street LEVEL STRAIGHTTALKONSUPERVISION&LEADERSHIPONTHEFRONTLINES—THESTREETS. Four for patrol: a small nav-light, two general-duty lights and a long-range 2,000lumen blaster. T acTical l ighTs They’re Only Tactical If They Work ! “ ” hen I became a cop in 1968 there were no cop lights — there were no tactical flashlights at all. We bought our flimsy flashlights in pairs from hardware stores, wrapped them in friction tape and hoped they’d survive simple drops. Even when I commanded San Diego SWAT years later, the few heavy-duty lights available were so poorly suited to SWAT work that our policy was to use light as little as possible, and when we did, to use it as a weapon. Thankfully, our options now are many — though sometimes bewildering — and often underappreciated. The evolution of tactical lights has, in its own way, had just as great an impact on law enforcement as computers. I just wrapped up an article on the latest tactical and utility flashlights for LE, and was discussing the array of features and functions with the lead firearms instructor of a big sheriff’s department. One of his comments really struck me. Referring to his agency’s annual night/low-light qualification shoots he said, “I just wish they would all show up with lights that actually work!” He went on to report that in every group there was at least one deputy and often as many as a half-dozen cops whose flashlights didn’t work. Either their batteries were dead (sometimes having leaked acid and corroded the interior), the contacts were so dirty they functioned unreliably or their switches were defective. It was obvious, he said, they hadn’t even tested their lights, both handheld and weapon-mounted, before coming out for a night-shoot qualification. Early in his tenure, he instituted the policy of having everyone demonstrate that their lights worked — or not — in the classroom after the safety briefing. He kept a supply of batteries, contactcleaning gear and even “loaner lights” on hand. You can imagine some of the terms he used to describe officers with dead or dying lights. And his final question was, “Why didn’t their sergeants know?” 16 W LEworkneedsacenter-loadeds yourpersonallthe potwithabroadenough time,an dahigh-poweredlightforsearche coronaforperipheralilluminatio s,rescuesand n,butnotsowideor disasterresponseinyourcruiser. powerfulthatstandingafewfee Andofcourse,their toutsideadoorway sergeantshouldsettheexampl e. the beam is more important tha trols are CritiCal:Multiplepower levelsand anddirectingthelightin,thecor modesaregreat,butonlyifyou onareflectingoffthe canoperatethem doorframeandadjacentwallsil quicklyandsurelyunderstress.Tw luminatesyou. oorthreetotallevels andmodesmaybeapracticalm aximum.Thefirst handgun and user-programmabletacticallights allowingyoutochoose methodsdo light teChniques:Whatmethodor yourofficersemploywhileusin andlimitmodesandorderofactiva gtheir tionarehereand lightsintandemwiththeirsidea deserveyourattention. rms?Therearefive basictechniqueswithseveralvaria tions,eachwiththeir advantagesanddisadvantages,a lumens:HowmuchisTOOmuch?S ndallrequiringpracuperhighlumen tice. Dotheyknowaboutandpracti output—600to2,600inhand cetheuseofstrobing helds—canhave lightinsearchesforsuspects,co amazingreachandgreattactica ntinuallymovingand ladvantages,but bou ncingthelightoffwallsandove reflectedlightupclosecanblind rheads?Ahidden ordiso goodtohavealight-cannononhan rienttheuser.It’s suspectknowsyou’recoming,buttheirabilit ytoguess d,butonlyifithasa yourexact positionandproximityisseriou lower-powermodethat’seasily slydegraded. selectable,oryoucarrya smalladditionalnavlightfordisc reetwork. patrol off iCers should have, at minimum, two primary duty lights with one kep t as a baCkup: n the power:Most onesmalllowpowernavlighton Con taCtiCal light topiCs Do You Know? S ince so many potentially lethal situations occur under low-light conditions, and flashlights are often the only advantage cops have over their opposition, their importance can hardly be overstated. When’s the last time you inspected flashlights, including weapon-mounted lights, if any? It might be what you’d call an “illuminating experience.” You could find a light that’s half-past dead, or what we used to call a “thump-and-curse special,” but that’s just the beginning. If the lights have multiple light levels or multiple modes, like strobe and rescue flashing, have your officer demonstrate them, especially rapid activation of the strobe. If they fumble a function demonstration under the scrutiny of their boss, how will they perform under lethal-threat stress? Having too many modes to tap through in order to activate either the strobe function or a more discreet light level can be more dangerous than not having those functions at all, and reliance on a high-output “one-trick pony” light would be better. You may discover serious officer safety issues, but first, you will have placed needed emphasis on the condition of their lights, and second, opened up subjects which can and should be explored further. You can start a terrific exchange just by asking, “Who has a flashlight they think is really well suited for patrol work — and why?” If you get no takers, try, “So none of you think your flashlights are up to the job? Why’s that?” You’ll likely get a response then of, “Well, mine might not be the best but it’s pretty cool. Let me show you…” With younger cops usually being the biggest gearheads in the group, you may wind up with young pups teaching older dogs some new tricks. Here’s a prediction: Your veteran troops may sit silent and not comment, but you might see them carrying new lights soon. * WWW.AMERICANCOPMAGAZINE.COM • APRIL2013
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