ComPol Details Story of 2008 Polygraph Test; Denies Alleged Wrongdoing

Allen Whylie

A lie detector test taken by senior officer Allen Whylie back in 2008 continues to make headlines, despite the fact that the result of the polygraph was never determined.  That’s because Whylie, while not yet Commissioner of Police, did not bother to follow up on the results, nor was he sanctioned by the United States Embassy had he failed the test, according to the ComPol.  On Friday, the Opposition brought up the matter on adjournment in the House of Representatives, openly questioning the integrity of the top cop.  Earlier today, Whylie addressed the matter during a press conference with the media where he sought to clear his name from any appearance of wrongdoing in the past.

Allen Whylie, Commissioner of Police

“I do recall many years ago volunteering to take a polygraph test. I took that test and that was the end of that matter. I had never seen the results of that test; it was never ever conveyed to me or shared with me. I cannot even say at this point in time, the document that was whatsapped to me—or the portions—are a genuine document. I don’t know where it came from, but I can tell you that one of the words that struck me in that document was the word interrogation. And you can look at all my public statements; it’s a word that I do not use because I associate the word interrogation with coercion, threats and the use of force. I always use the word interviews because we do interviews on suspects whenever we are carrying out investigations. The other thing I will say with respect to that matter is that I was brought up by my parents, and by extension the village in being raised, I know the difference between being right and wrong. I consider myself a moral person, an ethical person. I am a person and a man of principles. I believe I have very strong character. I have never compromised myself personally; I have never compromised myself professionally. I think that everybody who knows me in my forty-nine years of existence and in my almost thirty-one years of existence [in the police] knows who Allen Whylie is and there are certain things he will never ever do. There are members of the police department—senior and junior—knows me; my family knows me, my friends know me and I think that the law-abiding citizens of this nation knows me. Belize is a small place and if there was any such activity on my path, I am certain that persons would have known and it would have been revealed a long time ago. And so whilst I have seen that document, as I’ve said, I don’t know where it came from; I had never seen it before until it was shared with me that day. I will not descend into the fray because it is obvious that it was done for their own purposes. I will keep myself above that; I am a professional and I will continue to discharge my duties as long as I am the Commissioner of Police.”