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The Professional's Response to Weapon Mounted Lights
By Mike Lowe
Nearly 80% of officer involved shootings occur in low-light conditions. Faced with this fact how can law enforcement professionals justify not having a weapon mounted light immediately available to clearly discern, identify, and engage a threat? It is in these environments that officers can easily misidentify a person or an object as a threat, resulting in tragic consequences. Weapon mounted lights provide immediate target illumination assisting officers in identifying a suspect and/or weapon. Yet, the majority of officers do not have lights mounted on their handguns, and the majority of firearm training occurs in lighted conditions. There seems to be a disconnect between the reality of Police shootings, and the equipment we carry and the way we train. Many agencies still equip and train officers for the exception rather than the norm with respect to shootings. Lets look at some of the mindsets, and/or arguments that are driving this disconnect.
• Cost- Purchasing a weapon mounted light and holster is expensive especially when viewed at the department level. Unfortunately, some administrator’s view that effective managers save departments money, not spend it. On the other hand the view of many officer’s is, "If the department doesn’t issue it, I am not buying it." However - the professional's viewpoint - is that funding any piece of equipment that will make officers more competent, decrease liability, while increasing public safety is a moral and professional obligation. The individual Officer has the additional consideration of their own personal liability and safety.
• Concerns- Some administrators justifiably fear that officers will inappropriately use the lights to search for things, rather than threats. They are aware of incidents where officers have used the lights as "flashlights" to illuminate a handcuff key hole or search under car seats for contraband. Another concern is that negligent discharges will occur because under stress an officer will confuse the trigger with the activation switch. The latter can be addressed with a grip switch or the utilization of the thumb activation switch. Many Professional agencies have overcome these concerns by providing training, combined with clear and simple policies.
• Compliance- Police administrators or trainers voicing these concerns are in reality reflecting a lack of trust in their people or in themselves to train and enforce policy. There are several examples of well written policies that guide the proper use for a weapon mounted lighting system. Laws and policy already govern how officers are to deploy and use their weapons. Adding the words 'weapon light' to the existing policy is all that is necessary. Most concerns are eliminated with proper guidance, and training. Administrators need to equip their officers. Supervisors need to "supervise" and enforce policy. Officers need to use good judgement and comply with policy.
• Officers have flashlights- Flashlights are an essential piece of equipment that should be carried at all times. Flashlights while searching in low-light conditions are a necessity for "searching" but become an encumbrance when actually "engaging" a suspect. Flashlight hold techniques make a stable two hand shooting grip on the pistol virtually impossible. Studies have shown that this degrades accuracy and can cause malfunctions with potentially fatal consequences for officers and innocent bystanders. Additionally, holding a flashlight encumbers the officer from using their off hand to communicate on the radio, reload, open/close doors, or otherwise defend themselves. In a sudden confrontation, the officer will simply not have the time to access and even ignore deploying the light due to the nature of police shootings.
The tactical and psychological advantages of having the light advantage in any suspect encounter - even in lighted environments - is of extreme value, and mostly overlooked. Strobe features although highly promoted, have little or no value other than selling flashlights, and in fact hinder and distort the images L.E. must so clearly see and articulate. Weapon mounted lights that produce bright light, are necessary and critical in assisting Professional Law Enforcement Officers in their duties and responsibilities. Regardless of our position we must do our part to educate, equip and train officers to make critical decisions easier, and encourage them to reflect themselves as true Professional's.
