Strategy of Special Professional Training of Polygraph Examiners in the System of Departmental Education of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia

Polygraphology is the science of lie detection using a polygraph, and it plays an important role in law enforcement. In the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, the work of polygraph examiners is of particular importance for the investigation of criminal cases, the prevention and prevention of crimes and ensuring the safety of citizens, and is also an effective barrier in the implementation of a set of measures for the selection of citizens to serve in the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation. In this article we will consider the strategy of special professional training of polygraph examiners in the system of departmental education of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia. In particular, we will discuss the key principles of training, the structure of the training program, the effectiveness of the program and new trends in the training of polygraph examiners. Our goal is to provide objective information about what requirements at the present stage of development of society and the state are put forward for the training of this category of specialists and what effective innovative technologies are possible to use in this process.

Currently, the use of polygraphs in law enforcement is becoming more common, and the demand for competent qualified polygraph examiners is steadily growing. In addition, the polygraph is an important tool in the fight against criminal offenses such as fraud, theft, drug trafficking and terrorism. Polygraph examiners in the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, as already noted, play an important role in criminal proceedings, the detection of lies, the establishment of important facts and the formation of evidence.

The strategy of special professional training of polygraph examiners in the system of departmental education of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia is certainly an urgent topic, as it helps to ensure the high quality of training of such specialists and improve the work of law enforcement agencies in general. In addition, the strategy of training polygraph examiners in the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia may be useful for other law enforcement agencies and organizations dealing with national security issues.

For successful work in the field of polygraphology, specialists need to have certain skills and competencies. Here are some of them:

1. Knowledge of the principles of the polygraph: the polygraph examiner must understand how the polygraph works and works, what signals it registers, how to interpret them, etc.
2. Interviewing skills: a polygraph examiner professionally should be able to ask the right questions that will help him in the course of applying certain tactics to identify lies.
3. Knowledge of the psychology of lies: a polygraph examiner should understand how the psychology of lies works and what signs of lies should be looked for.
4. Data analysis skills: A polygraph examiner should be able to analyze the data obtained with the help of a polygraph and draw appropriate conclusions based on this data.
5. Communication skills: A polygraph examiner should be able to communicate with people, be diplomatic and be able to convey his thoughts to other people.
6. Knowledge of legislation: A polygraph examiner must operate with knowledge of the legislation regulating the use of polygraphs in law enforcement.

These skills and competencies should be included in the program of special professional training of polygraph examiners in the system of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia.

Special professional training of polygraph examiners in the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia is based on the following principles:

• Theoretical training: students receive theoretical knowledge related to working on a polygraph device, the psychology of lies, interviewing techniques and analysis of the data obtained. They also study regulatory legal and legislative acts regulating the use of polygraphs in law enforcement.
• Practical training: students undergo practical training, including trainings on interviewing, data analysis in the course of working with a polygraph. They also gain experience working with real clients and participate in simulations of situations involving the use of polygraphs in real life. It is noted that the statistics when hiring citizens are such that negative motivation is increasingly being revealed, which may hinder further service ^[6]. This circumstance in his work, a polygraph examiner should take into account when conducting polygraph research.
• Individual approach: each student should be able to receive individual pedagogical advice, depending on their knowledge, skills and experience. The training is conducted taking into account the characteristics of each student and is provided by the teaching staff with professional experience and skill. The researchers note that, for example, training in the method and applied techniques of conducting surveys using a polygraph abroad is carried out almost individually (in groups of two or three people) and involves mandatory internship in real conditions under the supervision of an experienced professional polygraph examiner ^[1]. In our opinion, this aspect should also be taken into account.
• Constant updating of knowledge: Polygraph examiners must constantly update and improve their knowledge and skills in order to stay up to date with the latest achievements in the field of polygraphology and psychology of lies. For these purposes, special seminars, conferences and trainings are often held. As Y.V. Komissarova notes in her work, the practice of holding scientific and practical conferences on the exchange of experience in the field of polygraphology under the auspices of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, which have been counting since 1997, shows the fruitfulness of scientific discussions ^[4].
• Cooperation with other specialists: Polygraph examiners work in a team with other specialists, such as investigators, criminologists, psychologists and experts. They should be able to cooperate with other specialists, as a result of which they should exchange knowledge and professional experience with them.

