Applied to Maricopa County Judiciary Probation office, if my app gets far enough I'll have to take a polygraph. And what is AZ POST certified mean after hire?

Generally means you've passed an approved academy for whatever job, or have a waiver of some sort if you're coming from out of state.

Don't lie on the poly and you have nothing to worry about. A poly isn't a big deal, but you lie and you'll never be hired.

Thank you. Yeah, I've got nothing to hide, lead a pretty boring life really. I spent 17 years running 911 calls on an ambulance, moved here started doing outreach with mentally ill and/or addicted people. Had my daughter at 17, and I have a few bills in collections because I make $11 bucks an hour. That's about it.

Just worried that the poly will think I'm lying, when I'm just nervous about doing something I've never done before. And it would mean a lot for me and my family for me to get this job, so I know I'll have those butterflies in my stomach.

Generally, you'll be given a long personal history packet to fill out before hand. Disclose everything! They're there to verify what's in that packet and see if you're lying.

So say you were cited for stealing ice cream at 16 years old. Write it down in the PH questionnaire. Then *generally* when they ask you "have you ever stolen anything??" The answer is "no" because you've disclosed it. Get what I'm saying? Regardless, the poly guy will explain everything in detail and go over your PH questionnaire with you prior to starting.

These are just generalities, things may be different. Just what I've seen and experienced...

They sent me that on Tuesday. 27 pages worth of questions. I downloaded it and am filling it out on word. I have to get it notarized and returned on the 11th. I get what your putting down. Thank you for the answers good sir.

Don't be surprised if they ask you to clear your debt

Yep, or atleast ask what the plan is to clear it.

Yeah, I figured that'd come up. Well, getting a job that doubles my pay would go a long way to help pay those past bills off.

The poly is designed to find expert liars.  They don't want folks that can't tell a good lie.  The poly won't be able to distinguish between comfortable truth tellers and expert liars, but it can't find truthful folks who aren't comfortable taking polys.  Funny how that works.

Sounds like you'll be going to the MCSO Academy if you get hired.

Fun times.

Az post certified means you put in for a job as a police officer / sworn position how do you not know that'd what you signed up for ? It entails going to a police academy where you have rigorous training , pt, shooting , driving , education something like 18 to 20 weeks

I had to think about that statement there for a while. Interesting view for sure.



Nothing about attending an academy was in the job description.


I found this job on Indeed. Nothing about an academy was posted in the description. Only that some positions are required to be AZ POST certified. I didn't know what AZ POST was. Guess I'll find out soon enough. Job sounds a lot like what I'm doing now, only it pays better.

If an academy is something you wouldn't want to do, or something you think you would be unable to do, you might reconsider the job.

The only way to be POST certified is through an academy.  There are a couple of community colleges that offer post-certification courses but it takes a long time, costs alot, and involves all the same training events.

Well, I wasn't prepared for one, but if it's worth having, it's worth fighting for.

Guess I better start running and doing push ups. I have some work to do to catch up.

POST is Peace Officer Standards and Training.  If you applied for a job that requires POST cert it is peace officer job.  Google AZ  POST.

That's a great idea!  Run, run, run.  That will definitely give you a head start.  Cardio is a good thing anyway.

Don't worry about the poly.  It's nothing more than a psychological tool to get you to confess something that will disqualify you.   If you've done something in the past that would disqualify you, the only way for them to know is for you to admit it.  There is no such thing as a truth detector.  The only reality is what you tell them.   I've had friends fail polys and it makes me laugh because every fail was a self admission.  These were really good folks, too, that would have made good cops.  So it makes me wonder what some departments are looking for.   And that led me to the "tongue in cheek" conclusion that perhaps they're looking for good liars, because I certainly know a few of those as well.  But maybe that's part of the process.  I think it's a bit wonky but it is what it is until something better comes along.  

Yes. Great idea. I did that. In Arizona Probation Officers are considered peace officers. Sounds like each county has their own standards for the PO position, but all positions are considered peace officers by the state Constitution. Seems like once an offer has been made, that proby has a year to fulfill their county's training requirements.




Great advice. Thank you.



Anyone have any gym ideas for Tempe, East Valley area?

DO NOT worry about the machine. It's a voodoo box and the operator knows this too. Treat it as an interview. Speak to the operator and convince him you're telling the truth, don't try to convince the machine. If you have nothing to hide and you're honest that's 99% of it, the 1% is not staring at the machine and freaking out. I've taken 3, passed 2, failed once on the first time because I was hung up on the machine. Same questions, same answers on all 3, same examiner. The two times I passed I pretended it was just a job interview and I ignored the machine entirely and concentrated on the questions.

Good advice, thank you. I hope I make it that far.

And now I'm craving pancakes!