Odds and Ends: Police: 911 operator heard caller making drug deal

By The Associated Press

CLEVELAND – Police in Cleveland say a man called 911 because he felt he was in danger – then asked the dispatcher to hold on while he made a drug deal.

Police Lt. Thomas Stacho said Tuesday that Alejandro Melendez was arrested after the call and was charged with possessing cocaine.

Police said Melendez called 911 late Saturday and reported that two men with guns were watching him.

Police records show he hung up, so the dispatcher called back.

Melendez answered and asked the dispatcher to hold on, but the dispatcher could still hear what was being said.

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A voice can be heard on the recording of the call saying: “What you need? A 10-pack? You need a 10-pack? All right.” Police say “10-pack” is slang for a bundle of heroin.

The dispatcher called police, who found Melendez at the location he gave, had the dispatcher call his cell phone again and said they found cocaine in his trousers.

There was no immediate indication Tuesday if Melendez, 20, had an attorney to speak for him.

Survey finds American adults are risk takers

YONKERS, N.Y. – We’re not smart cookies when it comes to eating cookie dough and too often engage in all kinds of other risky behavior.

Those are the findings of a Consumer Reports telephone survey of 1,000 adults.

It found nearly 3 of every 4 Americans put cotton swabs inside their ears, risking a perforated eardrum. Nearly 4 in 10 admit eating raw cookie dough, which can carry salmonella.

Only half the respondents have a carbon monoxide detector at home, and 61 percent don’t have a rubber mat in the shower. Thirteen percent admitted sometimes drinking beer while using power tools.

The margin of error is 3 percentage points.