Thus, the special professional training of polygraph examiners in the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia includes both theoretical and practical classes, an individual pedagogical approach to each student and constant updating of knowledge. Pedagogical cooperation with other specialists is also an important aspect of the training of departmental polygraph examiners.

Another important aspect is that candidates for training under the professional retraining program of polygraph examiners in the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia must meet certain requirements. Firstly, they must have a higher humanitarian education, have experience in law enforcement or related fields.

In addition, candidates must have certain skills and qualities necessary for the work of a polygraph examiner. They should have a high level of communication skills, be able to quickly assess the situation, make decisions in conditions of uncertainty and stress, be attentive, responsible, disciplined and have a good memory.

An important requirement for candidates is the absence of contraindications to work on a polygraph. Candidates must be physically and psychologically healthy, have no medical contraindications and restrictions to work on a polygraph.

In addition, it would be advisable for candidates sent for training to pass selection tests, which include testing for knowledge of the basics of the psychology of lying, checking communication skills, as well as checking literacy and the ability to work with technical devices. For reference, it is important to note that the scientific and technical validity of the polygraph is beyond doubt, since it is a multifunctional oscilloscope that cannot be unscientific. The problem of the polygraph is not in its technical characteristics, but in the interpretation of the results obtained using this device ^[3].

In our opinion, only after successfully passing all the above stages of selection, candidates can be admitted to study in departmental educational organizations of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia.

In order to assess the effectiveness of the professional training program for polygraph examiners, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia conducts various methods of research and evaluation of training results. One of the most effective methods is to evaluate the practical skills and abilities of polygraph examiners after completing the training process.

Assessment of the level of acquired practical skills and abilities is carried out during special practical classes, which are organized in law enforcement units. Future polygraph examiners perform real polygraph tests, and their work is evaluated by experienced teachers, mentors from among experienced specialists and experts.

In addition, theoretical examinations and tests are conducted, which allow to assess the level of knowledge of students in theoretical disciplines related to the upcoming professional activity. Pedagogically, it is advisable to conduct examination tests at the end of each training module and, based on their results, give students objective assessments.

Also an important element of the evaluation of learning outcomes is the feedback from the students themselves and the customer's representatives on behalf of the practical unit of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, which allow us to evaluate the effectiveness of the training program and identify its advantages and disadvantages, to adjust the content and structure of the educational program.

Based on the results of the assessment of practical skills and abilities of graduates, exams and reviews, it can be concluded how effective is the professional training program for polygraph examiners in the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia. In cases when novice polygraph examiners successfully cope with practical tasks and exams, as well as are satisfied with the training program, this indicates the high efficiency of the program, the competence of the teaching staff and the quality of training specialists in this field.

In recent years, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia has clearly observed the development of new methods, techniques and approaches in the training of polygraph examiners. One of such approaches is the use of computer simulators of a polygraph device for the training and training of polygraph examiners.

Polygraph simulator is a computer program that allows you to simulate the work of a real polygraph. With the help of a polygraph simulator, persons undergoing training can practice conducting polygraph testing and improve their skills working with complex technical equipment.

Another new effective approach in the training of polygraph examiners, in our opinion, would be the possible use of virtual reality (VR) in professional education. VR technologies, with effective tools such as visibility, efficiency, focus, safety, really allow you to create simulations in which polygraph examiners can acquire the necessary skills in conditions as close to real as possible.

In addition, recently, more and more attention has been paid to the development of interpersonal communication skills in the training of polygraph examiners. In this regard, trainings and seminars on communication skills and empathy development are held. This helps students to better understand the psychological states and motivations of the test takers, which increases the accuracy of testing using a polygraph.

Also an important direction in the training of polygraph examiners is the study of new methods of data processing. With the development of computer technology and artificial intelligence, new methods of data analysis are emerging that can help polygraph examiners more accurately assess test results.

In general, new methods and approaches in the training of polygraph examiners in the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia make it possible to improve the quality and efficiency of polygraph examiners' training and better prepare them for work in modern conditions.

