60 percent of FHP applicants fail polygraph test

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Florida Highway Patrol is hiring, but more than half of the people applying can’t get past the lie detector stage of their job interview.

The law enforcement agency said it is looking for the cream of the crop through rigorous testing.

Close to 60 percent of applicants fail their polygraph test. Those tests look at everything before they consider giving that person a gun and a badge and putting them on the highway.

“These test personal history, business, credit history,” said FHP Sgt. Dylan Bryan.

That’s where 58 percent fail. The statistic is polarizing for some taxpayers.

“I think we need to take a stand and weed those people out,” said Willie Taylor.

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“They’re not a criminal, they’re not a criminal, if they can’t pass a lie detector, oh well,” said William Stebbins.

“We want to make sure we’re touching on anything and everything we can we want to make sure we’re going to trust them with a gun and a badge. They’re going to be the cream of the crop,” Bryan said.

In the nine-county area that makes up the FHP region, there are seven empty positions available, but there’s 130 troopers covering those roads.

Bryan was asked if the shortage is affecting public safety.

“Really isn’t affecting, or drastically affecting response times and our quality of work,” Bryan said.

FHP officials said they stand behind the current hiring process, and they call it highly effective.

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