Texas Local Government Code 143.124 – Polygraph Examinations
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(a) A fire fighter employed by the municipality may not be required to submit to a polygraph examination as part of an internal investigation regarding the conduct of the fire fighter unless:
(1) the complainant submits to and passes a polygraph examination and, if applicable, the fire department has complied with Subsection (c); or
(2) the fire fighter is ordered to take an examination under Subsection (f).
(b) Subsection (a)(1) does not apply if the complainant is physically or mentally incapable of being polygraphed.
Terms Used In Texas Local Government Code 143.124
- Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
- Municipality: means a general-law municipality, home-rule municipality, or special-law municipality. See Texas Local Government Code 1.005
- Written: includes any representation of words, letters, symbols, or figures. See Texas Government Code 311.005
(c) The fire department shall, on the written request of a fire fighter, provide to the fire fighter the complainant’s polygraph examination results within 48 hours after the request.
(d) For the purposes of this section, a fire fighter passes a polygraph examination if, in the opinion of the polygraph examiner, no deception is indicated regarding matters critical to the subject matter under investigation.
(e) The results of a polygraph examination that relate to the complaint under investigation are not admissible in a proceeding before the commission or a hearing examiner.
(f) The fire department head may order a fire fighter to submit to a polygraph examination if the fire department head considers the circumstances to be extraordinary and the fire department head believes that the integrity of a fire fighter or the fire department is in question.