UK Police Officer Recognized for Polygraph Skills

LEXINGTON, Ky. (June 25, 2013) ― University of Kentucky Police Lt. Robert McPherson received a top honor from the American Association of Police Polygraphists at its annual conference in Charlotte, N.C., in early June.  McPherson, who received his polygraph certification last year, and John Fyffe, manager of the Kentucky State Police Polygraph Program, were presented with the 2013 Richard O. Arther Regional Directors Award for Region 5. 

Criteria for the award are based on a significant case or contribution made by the polygraphist within the region.  McPherson was recognized for his polygraph work in helping gain a guilty plea in an arson case that involved a Frankfort, Ky., Big Lots store in September 2011.  At that time McPherson had just recently completed polygraph school and was in the first phase of a year-long internship.  He administered the polygraph test in the case under Fyffe's direction. 

The suspect who was arrested in the case eventually accused the law enforcement officers of forcing her into a false confession, however after McPherson, Fyffe and Frankfort Police officers testified in a hearing to suppress the confession, the court upheld the confession as admissible.  The suspect later plead guilty to arson and wanton endangerment.

"I am proud to accept this award and very grateful to John Fyffe and Marvin Hayden with the Kentucky State Police Polygraph section for their guidance in my internship," said McPherson, a 1988 graduate of Eastern Kentucky University's police administration program and an officer with UK Police for 20 years. 

McPherson is a graduate of the American International Institute of Polygraph and completed his internship through the Kentucky State Police where he conducted polygraph exams for cases of homicide, child sexual abuse, robbery, arson and theft. He and Captain Kevin Franklin are both certified polygraph examiners in the UK Police Department.

"We conduct all the exams for new police officers and new security officers before they are offered a job with the university," McPherson said. "We also do any criminal polygraphs that UKPD would need, and we still assist Kentucky State Police with exams. Kentucky is one of the strictest states, only allowing licensed examiners to do polygraph exams, therefore we will assist other law enforcement agencies when possible."