Earhugger®
Officer Ryan King radioed in the description of a suspicious loiterer and
exited his vehicle to approach the man. As he approached the suspect, the
dispatcher's voice came crackling from his shoulder mic. Hearing the
dispatcher identify him as wanted, for $150,000 in outstanding warrants, the
man rushed at King screaming, "I'm never going back to jail!" A fight ensued
and King had to wrestle the man to the ground in order to cuff him. Officer
King realized it was the dispatcher's voice which had alerted the suspect,
putting him in jeopardy by taking away the element of surprise which had
been on his side. It was not the first time transmissions broadcasting from
his shoulder mic had caused routine situations to become hazardous and
already dangerous situations to become more so. That night Ryan King worked
in his garage developing a headphone which would allow only the police
officer wearing it to hear radio transmissions. The device he developed
could be worn in comfort for hours. He began wearing the headphone on the
job. Soon, other officers were asking him to make one for them. Within a few
months the officer in charge of the gang task force was requiring all
members of his squad to wear the headphones. |