Police: How many are now using a weapons light?

M

Model12Win

Moderator
Hello. It seems pistol mounted flashlights are a popular thing these days. How many police are now carrying them in a holster? What benefits do they give the police officer? Do you think they are needed in today's police world, or can they (or should they) do without?

Would love to hear from those on duty now as well. Thanks so much all!
 
I'm retired now but for several years prior I noticed more and more of my fellow officers using weapon mounted lights. I came to see the utility of weapon mounted lights during low light training, qualification, building searches,etc. Yes, weapon lights can be done without. I did not have a weapon light. I don't see why they "should" be done without.
 
I don't know the answer to the OP's question. Of course the most valid argument against weapon mounted lights is the risk of a negligent shooting while it's in use. Now I understand that, with training, the risk is quite small. Nonetheless, the risk remains and I would think that the CYA mentalities of attorneys and beurocrats that represent police agencies would strongly advocate against their use. Maybe I'm wrong, though...
 
I am a LEO, not carrying a pistol mounted flashlight on my Glock. I am considering it though. Only reason that I am doubting to mount it, could BG use is as a target in the dark? So I am not sure yet.
 
The are common issue for several local Dept's. I see nothing but benefit with them. I have one on my G17 for home/training use and have no problems with it. I did see a post over on IDPA about them violating rule #2, but I think the poster had a significant lack of understanding about its use.
 
I never wanted one until I tried it, now I wouldn't give it up. Properly used it offers no disadvantages that a regular flashlight doesn't also offer in a tactical situation.
 
lights

Lights on handguns were becoming more and more popular about the time I retired. There are many trainers that believe that any defensive/LE firearm NEEDS a light, period, so that threats/non-threats can be positively identified in low light. My own limited experience with the gear indicates I certainly can shoot better with a light on the gun, than juggling light and gun.

One issue not always discussed is the holster. Said holster either needs to: accomodate the pistol and its associated rail, or the railed pistol with the light attached. So there is more to a light on a duty pistol than just issueing the light. The holster needs to accept one or both. Good duty holsters are can be expensive. A good investment, yes, but possibly hard to argue w/ those holding the purse strings if conventional holsters are available/in use, or worse, recently acquired.

If the holster ONLY accepts the railed pistol, sans light, then the light must be dismounted and placed in its own carrier prior reholstering. That is fine for casual use, but if involved in something demanding, as in 'cuffing a suspect, or reholstering before negotiating a barricade, it is more movement and distraction for the officer when he's already mentally occupied and as much an issue as a separate, conventional flashlight, seems to me anyhow.
 
It should be up to the individual and that individual should train quite a bit with it before taking it to the field.

I have a couple of versions and find them handy in low light. They do, however, tend to increase the instance of malfunctions.

Currently working dayshift, so I do not presently carry a WML on my pistol.
 
Our LEO's here in Oldham County KY use them as does Louisville Metro IIRC. But the guys that shoot with me here on the farm, do not like the add'l wt. on their duty belt...pretty close to 20 lbs. IIRC. Rod
 
First want to address this

Of course the most valid argument against weapon mounted lights is the risk of a negligent shooting
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Not sure where this is coming from? But as a current LEO that is a POST certified firearms instructor that also served full time at my agency's firearms detail for a decade and still rotate in as an adjunct instructor the above quote is misleading. If the poster means that any time that a gun is out there is a chance of an unintentional discharge, ok I get that because there is. If the poster is trying to say that with out a little instruction on the proper use of a weapon mounted light there could be a risk of an unintentional discharge sure I could go with that also. But to say regardless of trading there is a increased risk of unintentional discharge I'll disagree.

Where I work my agency's firearms detail is housed at the state's largest regional police academy and they are responsible for training 70-90% of all new recruits for all the agencies across the state plus all the in service training for 3000 full time officers of our agency. So needless to say they are busy and good at what they do.

Some of the training the new recruits receive is for proper operation of a weapon mounted light, and the majority of new recruits now have them. The real basics of the class is turn the light on and off with support side thumb. The weapon light is not a primary light sorce. Absolutely must have an appropriate holster to accommodate light. The light is not allowed to come off the gun during the shift unless for maintenance i.e. batteries, and even then gun must be unloaded first because the high likely hood of muzzling yourself.

Obviously every agency is different on their policies but here in my home state just about all the agencies reflect each other's policies in many regards so there is not a huge amount of variance especially in firearms training.

