NYC Council proposes pilot program to equip officers with electronic hearing protectors

A proposal backed by Council GOP Minority Leader David Carr and Public Safety Chair Oswald Feliz seeks to start a year-long pilot that offers NYPD officers electronic hearing protection that reduces noise levels by at least 25 decibels. The devices, which sit in the ear canal, are designed to block sudden spikes like gunfire without muffling everyday sounds, unlike traditional earplugs. Distribution would occur on a first-come, first-served basis to officers not assigned exclusively to indoor duties, with at least one precinct in each of the five boroughs receiving the equipment.

The legislation also requires the police department to educate officers about hearing loss and to produce a report within two months of the pilot’s end to evaluate expansion. Ohio’s comparable program, where local departments can request state-funded devices, was referenced as a precedent. The NYPD and the New York City Police Benevolence Association have not yet commented.