Who else has a very mild hearing loss?

[Apexer]

Ok so here it goes, I'll keep it as short as possible:

I've had trouble with my ears my whole life, as in, since two weeks old.

After countless ear infections, a good number of operations on my ears, and countless hearing tests I STILL am not confident that my ears are up to par. And I have tinnitus (ringing in my left ear).

I know, I know, no one is a doctor here but please, just take a look at the results of my hearing I typed out below and if you have ANY opinion it would be greatly appreciated.

I really don't want to waste ANY departments time or money if my hearing isn't good enough for the job.

And yes, I want to be a cop but if my hearing will risk the safety of myself and fellow officers I would rather be a dispatcher then risk the life of another officer.

Let me just explain the results real quick for those who aren't that familiar with these types of results. According to CALPOST (i'm in california btw) the standard threshold for hearing is anything less than 25db. So, if you have a hearing threshold at say, 4000hz of 35db, your hearing has a small-mild loss. Some departments here in CA that actually state hearing threshold requirements, require the thresholds to be no more than 30db between the ranges of 500-4000hz and that's pretty much all they say.

So having said all of that here are my test results even with the tinnitus (ringing in the ears):

Right Ear:

500hz - 20db; 1000hz - 20db; 2000hz - 20db; 4000hz - 30db; 6000hz - 40db; 8000hz - 35db

Left Ear:

500hz - 25db; 1000hz - 20db; 2000hz - 20db; 4000hz - 40db; 6000hz - 45db; 8000hz - 35db

I don't feel I have a problem locating sounds or hearing sounds. But, test results are test results and I've been classified to have a "mild" hearing loss at 6000hz for both ears and 4000hz for my left ear which both are consistent with a Noise Exposure hearing loss from say, going to a concert or two.

So, if you have an opinion or experience with your own hearing loss let me know your thoughts and if I should "pull the trigger" so-to-speak and put 150% into becoming a cop.

Thanks.

[just joe]

I'd apply on a case by case basis. I can't speak for Cali, but I know there are officers out there with hearing aids.

As my college statistics professor would say, you can't put 150% into being something. You can only put 100%--that's all there is. Sorry, had to throw that in there.

Have you thought about speaking with someone at POST and asking them your question?

[deputy x 2]

WHAT????? just kidding...really.

Each dept has different minimum standards....like for your eyes. So you will have to be dept specific.

Dx1 has a mild hearing loss and was sent to an audiologist as part of her medical...once the test was preformed and results determined...she had no problem getting hired.


PS. No one here but Monty would be able to read and understand your hearing test results.

[Apexer]

I'd apply on a case by case basis. I can't speak for Cali, but I know there are officers out there with hearing aids.

As my college statistics professor would say, you can't put 150% into being something. You can only put 100%--that's all there is. Sorry, had to throw that in there.

Have you thought about speaking with someone at POST and asking them your question?

Lol on the 100% thing. And yea I did call POST and they just hammed up on me and said to talk to a PD. I did that and the PDs said talk to a doc, I did that and the doc said talk to a PD. And around and around I go.

WHAT????? just kidding...really.

Each dept has different minimum standards....like for your eyes. So you will have to be dept specific.

Dx1 has a mild hearing loss and was sent to an audiologist as part of her medical...once the test was preformed and results determined...she had no problem getting hired.

EH? lol

How mild was Dx1s hearing loss do you know? Is it compareable to mine?

As for department specifics. well, any department in the bay area. The department that actually specified on their website the threshold requirements was San Diego Sheriffs Department in southern Cali. None of the bay area departments specify anything. They just say "normal hearing acuity required."

[Dingo990]

As others have said, it is often a case by case basis. In my area, it is pretty rare for a PD to even do a hearing test.

Doesn't seem like you have a severe handicap, if California seems to have really have a problem with it, maybe look elsewhere?

[deputy x 2]

EH? lol

How mild was Dx1s hearing loss do you know? Is it compareable to mine?

As for department specifics. well, any department in the bay area. The department that actually specified on their website the threshold requirements was San Diego Sheriffs Department in southern Cali. None of the bay area departments specify anything. They just say "normal hearing acuity required."

Dx1 IMHO has selective hearing...oh..that's only when I'm talking.

I can see if I can find her test results. I have no idea by looking at your posted results.