As far as need, no a weapon mounted light is not needed. But can that specialty tool make your job much easier, you bet. One real easy example, as a patrol officer you need to share information and often time we do this via a radio. So if a situation is called for to hold an area and you need to keep it flooded with light and it so happens to be a high risk situation that calls for the need to have a gun out in a low ready carry it is easy to switch on the weapon light and now you can use the support hand to freely operate the radio.

I think I had some other points but I have been babbling on for too long as it is.
 
Retired now but I never had a WML. I was happy with either my Strion LED, I carried on my belt, or my Streamlight SL–20X full-size duty flashlight I carried in a ring on my belt at night.

I'm not against WMLs but I just did not want to change my setup I was used to for most of my time.

I estimate maybe one or two out of 10 officers were caring WML's by the time I retired.
 
Of course the most valid argument against weapon mounted lights is the risk of a negligent shooting
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Keep in mind that officers aren't using their weapon mounted lights for routine situations that require illumination with our regular flashlights. We use them in situations where our guns are going to be drawn anyways. If my gun is going to be pointed at someone I think having a light attached makes it less likely to shoot the wrong person, not more likely.

So if a situation is called for to hold an area and you need to keep it flooded with light and it so happens to be a high risk situation that calls for the need to have a gun out in a low ready carry it is easy to switch on the weapon light and now you can use the support hand to freely operate the radio.
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Good point. Most gun lights are bright enough that they can be held at the low ready and still provide adequate illumination. Especially when indoors.
 
Just recently switched to a wml, and wish I did years ago. While it doesn't replace a strong stand alone, I'd be lost without it now. Absolutely love it for building searches.

It doesn't add any noticeable weight, although the holster does take up a bit more space. A co-worker likes his so much that he bought a light bearing paddle holster for off duty. Even has me considering it.
 
Just recently switched to a wml, and wish I did years ago. While it doesn't replace a strong stand alone, I'd be lost without it now. Absolutely love it for building searches.
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Amen to that. It's also a great backup for emergencies situations where you primary light and pocket backup goes dead. You can't have too many lights on night shift.
 
Maybe I am old-fashioned or just paranoid, but I put myself in the position of a real BG looting a closed store when a cop comes in with his weapon mounted light. If I am determined not to spend time in a state-run hotel, and am armed, I am going to shoot at that light. Unless it is pointed directly at me, I won't be blinded by it. And if I shoot at the light and the cop's face is directly behind it, where is the bullet going to go? The result is one dead cop who gave the BG a nice target to shoot at.

Jim
 
Maybe I am old-fashioned or just paranoid, but I put myself in the position of a real BG looting a closed store when a cop comes in with his weapon mounted light. If I am determined not to spend time in a state-run hotel, and am armed, I am going to shoot at that light. Unless it is pointed directly at me, I won't be blinded by it. And if I shoot at the light and the cop's face is directly behind it, where is the bullet going to go? The result is one dead cop who gave the BG a nice target to shoot at.
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One way or the other you will using some sort of flashlight. Unless you're holding it out at arms length a shot fired at it is going to have a very high likelihood of hitting your body.

In a gunfight we're trained to flick it on and off when acquiring a target. We train this way during our night shoots when it's dark and also when we have blue lights flashing. Even if we kept it continuously on however, the bad guy is going to be aiming at a high lumen led light while I will be aiming at a completely illuminated target. He's likely going to be screwing his eyes shut while I'm taking aim.

Is a WML the only way to go? Absolutely not. Cops got along for years before them. They also used revolvers and other equipment and tactics that are considered outdated by todays standards. Having your gun and light together in one hand while keeping the other free to open doors, key the radio, change mags etc is becoming best practices for law enforcement night shift.
 
Unless it is pointed directly at me, I won't be blinded by it. And if I shoot at the light and the cop's face is directly behind it, where is the bullet going to go?
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How is my face going to be behind the light if its not pointed at you. Basic geometry...

Regardless, it seems that those of that have trained and used WML love them and those without that training and background make blanket statements that are not factual.
 
"... the bad guy is going to be aiming at a high lumen led light while I will be aiming at a completely illuminated target. He's likely going to be screwing his eyes shut while I'm taking aim."

Well, that is what they say - "don't worry, he won't hit you." OK.

"How is my face going to be behind the light if its not pointed at you. Basic geometry..."

The face does not have to be directly behind the light for the BG to figure out where it is. More "don't worry, he won't hit you."

"Unless you're holding it out at arms length..."

And that is the way I was trained; flashlight held in the left hand at arms length and slightly ahead of the body. But modern techniques are always assumed to be better until some folks find out the hard way that they aren't.

Jim
 
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