Radio Earpieces

[FlyChicaga]

Just for curiosity, how come officers in many larger police departments (Chicago, NYPD, LAPD) do not wear radio earpieces? Is it forbidden by their General Orders? Or is it just not popular? I've seen earpieces all the time in the suburbs here, but never in the city. Or is it a cost thing?

I was doing research into getting my own (did purchase one), because I think the pros outweigh the cons. I just never see them around here, nor have I seen them in other big cities in my travels.

[kf4vix82]

Just for curiosity, how come officers in many larger police departments (Chicago, NYPD, LAPD) do not wear radio earpieces? Is it forbidden by their General Orders? Or is it just not popular? I've seen earpieces all the time in the suburbs here, but never in the city. Or is it a cost thing?

I was doing research into getting my own (did purchase one), because I think the pros outweigh the cons. I just never see them around here, nor have I seen them in other big cities in my travels.

I can't speak for LAPD, Chicago, or NY, but where I work we have a few officers that wear them; most of us don't, however.

I won't buy one because, although there are pros, It's un-necessary in my opinion. I can hear my shoulder mic just fine, and if I can't I turn the volume up. If I'm checking warrants on someone, and I don't want them to hear, I turn it down wayyy low and put my ear to it. It's a lot better than spending $50-100 on a quality earpiece. Not to mention you either have to wear it all the time or remember to put it in when you get out of the car.

Nope, I don't work for the secret service, so I'll stick with the tried and true. I've noticed that most the officers I've seen with earpieces are rookies; I think when the "cool factor" wears off they'll ditch them.

[7W898]

I probably won't ever work without one. I started using mine about 4 years ago.

If you have a mobile radio in your car, you never have to turn your radio off when you get in the car.

I will go from a crowded bar to an alley and I can always hear everything.

I've also noticed, officers without earpieces, tend to miss radio traffic or it takes two or three times to raise them on the radio.

Not to mention, you don't have to crank your neck to the side to talk into your mic.

[dontknowwhy]

I had one but didn't like it for several reasons. 1. uncomfortable since I didn't want to spend $100 for a custom ear piece, 2. either had to wear an ear plug style and not be able to hear outside noise on one side or wear a less obscuring but more uncomfortable plug that made it hard to hear my radio in a loud environment, 3. if the ear piece gets knocked out, I can't hear my radio at all, 4. easy to break, 5. if you pull it out while in the car, it's very easy to forget to put it back in when you step out with someone.. I've done this and had some units coming to me hot until dispatch called my cell to make sure I was 10-4.

[kf4vix82]

Not to mention, you don't have to crank your neck to the side to talk into your mic.

I actually wear my mic clipped to the front of my shirt, so I don't have to do any neck cranking... when I "put my ear to it" I actually un-clip it from my shirt and hold it to my ear. I just called it a shoulder mic because I don't actually know what it's called.

Yep, I'm a retard.

[ateamer]

I've been using Tactical Command earpieces for over 14 years. It takes about three minutes and you get used to them, and if it's the proper size earpiece, you won't notice it. 90% of the uniformed deputies at my agency use an earpiece. The few who don't are the ones who miss radio traffic.

In my opinion, earpieces should be mandatory.

[HEDP]

I probably won't ever work without one. I started using mine about 4 years ago.

If you have a mobile radio in your car, you never have to turn your radio off when you get in the car.

I will go from a crowded bar to an alley and I can always hear everything.

I've also noticed, officers without earpieces, tend to miss radio traffic or it takes two or three times to raise them on the radio.

Not to mention, you don't have to crank your neck to the side to talk into your mic.

Not having to turn your squad radio off is nice, however we have 2 person squads here and only about 5% wear earpieces.


I used to have to wear an earpiece every Friday, Saturday and Sunday last year during bar close (1:30-4am), but this year has been much wilder and I haven't had to wear them once yet.


What bothered me about it was if it was really loud I would have to turn my volume up and I could hear, however, when it settled down I realized how loud my earpiece was and wonder how much hearing damage I did to myself.

[SCSU74]

i work in a department of about 2,600 sworn and a lot of us wear earpieces. it is personal preference and is up to the individual officer. Personally i will never go back to a lapel mic, i had several foot chases where the mic came off my shirt and was bouncing around my feet. I have been using a Hawk lapel mic and it is AWESOME. It comes with 3 different size ear pieces and all are open so you can still hear out of your ear if that makes sense? It also has a plug type if you dont care about hearing out of that ear. It has made working in loud environments (Highway, Bar, Parties) MUCH easier and is also nice when you are running someone for warrants. IMHO it is well worth the $100 i paid and i would gladly pay it again if it needed to be replaced. I did break the adaptor on one and the company sent me a brand new earpiece, great CS!! Heres a link to the one i and many officers on my dept wear:

http://www.publicsafetyunlimited.com...p/ep1323qr.htm

i ordered from this company and was the cheapest i could find. any questions feel free to pm

[Nightshifter]

Personally i will never go back to a lapel mic, i had several foot chases where the mic came off my shirt and was bouncing around my feet. I have been using a Hawk lapel mic and it is AWESOME. It comes with 3 different size ear pieces and all are open so you can still hear out of your ear if that makes sense? It also has a plug type if you dont care about hearing out of that ear. It has made working in loud environments (Highway, Bar, Parties) MUCH easier and is also nice when you are running someone for warrants. IMHO it is well worth the $100 i paid and i would gladly pay it again if it needed to be replaced. I did break the adaptor on one and the company sent me a brand new earpiece, great CS!! Heres a link to the one i and many officers on my dept wear:

http://www.publicsafetyunlimited.com...p/ep1323qr.htm

+1

[Rush817]

I've been wearing an earpiece for about three years now and I won't go without it. For the reasons giving above, I encourage my officers to get them. The biggest reason for me is the officer safety factor in the people can't hear what's being transmitted over the radio.

[SCSU74]

I've been wearing an earpiece for about three years now and I won't go without it. For the reasons giving above, I encourage my officers to get them. The biggest reason for me is the officer safety factor in the people can't hear what's being transmitted over the radio.

only downside is you get really weird looks when you are listening to stuff on the radio and start laughing

[Laidoffdep]

....
In my opinion, earpieces should be mandatory.

Absolutely

[cougarblue]

only downside is you get really weird looks when you are listening to stuff on the radio and start laughing

This!!!

I wear one and I would say 2/3 of my agency of 500+ wear one. Just like others have stated the pros outweigh the cons. In fact the only con I can think of is that you have to route the wires and sometimes that can be tricky, but not a big deal. I work on the side of rather noisy highways I couldn't imagine working without it. My earpiece from earhugger was $30 and comes with both the ear plug kind and another one that allows you to hear from that ear. My ear got used to it pretty quick.

[SCSU74]

This!!!

I wear one and I would say 2/3 of my agency of 500+ wear one. Just like others have stated the pros outweigh the cons. In fact the only con I can think of is that you have to route the wires and sometimes that can be tricky, but not a big deal. I work on the side of rather noisy highways I couldn't imagine working without it. My earpiece from earhugger was $30 and comes with both the ear plug kind and another one that allows you to hear from that ear. My ear got used to it pretty quick.

i brought my shirts to a tailor and they cut a hole in the side of my shirt to run the wires through, works pretty good.

[Rush817]

i brought my shirts to a tailor and they cut a hole in the side of my shirt to run the wires through, works pretty good.

We just went with Blauer Street Gear uniforms that have to holes on both sides of the shirts to run the wire through. Works great!