I would inquire further with the departments you are interested in....and call to get their guidelines. For eyes they usually give you a range...like 20/70 uncorrected to 20/20 blah blah. So there ARE guidelines even though they say "normal hearing acuity."

Back in the dinosaur age...we went into a booth...put on headphones and clicked a button when you heard the sound....can you do that? I have no idea what they do now!

[PhilipCal]

OK, keep in mind that CALPOST sets the MINIMUM standards for employment. Agencies are free to, and often do, set standards which exceed the minimum. Please forgive the caps, but I wanted to make a point. As you correctly noted, we're not medical people on this forum, and thus not qualified to answer questions which are medical in nature. I would suggest that you measure yourself objectively against any Department's established standards. If you feel you meet these standards, then you should apply. Take all the requisite exams in the process, and see how you do.

[Apexer]

As others have said, it is often a case by case basis. In my area, it is pretty rare for a PD to even do a hearing test.

Doesn't seem like you have a severe handicap, if California seems to have really have a problem with it, maybe look elsewhere?

I have thought of that as well, moving that is. But, I'm married and my wife isn't completely hot on the idea of moving because we're close to family right now and don't really have family anywhere else. She would do it if she had to but, I know it's not something she'll be real happy about if it happens.

[Apexer]

Dx1 IMHO has selective hearing...oh..that's only when I'm talking.

I can see if I can find her test results. I have no idea by looking at your posted results.

I would inquire further with the departments you are interested in....and call to get their guidelines. For eyes they usually give you a range...like 20/70 uncorrected to 20/20 blah blah. So there ARE guidelines even though they say "normal hearing acuity."

Back in the dinosaur age...we went into a booth...put on headphones and clicked a button when you heard the sound....can you do that? I have no idea what they do now!

They still do the booth and button click for audiology exams today. However, there is another hearing test called the HINT (Hearing In Noise Test) which is supposed to be more accurate in determining an individuals ability to hear sounds from a certain direction. I'm not sure when and IF that test would apply in the hiring process for an officer because it is a bit more expensive to have done apparantly.

My vision is fine based on the standards that I've seen. My uncorrected vision is around 20/60 but I can wear soft lens contacts and my vision is corrected to 20/20. And most departments don't even care about the vision requirement if you can provide a written doctors note from your optometrist stating that you've been wearing soft lens contacts on a regular basis for that past 12 months.

OK, keep in mind that CALPOST sets the MINIMUM standards for employment. Agencies are free to, and often do, set standards which exceed the minimum. Please forgive the caps, but I wanted to make a point. As you correctly noted, we're not medical people on this forum, and thus not qualified to answer questions which are medical in nature. I would suggest that you measure yourself objectively against any Department's established standards. If you feel you meet these standards, then you should apply. Take all the requisite exams in the process, and see how you do.

Yeah I know CALPOST states the minimum and the standard definition for "normal" hearing. It's just that I'm on the borderline with some of the ranges and I just want to know if a typical department would accept my hearing status and make an "exception" or fail me and stick to the definitions of CALPOST.

That's just what I think about. It's difficult for me as a person with my personality to take a chance on something when I don't really meet the definition of "normal" hearing. I'm kind of a picky in that way when it comes to requirements. I can't ever seem to get my head around the fact that a hiring employer may look at something and say, "well that's close enough." or something like that.

[deputy x 2]

Looks like this was already addressed.....

http://forums.officer.com/forums/sho...cuity-Question

POST guidelines were provided...did you take that to your audiologist and see if you were within the guidelines? If he says no problem..then go for it. If there is a problem...then you need to find specific guidelines for your chosen depts.

[Apexer]

Looks like this was already addressed.....

http://forums.officer.com/forums/sho...cuity-Question

POST guidelines were provided...did you take that to your audiologist and see if you were within the guidelines? If he says no problem..then go for it. If there is a problem...then you need to find specific guidelines for your chosen depts.

I did in fact talk to my audiologist about the POST requirements and told her about wanting to pursue police work. All she said, and didn't seem to care, was "I don't see an issue. But, you should really talk to the PD that you want to work for."

The reason I started this thread was to maybe bring out some other officers that HAVE a job or GOT a job with a similar hearing loss to mine. I'm just really looking for some concrete evidence that it is possible for someone with a small hearing loss like mine to become a cop.

