FORT SMITH (KFSM) – A local deputy has invented a product that is being used by law enforcement officers from coast to coast.
Deputy Nick Tuttle has been with the Sebastian County Sheriff's Office for seven years; and in that time, he's been dealing with a problem.
It’s a problem he said most officers deal with -- their radio microphones don't stay attached to their uniforms.
"It’s sort of an unspoken problem in law enforcement,” Tuttle said.
About a month ago, he decided to do something about it.
“Your mic popping off as a law enforcement officer is a big problem, because when you lose your ability to communicate with your dispatch, you're pretty much by yourself,” he said.
Here’s how it works:
“It tethers your microphone to your body armor, allowing it to stay attached to your body during a struggle, or a foot pursuit – or sometimes just getting out of your car."
Tuttle is proud to say The Mic Loop is 100 percent made in the United States.
"My wife and I, we make every mic loop by hand at our kitchen table,” he said. “It’s a paracord Velcro construction that's sewn together and packaged at home."
Tuttle said it was sold in 13 states the first day it was available, in the beginning of April.
Now, it’s being used in more than 30 states, Canada, and right here at home.
Officers with Fort Smith, Van Buren and Greenwood police departments, along with the sheriff’s offices in Crawford and Sebastian counties are using the product.
He and his wife have sold more than 300 mic loops so far, and the product is patent pending.
His goal is visit other departments and eventually make it a part of standard equipment for law enforcement officers.
For more information on The Mic Loop, visit the Facebook page. Each mic loop is $8.