Virginia School of Polygraph

Virginia School of Polygraph: Overview

Founded in 1968 in Norfolk, Virginia, the Virginia School of Polygraph (VSP) stands as one of the longest-operating polygraph training institutions in the United States, maintaining continuous APA accreditation since 1974 and approval from the Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR). The school offers a comprehensive 400-hour basic polygraph examiner course delivered over approximately 10 weeks, designed to train both law enforcement officers and private sector professionals. Currently owned and operated by Northern Virginia Pre-Employment & Polygraph Services (NVPE&PS) since 2003, VSP has trained hundreds of new examiners nationally and internationally.

Curriculum & Training Approach

VSP's flagship 400-hour classroom training program combines classroom study with observation of experienced examiners conducting selected polygraph examinations, hands-on experience, and individualized tutoring throughout the program. The curriculum provides students with cutting-edge technical knowledge, quality question formulation schemes, and practical experience in conducting polygraph examinations, utilizing proven training techniques with individualized tutoring and emphasizing proper interviewing methods. Students receive comprehensive training in instrumentation, physiological principles, chart interpretation, interview techniques, and examination procedures. Additionally, VSP offers a specialized 40-hour PCSOT (Post Conviction Sex Offender Testing) course approved by the APA, with Director DeBow specializing in PCSOT and domestic violence perpetrator testing.

Faculty & Expertise

Director Darryl DeBow serves as the owner and Primary Instructor trained to APA standards, having graduated from VSP under original founder Billy Franklin and completed the prestigious FBI Advanced Polygraph Training Program. He is certified by the American Polygraph Association as the Primary Instructor and has instructed in every basic and advanced course offered by the Virginia School of Polygraph. DeBow previously served as Deputy Sheriff with the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office, retiring as a sergeant in 1995, and continued in law enforcement with Arlington County Sheriff's Office until 2008, leaving at the rank of Lieutenant. He has served on Virginia's DPOR Polygraph Examiners Advisory Board, received the Loudoun County Merit Award, and has trained hundreds of law enforcement and private sector examiners since acquiring the school in 2003.

Campus & Training Locations

The school operates from its primary facility in Manassas, Virginia, located just off Route 66 near the historic Bull Run Battlefield, and partners with the Newport News Police Training Academy to deliver courses in the Virginia Beach/Hampton Roads region. VSP maintains offices in both Manassas and Richmond Virginia to serve students throughout the state. The training facilities provide modern classroom environments equipped with contemporary polygraph instrumentation for hands-on learning experiences.

Admissions & Prerequisites

Applicants must submit a $100 application fee (refundable if not accepted), three letters of reference verifying their experience and character, and an appropriate transcript (high school or college). Candidates must have no felony convictions and must demonstrate good moral character consistent with the standards of the polygraph profession. The school is in the process of accepting Veteran's benefits for attending their courses. The application fee will be refunded if an applicant is not accepted.

Accreditation & Career Outcomes

VSP's basic polygraph examiner course is fully accredited by the American Polygraph Association (APA) and recognized by the American Association of Police Polygraphists (AAPP), with continuous APA accreditation since 1974. Graduates are eligible to sit state licensing examinations and apply for membership in professional associations including the APA and AAPP. Virginia has specific licensing requirements for polygraph examiners, and VSP graduates who practice in Virginia must obtain state licensure through the Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation. For comprehensive information about polygraph training programs nationwide, students can explore additional accredited options.

Founding and Early Development

The Virginia School of Polygraph was founded in 1968 in Norfolk, Virginia by Billy Franklin, who graduated from the University of San Diego with a BS in Business Administration and served as a special agent with the U.S. Army Counterintelligence Corp where he was trained as a polygraph examiner. Franklin opened a private investigation agency in Falls Church, VA in 1961, later moving to Norfolk under Franklin Security Services, and by 1968 needed additional polygraph examiners for his growing business, leading him to establish the Virginia School of Polygraph. In 1968, Franklin supported, helped design and draft the first state regulations to govern the use of polygraph and licensing of polygraph examiners in the state of Virginia. In 1974, when the newly formed American Polygraph Association (APA) developed its accreditation program, the Virginia School of Polygraph was accredited the same year and has maintained that accreditation ever since. The school was purchased by current director Darryl DeBow in 2003, where he has trained law enforcement examiners from across the United States and abroad as well as private examiners going into the field of polygraph.

Prospective students must submit a $100 application fee that will be applied toward total tuition and is refundable if not accepted. Required documentation includes three letters of reference verifying experience and character, plus an appropriate transcript (either high school or college) sent to the school. Applicants must have no felony convictions and must demonstrate good moral character consistent with the standards of the polygraph profession. Checks for the application fee should be made payable to the Virginia School of Polygraph. The school is currently in the process of signing up to accept Veteran's benefits for attending their courses.