[Iowa #1603]

Here are the standards of the Iowa Law Enforement Acadmey in order to be hired as a Police Officer in the State of Iowa-------you WOULD NOT meet the standards as I read them.

2.1(10) Meets hearing standards as outlined below.

a. The person shall have normal hearing in each ear. Hearing is considered normal when, tested by an audiometer, hearing sensitivity thresholds are within 25dB measured at 500Hz, 1000Hz, 2000Hz and 3000Hz averaged together.

b. If the person does not have normal hearing as described above and any of the following (as recommended by the American Academy of Otolaryngology) conditions exist, a medical specialist’s evaluation (otologic evaluation) is required in order for the candidate to be considered for hire:

(1) Average hearing level at 500Hz, 1000Hz, 2000Hz, and 3000Hz greater than 25dB, in either ear.

(2) Difference in average hearing level between the better and poorer ear of:

1. More than 15dB at 500Hz, 1000Hz, and 2000Hz, or

2. More than 30dB at 3000Hz, 4000Hz, and 6000Hz.

(3) History of ear pain; drainage; dizziness; severe persistent tinnitus; sudden, fluctuating, or rapidly progressive hearing loss; or a feeling of fullness or discomfort in one or both ears within the preceding 12 months.

(4) Cerumen accumulation sufficient to completely obstruct the view of the tympanic membrane or a foreign body in the ear canal.

(5) Use of a hearing aid.
c. Functional hearing evaluation required. Issues of reversibility and prognosis should be addressed during the otologic evaluation. The evaluation should consist of directional speech comprehension in noise and speech comprehension in quiet using the High Intensity Noise Test (HINT) or other tests that meet the performance characteristics as outlined in paragraph “d.” Candidates who perform more poorly than the fifth percentile of the normal hearing group under any of the three background noise conditions (noise in front, right, or left) are not eligible for hire. Candidates with quiet thresholds greater than 28dB(A) on the HINT or other tests that meet the performance characteristics as outlined in paragraph “d” are not eligible for hire.

d. Required performance testing characteristics include the following:

(1) Testing is available in both headphone and sound field versions.

(2) The testing has an adequate normal hearing control group.

(3) The testing is capable of spatial separation between the speech and the noise source.

(4) The testing uses adaptive testing techniques.

(5) The testing uses a stationary background noise with the same average level across frequencies as the speech.

e. Use of a hearing aid. A candidate who uses a hearing aid(s) should be administered the HINT or other tests that meet the performance characteristics as outlined in paragraph “d” to assess speech comprehension ability in noise and quiet. Both tests must be administered by sound field methods rather than headphones. An aided audiogram can be reviewed to evaluate sound detection ability.

http://www.legis.state.ia.us/ACO/IAC...m#rule_501_2_1

[deputy x 2]

Dx1 has a hearing loss and she had no problems.

A couple of deps in our dept...wear hearing aids...but that was after they were hired.

[SRT936]

All she said, and didn't seem to care, was "I don't see an issue. But, you should really talk to the PD that you want to work for."

That's pretty much the best answer you're going to get.

Having said that, I have some hearing loss issues. I've been shooting since I was 4 and for the majority of my younger years, hearing protection was unheard of. I then served in the artillery for a number of years during a time when hearing protection was just starting to become an issue for the army. (And no amount of hearing protection helps when you're just down range from an 8-inch battery.)

I had minor hearing loss when I got hired but when I explained my background to the doctor, he signed off on it. We didn't, however, have any kind of minimum standard to contend with back then either.

[Apexer]

a. The person shall have normal hearing in each ear. Hearing is considered normal when, tested by an audiometer, hearing sensitivity thresholds are within 25dB measured at 500Hz, 1000Hz, 2000Hz and 3000Hz averaged together.

I only quoted this part because I thought the verbage was interesting at the end. "Averaged Together" makes a big difference for me as for seeing it on paper. At those ranges, according to the results I posted above my right ear is averaged at 22db and my left ear is averaged at 26db.

Obviously because of my ear medical history I'm probably going to be tested a little more extensively than another cadidate but, I would still qualify which is extremely encouraging for me.

And it also appears that the HINT test is only required if a candidate wears a hearing aid. Which I do not wear one nor have I ever worn one.

I know that most of that verbage is from POST as well but for some reason seeing it here on this forum, it makes more sense. I'll have to re-read the POST guidelines a few more times I suppose. lol