Elmer N. Criswell is a valued member of the American Association of Police Polygraphists (AAPP) joining in 1978 who served as Director of Quality Control for AAPP until his passing in 2022.    

Elmer graduated West Liberty University (then West Liberty State College) in 1971 with a bachelor’s degree in education and received his master’s degree in criminal justice in 1979 from Eastern Kentucky University.  Elmer entered the workforce as a police officer at the Clearview Police Department in Wheeling, WV where he quickly rose through the ranks and became the Police Chief. During this time in 1972, he also completed his training at the Zonn Institute of Polygraph and began his career as a polygraphist. He left Wheeling, WV in 1975 for an opportunity at Harrisburg Area Community College (HACC) to teach criminal justice on a one-year temporary position which turned ultimately into a 45-year teaching career.

Elmer contributed selflessly 45 years of devotion and dedication to his students and the future of law enforcement through his teaching of criminology, criminal investigation, criminal law, and criminal evidence. Prior to his retirement from HACC in 2020, Elmer was an adjunct professor at multiple other universities. Elmer also carried this love for teaching to polygraph, where he was the Director and Chief instructor for Police Academy Polygraph School at HACC from 1979-1988 and 1999-2001, the PA Institute of Polygraph Sciences (Harrisburg, PA) from 1991-1997, and the Director and Chief Instructor for the Northeast Counterdrug Training Center Polygraph Institute (Ft Indiantown Gap, PA) from 2001 until his passing. Elmer impacted hundreds of law enforcement professionals from all over the country as a teacher, mentor, and most importantly a friend. 

The American Association of Police Polygraphists, Inc. sponsors an annual educational scholarship to any deserving and qualified applicant who is a graduating high school senior, an applicant currently attending college or an applicant pursuing any continuing education. The submitting applicant must be a child, grandchild, niece, nephew, or adopted or dependent child, sibling, or spouse. The applicant must have at least one parent, grandparent, uncle, aunt or legal guardian or spouse who is a MEMBER, LIFE MEMBER, or HONORABLY RETIRED MEMBER in good standing with the AAPP. The applicant's relative may be deceased as long as he or she was a member in good standing with the AAPP at the time of death. Each applicant must complete the application for eligibility.