In the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, for the training of polygraph examiners, it is certainly necessary to apply and implement innovative technologies that can significantly improve the efficiency and quality of training. Some of these technologies include:

• Virtual simulators. These are computer programs that allow polygraph examiners to train in conditions as close to real as possible. Virtual simulators allow you to simulate various situations, including extreme ones, and train in decision-making in conditions of uncertainty and stress.
• Interactive courses. These are courses that are not just lectures, but interactive classes that include a dialogue between the teacher and students, discussion of the topic, group assignments, etc. Interactive courses allow students to better assimilate the material and develop communication skills. For example, in the process of serious professional training, it is very important for the teaching staff to convey to the future specialist the knowledge that the main topic of interest to the customer consists of the following set of questions: it is necessary to determine the motives for applying for a job, the presence or absence of bad habits, possibly a criminal past, the reasons for leaving the previous place of work, the establishment of full and correct compliance with the stated personal data, health status, identification of factors of antisocial behavior, etc. In other words, a polygraph examiner must learn not only to build a dialogue with the person being examined, but also to be able to distinguish between reliable and distorted information during the research ^[5].
• The use of modern equipment. Modern equipment, such as computer polygraphs, can improve the quality of training and increase the effectiveness of practical training. With the help of computer polygraphs, students can train in conducting polygraph research and analyzing the results.
• Distance education. Distance learning allows students to be trained as part of their official duties on-the-job. It is especially useful for those who live in remote regions or do not have the opportunity to attend classes at an educational institution. Distance learning can be organized both in the form of online courses and in the form of webinars, which does not lose its relevance in modern conditions.
• The use of new techniques and technologies. In the process of training polygraph examiners in the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, new methods and technologies based on the latest achievements in the field of psychology, criminology and security technologies are used. For example, the use of face analysis technology can be quite effective, which can help polygraph specialists better determine a person's emotional state and identify signs of deception. It is possible to include new methods of voice and speech analysis in the learning process, as well as methods of working with nonverbal signals, which allow specialists to obtain more accurate results when conducting polygraph studies.
• Training in practice. Practical training is one of the most effective ways to train polygraph examiners. Students have the opportunity to apply their knowledge and skills in practice, working with real clients and conducting polygraph research. This approach allows specialists to better assimilate the material, improve their skills and gain practical work experience.
• Use of multimedia materials. Multimedia materials such as videos, animations, interactive presentations, etc. are widely used in the process of training polygraph specialists in the system of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia. This approach allows students to visualize and assimilate the material much better, as well as train and improve their memory and attention.

         Thus, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia has the opportunity to apply various innovative educational technologies that can improve the efficiency and quality of polygraph examiners' training. The flagship in training should be the most effective and high-quality methods and technologies, the work on the creation of which is being carried out at the All-Russian Institute for Advanced Training of Employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia (Fig.1), together with specialists of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, scientists and practitioners from other law enforcement agencies.

Fig.1 The teaching staff of the VIPK of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia and graduates-polygraphologists

As a result of the analysis of the applied training programs for polygraph examiners in the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, the following main conclusions can be drawn:

1. The training of this category of specialists in the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia is a complex and multi-stage process that includes both theoretical and practical classes.
2. The training program for polygraph examiners in the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia must meet the high requirements imposed by the state for professionals in this field, both for trainees and trainees, and must include all the necessary modern topics that allow you to form the skills necessary for the successful performance of their official duties by polygraph examiners.
3. The training program for polygraph examiners in the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia should be constantly adjusted, improved and updated to take into account the latest scientific and technical achievements and new requirements for professionals in this field imposed by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia.
4. The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia uses modern innovative technologies and methods in the training of polygraph examiners, which make it possible to increase the efficiency and quality of training, while priority work on the creation of new high-tech and important pedagogical technologies that allow improving the professional training of polygraph examiners for the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia does not stop.
5. The system of training polygraph examiners in the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia is a key component in improving the quality and efficiency of the work of employees of the internal affairs bodies of the Russian Federation in the field of law enforcement and is aimed at protecting the rights and freedoms of citizens, the national interests of the state.

     It should also be noted that, for example, based on the experience of teaching psychology by the staff of the Department of Psychological, Pedagogical and Medical Support of the Department of Internal Affairs, it can be concluded that the implementation of additional professional training programs for psychologists to work with personnel is most effectively possible with a high organization of independent work of students ^[2].

The work on improving the professional training of polygraph examiners in educational organizations of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia should be constantly continued and aimed at creating effective pedagogical technologies that meet all modern requirements and realities of today.