Classes start: JANUARY 12 thru FEBRUARY 6 of 2009 in the Porto area, Portugal. This will be the four weeks "Hands-On" portion of the course.
The B.E.A.R. FORENSICS Polygraph Training Program:
ENGLISH LANGUAGE COURSE (Simultaneously translated into Spanish and Portuguese)
Polygraph examiners are in high demand for many government agencies, police departments, multinational corporations and private firms/individuals that are interested in managing their risk. Government contracts in foreign countries have increased the use of polygraphs exponentially and agencies worldwide are using polygraphs to perform pre-employment polygraphs, monitoring of employees’ behavior while on duty, post-accident/incident investigations, sex offender testing and much more.
You can become a trained Polygraph Examiner and begin an exciting and rewarding international career with the B.E.A.R. FORENSICS Polygraph Training Program located in the Porto area, Portugal!
Start your international polygraph career with B.E.A.R. – then go anywhere!
The B.E.A.R. FORENSICS Polygraph Training Program:
The BEAR Forensics Polygraph Training Program is a SUPER INTENSIVE, eight-week program located in Vila Real, Portugal that prepares its students to be Polygraph Examiners. Upon graduation, the graduate will be able to prepare, implement and complete full Polygraph Examinations using recognized formats and techniques!
The BEAR Forensics Polygraph Training Program:
(A) Basic Course cost: € 3,995 Includes all course materials
(B) Polygraph Instrument (complete): € 5,500 State–of-the-Art computerized polygraph instrument (less your computer/laptop) with all components and software necessary to start your Polygraph career.
(C) One month stay at the B.E.A.R. INSTITUTE: € 1,250 Dormitory style housing and includes three meals daily (home-cooked Portuguese cuisine). This will also provide you with clean sheets and weekly laundry service at no additional charge. No dry cleaning service at the facility. Wireless internet access will also be available (for your wireless modem equiped computer) as will cable television in the Dayroom.
Private rooms may be available for an additional € 750 (very limited availability).
Activities: Varies Many activities will be provided at no cost. There will be activities available such as Card/Poker games, dance lessons and cooking lessons at no charge. Other weekend excursions will be available upon demand and season. There also will be a snack bar and cocktail bar available nightly at student’s expense.
NOTE: If you purchase the Basic Polygraph Course (A), Polygraph Instrument (B) and the B.E.A.R. Housing option (C – not including Private Room Fee), you will be offered the entire package for €9,995 if paid in full three weeks prior to the start of the course!
Applicants WILL NOT be polygraphed as part of the applicaton or acceptance process!
Payment of Tuition and fees:
Direct Wire Transfer or Personal Check is the preferred method of payment.
Credit Card Payments will also be accepted.
Request an Application to attend at :
Job Placement:
B.E.A.R. FORENSICS has international contacts that are often in need of trained Polygraph Examiners that are fluent in the English language (among others) for specific and specialized assignments. B.E.A.R. FORENSICS will work tirelessly to provide interested students with a variety of career options.
The Potential of a Polygraph Examiner:
Trained Polygraph Examiners can earn $100,000+ US yearly! Whether performing work independently, as a contractor or employee of a Forensics firm, the trained Polygraph Examiner can perform a variety of tests virtually anywhere in the world. Today's polygraph instrument allows the examiner to travel with all of his/her equipment in one carry-on bag.
Some examples of Polygraph Testing with prices are as follows:
Pre-Employment Polygraph
€150+
Domestic Issue Polygraph
€300+
Specific/Police Issue Polygraph
€300+
Sex Offender Polygraph (PCSOT)
€300+
Attorney Polygraph
€500+
Polygraph Examers can perform between three to five (3 to 5) exams daily, depending on the motivation and desire of the examiner (about 600 to 1,000 exams per year). On average, Polygraph Exams have a duration of about two hours.
Start your international polygraph career with B.E.A.R. – then go anywhere!
The WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE and WHY of B.E.A.R. Forensics
WHO can attend?
Anyone who is at least 18 years of age, of good moral character (no felony convictions) and a sincere interest in the art and science of Detection of Deception. It is recommended that you are assertive, eager and willing to travel nationally and internationally to fulfill the demand for qualified Polygraph Examiners. All students must complete an application via Internet and be accepted. Applications are usually processed in one business day. Applicants WILL NOT be polygraphed as part of the applicaton or acceptance process! However, a background investigation will be conducted.
WHAT will be taught?
In order to be an expert in the Detection of Deception, one must be more than a mere technician. One must know proper interviewing skills, communication with others from different cultures, the polygraph technique/instrumentation, and keen interrogation skills. Therefore, the latest forensic techniques in interviewing, question construction, polygraph technique, and interrogation will be taught in an interesting manner. Further, there will be a complete course on "Polygraph as a Business" which will carefully explain what it takes to get your business up and going without experiencing many of the common mistakes made by new examiners.
