Duty flashlight choices

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Hello guys I am getting ready to start the police academy in a few weeks and I was told I need to get a flashlight for training. I've been looking around for a while now and I still don't know what to get. I was looking at olight streamlight and a few others. I just want some input on what to get and overall usability for us in the field.
 
I would say any good LED flashlight that you can hold and control in one hand and operate with a end cap button. Nice and bright with a lifetime warranty. Something that doesn't take expensive batteries. Just my opinion. Good luck in Academy.
 
Tailcap Activation. At least 200 lumens, but not 1000. You'll blind yourself indoors on APP. Small enough to shoot/hold in all the various methods (rogers, harries, etc...)

Something that can take a beating if dropped. Should also be duty belt mounted, otherwise it's a waste. Buy a simple penlight that you can use as a backup, or for vehicle searches. I carry a foursevens Preon as a backup.

I just went to SureFire lowlight school... so this is all fresh in my mind. [smile]
 
awesome guys thank you for the advice. i definitely have open ears for all this stuff. also should i get a nylon holster or a poly (plastic) one. i would imagine that probably depends on which light i get right?.
 
Find out what your Dept. puts in the cruisers. My Dept has stream light led stingers in every car. I bought one for my belt for commonality. I can use the in car charger for my personal light and if my light goes dead the duty light fits my duty gear. Ask the guys on your job what they carry, the larger availability of parts and chargers will be more useful than anything.
 
My recommendation for starting out is to go to your favorite online retailer for duty gear, lookup the flashlight holder for the type of gear you're going to be using (i.e. Bianchi Accumold), click the drop down box for the different sizes, and pick a flashlight from that list. That way you know you'll have a holder on your belt that fits your flashlight perfectly. Pelican 7060, Inova T4, and Streamlight Stinger LED are all solid choices. After you've got a good light on your belt, because like Cloverleaf said if it's not on your belt it's a waste, you can start playing around with other brands. I've had an Olight M20 for about four years and it's an awesome light, but I've never found a duty belt holder that fits it just quite right. It hangs out in a pistol mag pouch on my outer carrier.
 
I bought a jetbeam BC25 for duty use and I've used it almost daily for about 3 years now without trouble. I liked it so much I bought a BC40 and another bigger jetbeam light. Several other guys I know bought some after checking out mine.
 
I stay away from rechargeables, but my time at night is different then other LEO's. I"ve had rechareable streamlight crap out on me before the shift ended.

LED Maglight for long hauls, high power smaller LED for ambush, lower power for inside searches. As someone said, sometimes more is just too much.
 
I carry 4 streamlights. Strion for my belt, i use this 90% of the time. Adjustable brightness, strobe, end cap, and its small enough to use with your firearm comfortably. I've had the same stinger for about 7 years, little bigger than the strion, same functions and you can carry it on your belt. I only use it if my other ones die. Then the big D cell one, great for traffic, tracks, etc. Carried a pelican at my last job, and went through 3 in the first few months, would not recommend them. Also have a pen light I got free from galls. You can never have too many flashlights.
 
Surefire makes a rear depress model where the first press is 15 lumens and the second is 1000. I agree 1000 is a lot of light in APP, but it is great in real world policing on the street. In APP use the 15 lumens. What ever you do, go quality. There are only a couple pieces of police equipment that have to work correctly when you need them, the flashlight is one of them. Do not compromise your life to save a few bucks.

Dave
 
LED Maglight for long hauls, high power smaller LED for ambush, lower power for inside searches. As someone said, sometimes more is just too much.
3 D-cell LED Maglight, 30+ hour runtime with fresh batteries. Definitely comes in handy on those pushes that start with you thinking "Should I bring my Camelbak? I'll only be out of my truck for a couple minutes."
 
What do you guys thinks of the nitecore p12 ??.

Well its got the tactical ring and titanium clip, its gotta be good!
Truth is I have no idea. I do know this tho after 27 years of this stupid ****ing job; dont cheap out on the important kit.
I use a Streamlight Strion, my backup is a Surefire (no ****ing idea what model but I had it in Afghanistan with me and it takes the CR123 batteries and took a savage beating and never broke ) .They are both small, and LED, and throw beaucoup light.
The big maglights and streamlights are great for some shit, but Id rather hump 2 small lights than my retardo Maglite and a backup.
Spend over $100 no matter what you buy.
 
