). Please see the below exemption explanation.

g. 1.

h. 1.

i. 1.

j. 2.

k. Yes.

l. Minimum of 30 hours continued professional development (CPD) within every 24-month period.

m. North Yorkshire Police are of the view that this question is open to interpretation and as such, we are unable to provide a yes/no answer. Currently all UK police polygraph examiners in England and Wales are trained to American Polygraph Association (APA) Education Accreditation Committee (EAC) accreditation standards and operate in line with the APA Standards of Practice.

n. By polygraph examiners maintaining CPD.

o. National Polygraph Working Group (NPWG), in consultation with National Polygraph Practitioners Group (NPPG) and BMUK.

p. NPWG.

q. 1.

r. CPD

s. 1.

t. CPD.

u. 1.

v. CPD.

w. 2.

x. Training and CPD.

y. No.

z. Not applicable.

aa. Not applicable.

bb. Yes.

cc. North Yorkshire Police are of the view that this question is open to interpretation and as such, we are unable to provide a yes/no answer. Polygraph CPD & training is acquired through BMUK (not directly via APA) however BMUK training/ CPD are APA accreditation compliant. (APA is the internationally recognised leading body for polygraph and there is no UK based organisation accrediting polygraph). APA membership is essentially intrinsic for UK polygraph examiners to maintain CPD because the most current scientific research is published by APA and to maintain CPD polygraph examiners need to keep themselves apprised of current research material.

dd. 16.

ee. 16.

ff. 16.

gg.16.

Exemption Explanation

Section 17 of the Act requires North Yorkshire Police, when refusing to provide such information (because the information is exempt) to provide you the applicant with a notice which: (a) states that fact, (b) specifies the exemption in question and (c) states (if that would not otherwise be apparent) why the exemption applies.

Section 43(2) – Commercial Interests
This is a qualified, class based exemption, which requires that I conduct a public interest test to balance the legitimate interests of the public in knowing the information against the interests of non-disclosure. This exemption applies because the disclosure of the requested information would, or would be likely to, prejudice commercial interests.  

Public Interest Test

Factors Favouring Disclosure
There is a strong public interest in the efficiency of public sector spending. Releasing the information would provide the public with the knowledge on what the force spend on the subject matter. Disclosure would provide openness, displaying that public funds are being spent correctly and efficiently.

Factors Favouring Non-Disclosure
Disclosure of this information into the public domain would likely deter suppliers from entering future tendering processes and it would put their competition at advantage. This would also impact North Yorkshire Police’s and other force’s ability to conduct fair tendering. Trust would be lost in the forces ability to conduct business and the community would be affected by the force being unable to spend public funds as effectively.

Balancing Test
The disclosure of commercially sensitive information would prejudice the commercial interests of the company involved and may deter them and others from participating in future procurement initiatives. There is a strong public interest against disclosure where that disclosure would be likely to prejudice the Force’s own commercial interests. Disclosure of the information would be likely to adversely affect the bargaining position of North Yorkshire Police during future contractual negotiations relating to current and future contracts which would result in less effective use of public money.

The public interest would not be served where disclosure of commercial information would hinder fair and open competition for public sector contracts. As such the balance is considered in favour of non-disclosure.

Pursuant to Section 17(1) of the Act this acts as a Refusal Notice in relation to the exempted part of your request. 

Please note that systems used for recording information are not generic, nor are the procedures used locally in capturing the data.  It should be noted therefore that this force’s response to your questions should not be used for comparison purposes with any other responses you may receive.