A California State Court of Appeals ruled on Monday that cities and counties could require applicants for jobs as police officers to submit to polygraph testing. In 1986 the State Supreme Court held that any involuntary polygraph testing of state employees was unconstitutional, but the court's ruling did not settle the issue as regards public safety jobs. In the case at hand, a man who had taken disability retirement sought reinstatement but was denied unless he would submit to polygraph testing. The court found that this requirement violated his First Amendment rights under the 14th Amendment.
A California State Court of Appeals ruled on Monday that cities and counties could require applicants for jobs as police officers to submit to polygraph testing. In 1986 the State Supreme Court held that any involuntary polygraph testing of state employees was unconstitutional, but the court's ruling did not settle the issue as regards public safety jobs. In the case at hand, a man who had taken disability retirement sought reinstatement but was denied unless he would submit to polygraph testing. He refused, saying that there were less intrusive ways to screen applicants, but the court ruled that public safety outweighed his argument.