What do you guys thinks of the nitecore p12 ??.


I have 3 of them and LOVE them, they are great with the tail switch and the brightness selector is easily accesible, I think its the perfect light for carry and it can light up a tree line as well as any room or backyard. The Fenix PD35 is pretty much the same light but I dropped it and it hit a piece of metal and it ruined the light, I can only activate 2 settings of brightness with it, I have drooped and or hit my Nitecores many times and it hasnt missed a beat, just throwing that out there. You can grab one off Ebay for under $60
 
I have 3 of them and LOVE them, they are great with the tail switch and the brightness selector is easily accesible, I think its the perfect light for carry and it can light up a tree line as well as any room or backyard. The Fenix PD35 is pretty much the same light but I dropped it and it hit a piece of metal and it ruined the light, I can only activate 2 settings of brightness with it, I have drooped and or hit my Nitecores many times and it hasnt missed a beat, just throwing that out there. You can grab one off Ebay for under $60

I have found that when batteries run low, LED lights suddenly can't activate more than 1 or 2 settings. Try replacing batteries before deciding that the light is ruined. BTDT
 
I have found that when batteries run low, LED lights suddenly can't activate more than 1 or 2 settings. Try replacing batteries before deciding that the light is ruined. BTDT

Thanks Len, I have tried that a few times with different batteries and its a no go. Getting it fixed is a nightmare, you have to email the serial number to Fenix and then they said they will email me if they can find out where it was made-Im talking the exact factory then you have to contact the factory and go from there, for the $65 I spent on it Its not worth the hassle.

Other than the durability its a great light and I might have got a lemon so I prefer the Nitecore P12 which has the exact specs.
 
Thanks Len, I have tried that a few times with different batteries and its a no go. Getting it fixed is a nightmare, you have to email the serial number to Fenix and then they said they will email me if they can find out where it was made-Im talking the exact factory then you have to contact the factory and go from there, for the $65 I spent on it Its not worth the hassle.

Other than the durability its a great light and I might have got a lemon so I prefer the Nitecore P12 which has the exact specs.

I offered the info above because I ran into the low battery issue a few times, just in case that might be the problem that some encounter.

Understand! When I was on the job I carried a 5-D mag lite, but that was before LEDs and collapsible batons [smile]. I beta tested the PD32 and carry that prototype everywhere now, but my role as a Constable is very different and doesn't require the kind of light that those in a conventional LE position require. I agree with you it is much easier to just replace it rather than hassle return to factory and wait forever. [I think that the PD35 replaced the PD32 in the Fenix lineup.]

If you are in the area, Atlantic Tactical (Westwood) seems to have a decent selection of lights. I suspect all prices are MSRP however.

You might look to REI for the next light (they sell the Nitecore P12 for $60. They offer what APPEARS (didn't dig deep) to be a warranty for any defect that seems to be unlimited time, that way you can return locally and replace at the same time. http://www.rei.com/help/limited-warranty.html
http://www.rei.com/c/flashlights?ir...ticks|flashlights;brand:nitecore|fenix&page=1
 
If you end up wanting to go with Nitecore, Olight, Sunwayman, or Jetbeam, I just got some 10% off coupon codes in my email this morning from batteryjunction.com . The codes are below. If you can't figure out which code is for which brand, you probably shouldn't pursue a career in law enforcement [wink].

NITECORE4U
OLIGHT4U
SUNMAN4U
JETBEAM4U
 
Understand! When I was on the job I carried a 5-D mag lite, but that was before LEDs and collapsible batons [smile].

I have the old six-cell version. When I was stationed in Texas ("If I had land in Hell and at Ft Hood; I'd live in Hell and rent Ft Hood."), I was told by the local PD that under Texas Law the six-cell was considered a "deadly weapon" and required a serial number be enscribed on it. [rofl]

Doing security work in Hawaii, State Law prohibited us from carrying anything larger than a maglite...the AA kind. Anything larger than that was considered an impact weapon. I had a couple of Streamlight Scorpions and Surefire 6P so I was ok, but still...[rolleyes]

Aloha
 
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