WHERE will the Polygraph Course be held?
The B.E.A.R. FORENSICS basic polygraph course will be held in beautiful Porto area, Portugal. Portugal has no special visa requirements for US citizens or most other NATO countries (Valid Passport is required for most citizens outside of the EU). Round-trip transportation should be arranged to the city of Porto, Portugal (at the student’s expense) and transportation to the B.E.A.R. FORENSICS INSTITUTE, Portugal will be provided by B.E.A.R. FORENSICS.
WHY B.E.A.R. FORENSICS?
B.E.A.R. FORENSICS is an international leader in forensic testing. Our instructors have over 25 years of combined experience and thousands of interviews, polygraphs and interrogations of virtually every type of case. We train and develop professionals and not just a technician!
B.E.A.R. FORENSICS Instructors are experienced Polygraph Examiners, trained in the United States with international experience.
B.E.A.R. FORENSICS polygraph training complies with ASTM International standards.
Start your international polygraph career with B.E.A.R. – then go anywhere!
The BEAR Forensics Polygraph Training Program will consist of the following:
Polygraph Training Table of Contents
Course
Hours
History
8
Psychophysiology
52
Instrumentation
20
Techniques
60
Polygraph as a Business
24
Interviewing
24
Neuro-Linguistic Programming
8
Question Formulation
40
Chart Interpretation
50
Interrogation
20
Legal and Ethical Aspects
14
Forensic Psychophysiology Research and Methods
8
Student performance evaluation
20
Total
348
History:
The idea that lying manifests itself in physical reactions has been claimed since the beginning of civilized humans. In Africa, persons suspected of an untruth were made to pass a bird's egg to one another. If a person broke the egg, then he/she was considered to be "lying", based on the idea that their nervousness for he event was to blame. In ancient China, the accused held a handful of rice in his or her mouth during a prosecutor's presentation of the evidence. Since salivation was believed to stop at times of emotional distress, the person was considered "guilty" if by the end of that presentation the rice remained dry.
The origins of the modern polygraph actually date to 1913, when William Marston, a psychology student at Harvard, first used systolic blood-pressure as a method of detection of an untruth. He wrote a second paper on his beliefs in 1915, while finishing his undergraduate studies. He then entered Harvard Law and graduated in 1918, re-publishing his earlier work in 1917. A more complex device recording both blood-pressure and galvanic skin response was invented by Dr. John Larson of the University of California and first applied in law enforcement work by the Berkley Police Department under its nationally-renowned police chief, Chief Vollmer. Larson's device was the first that could be referred to as a Polygraph (meaning "many writings"), as Marston's earlier device recorded only one graph.
The history of lie detection is traced from its early beginnings to its evolved state and will be taught to the B.E.A.R FORENSICS student in an interesting and informative manner.
Psychophysiology:
Psychophysiology is the science of understanding the link between psychology and physiology. For example, psychologists are interested in why we may fear snakes and physiologists may be interested in the input/output system of the hypothalamus. A psychophysiologist will attempt to link the two. The psychophysiologist may, for example, try to explain the fear of serpants in terms of impulses coming in and out of the hypothalamus. However, psychophysiologists almost always study the psychological/physiological link in human beings.
Students will study the interrelationship between the mind and body, through an in depth examination of the effects of emotions on the nervous system, and the subsequent changes in the organs and systems. These are what Polygraph Examiners monitor and/or record for interpretation of truth or deception of an examinee.
Instrumentation:
B.E.A.R FORENSICS students will be instructed in the complete nature of state of the art polygraph instrumentation used in the detection of deception. Necessary care, maintenance and how they function will be covered as well as the latest advancements in the field of psychophysiology and the detection of decepton while using devices will be explored.
Techniques:
A comprehensive study of the various forensic psychophysiological (Polygraph) techniques in use today. The B.E.A.R FORENSICS student will acquire a working knowledge of each of the major polygraph techniques and will be capable of using any of them in the field for both law enforcement and commercial purposes.
Polygraph as a Business:
Theory is an important body of knowledge for the graduating Polygraph Examiner. Many examiners graduate from Polygraph Schools throughout the world prepared to perfom an approved polygraph proceedure; however, very few graduates of these schools come out prepared to operate a polygraph business. We will remove the mystery of the polygraph business by giving hard examples from experienced business men/Polygraph Examiners about what they did not learn in Polygraph School. Consent Forms, Report Writing, Interview Checklists, Video/Audio Recordng Devices and Standard Business Practices will be some of the topics that will be taught to the B.E.A.R FORENSICS student.
Interviewing:
The word "interview" refers to a non-accusatory question and answer session with a witness, victim or a suspect. Additionally, to standard investigative questions, structured behavioral provoking questions are asked to elicit behavioral symptoms of truth or deception from the person being interviewed.
The B.E.A.R FORENSICS student will be taught to properly prepare an examinee for a forensic psychophysiological examination, along with various methods of ascertaining critical information from the individual. The student will learn to analyze Nonverbal Behavior and Verbal Cues, with the latest advances in this field.
Neuro-Linguistic Programming:
Neuro-Linguistic Programming or NLP is a combination of Art and Science. This unique study began in 1972 by Dr. John Grinder and Richard Bandler at University of California Santa Cruz. Recently, it has been used by Psychologists, Therapists and now even Psychophysiologists.
NLP is now the growing study of predictable and recognizable patterns in human behavior used by skilled Polygraph Examiners. NLPstands for:
Neuro (N)- sight, hearing, smell, taste, tactile, and emotional sensations which activate memory and other synopsis.
Linguistic (L)- indicates that we use language to command our thoughts and behaviors, knowingly or otherwise. Users of the NLP technique know that even the voice in our head uses language on the most personal level.
Programming (P) -refers to ways we can choose to organize our thoughts and behaviors to produce results (*or to conceal thoughts and behaviors.)
NLP deals with the structure and subjectivity of individual's desires and how people communicate such desires through micro-expressions, eye movements, verbal/statement cues, and memes. As a trained B.E.A.R. Polygraph Examiner, you will be able to recognize, interpret, and effectively respond to NLP cues in order to better understand the subject you are communicating with, and to better assess the risk associated with that examinee.
Question Formulation:
This area of instruction covers one of the most vital phases of lie detection, the selection of the correct issue and formulation of questions, which reflect both the needs of the examiners and the concepts of the examinee. Students will be trained to artfully develop polygraph questions.
Chart Interpretation:
Chart analysis is a crucial part of any polygraph examination. This phase of study teaches the student how to understand the physiological phenomena recorded by the instrument based on the psychological stimuli (the question) that enables the Polygraph Examiner to reach an accurate conclusion of truth or deception. The development of numerical evaluation is taught from its origin to the latest advancement in scoring systems used by the US Department of Defense and other polygraph pioneers.
Interrogation:
Interrogation is an accusatory process. It is accusatory only in the sense that the Polygraph Examiner tells the deceptive examinee that there is no doubt as to his/her involvement in the matter under investigation. The interrogation is in the form of a monoloque presented by the Polygraph Examiner, rather than a question and answer format. That is, the Polygraph Examiner does most of the talking until the beginnings of acceptance of guilt/resposibilty for the topic of investigation. The actual demeanor of the Polygraph Examiner during the course of any interrogation is always understanding, patient, and non-demeaning.
The B.E.A.R FORENSICS student will be familiarized with a multitude of interrogation approaches along with case studies and videos of actual cases. Students will be instructed by B.E.A.R. FORENSICS master interrogators which will instruct them how and when to obtain confessions from deceptive examinees.
Legal and Ethical Aspects:
Experience has taught us that ethical conduct by the forensic psychophysiologists is essential. A code of conduct prescribed by the American Polygraph Association will be presented and discussed. Students will be informed of the latest available legal opinions from the courts concerning lie detection and its application.
Forensic Psychophysiology Research and Methods:
The basis of any scientific technique requires that it be valid and reliable. Our students will be familiarized with current research regarding the validity and reliability of the forensic psychophysiological technique. Students will also be acquainted with published scientific research data and journals, and ascertain a basic understanding of scientific experimental design.
Overview: Portugal has a rich seafaring past, superb beach resorts and surfing, wistful towns and a landscape wreathed in olive groves, vineyards and wheat fields. Littered with UNESCO World Heritage sites and graced by one of Europe's most relaxed and attractive capitals, it also remains refreshingly affordable.
Savoring life lentamente (slowly) is a Portuguese passion! Much of the best is humble - traditional folk festivals; simple, honest food drowning in olive oil; music that pulls at the heart strings, recalling past love and glories; and markets overflowing with fish, fruit and flowers.
Portugal lies immediately west of Spain, and is buffeted along its southern coast by the Atlantic Ocean. To its west and southwest lie the islands of the Azores and Madeira, far out in the Atlantic. It measures just 350mi (560km) north to south and a paltry 135mi (220km) from east to west. The northern and central regions are heavily populated and characterized by rivers, valleys, forests and mountains - the highest range is the Serra da Estrela, peaking at Torre (6540ft/1993m). The south is less populated and, apart from the rocky backdrop of the Algarve, much flatter and drier. The capital city of Portugal is Lisbon (Pop. 720,000) and the country itself maintains a population of around 10.4 million. Portugal is in the southern part of Europe and is blessed with a warmer climate and lower costs, as compared with many other western European countries. Its monetary unit is the Euro (€) and is a nation that runs on 220V (most computers/electronics in 110v can be easily plugged in with an inexpensive adapter).
Historical Overview:
Thanks to a strong Catholic influence and decades of repression under Salazar, Portugal remains a traditional, conservative country - romarias (religious festivals honouring a patron saint) are taken very seriously, almost as seriously as the results of local football matches. Seafood and wine both figure prominently on local menus, while dreamy, arabesque forms are the strongest features of local architecture.
Pre 20th Century History:
The Iberian Peninsula has been occupied for around 500,000 years. Paleolithic art dating back 22,000 years has been discovered on rocks in the Vale do Côa. About 5500 BC Neolithic fortified hilltop villages appeared in the lower Tagus valley.
Portugal's history goes back to the Celts, who settled the Iberian Peninsula around 700 BC. The region soon attracted a succession of peoples and was colonised by the Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans and Visigoths. In the 8th century, the Moors crossed the Strait of Gibraltar and commenced a long occupation that introduced their culture, architecture and agricultural techniques to Portugal. But resistance to the Moors grew and they were finally ejected during the 13th century.
In the 15th century, Portugal entered a phase of overseas expansion due to the efforts of Prince Henry the Navigator. Mariners set off to discover new trade routes and helped create an enormous empire that, at its peak, extended to India, the Far East, Brazil and Africa. This period marked the apogee of Portuguese power and wealth, but it faded towards the end of the 16th century when Spain's Felipe II claimed the throne. Although Spanish rule lasted only a few decades, the momentum of the empire declined over the following centuries.
In 1755, someone in Lisbon broke a bathroom mirror as a black cat crossed their path while opening a new umbrella. The city was subsequently destroyed by three major earthquakes, tremors, a fire and a tidal wave.
At the close of the 18th century, Napoleon sent expeditionary forces to invade Portugal but they were forced back by the troops of the Anglo-Portuguese alliance.
Modern History:
During the 19th century the economy faltered and republicanism took hold. National turmoil led to the abolition of the monarchy in 1910 and the founding of a democratic republic.
Portugal's democratic phase lasted until 1926, when a military coup ushered in a long period of dictatorship under António de Oliveira Salazar. His reign came to an end in 1968 when he had a stroke. Anachronistic attempts to hold onto colonies in the face of nationalist independence movements resulted in costly wars in Africa and led to the Revolution of the Carnations, a nearly bloodless military coup on 25 April 1974.
During the 1970s and early 1980s, Portugal underwent some painful adjustments: the political climate vacillated between right and left, and the economy suffered from wrangles between government and private ownership. The granting of independence to Portugal's colonies in 1974/75 resulted in a flood of over 500,000 refugees into the country. Entry into the European Community (EC) in 1986 restored some measure of stability, which was buttressed by the acceptance of Portugal as a full member of the European Monetary Union in 1999. Portugal's last overseas territory, Macau, was handed over to the Chinese in 1999.
Recent History:
The Alqueva project on the Guadiana river become Europe's largest artificial lake when it was completed in late 2001, to howls of protest from environmentalists who claimed it was a destructive and unnecessary folly. In August 2003, forest fires killed 18 people, destroyed an area the size of Luxembourg, cost a billion euros and prompted the government to declare a national disaster.
The year 2005 was similarly catastrophic. Portugal witnessed the worst drought in living memory in most of the country; it devastated agriculture and slashed the sector's financial projections by 35%. It was a critical year for bushfires, as well, with 200,000 hectares (about 494,000 acres) burned, mainly in the central Coimbra region and surrounding area.
Elected in February 2006, the current president is Conservative Aníbal Cavaco Silva. Prime minister José Manuel Barroso of the Social Democratic Party, which won the 2002 elections after six years in opposition, had the unenviable task of resuscitating the economy, one of the EU's worst. He resigned in July 2004 to head the European Commission, and was replaced by José Sócrates
Health and Safety:
In the tropics, the desert or at high altitude you can get sunburned quickly and seriously, even through clouds. The southern reaches of the continent suffer from scathing ultraviolet, so be extra careful there. Use a strong sunscreen, hat and barrier cream for your nose and lips. Calamine lotion and aloe vera are good for mild sunburn. Protect your eyes with good-quality sunglasses, particularly if you will be near water, sand or snow.
The water is drinkable, however many Portuguese will wonder why you aren’t engaing in one of their national treasures: The wine.
