Police Study of tactical use of Strobe

[dc38]

It's funny you should ask that, because that was exactly my primary intended use when I got my first "tacti-cool" flashlight. I never got to test it because I later convinced myself to give an ultrasound device a try, so when push came to shove I preferred to pull out that one (while also having the flashlight on me). So all I can tell you for sure on this subject, after two real-world tests (actual aggresive dogs coming at me, not pets and not dogs behind fences), is that you can have a reasonable expectation that if you're up against a single aggressive dog that happens to not be deaf you'll be able to keep it at a respectable distance (10 steps/yards or so) by blasting it with ultrasound and yelling at it at the same time.

Strobes alone of any frequency do not deter dogs at ALL. It either further agitates them or excites them to beyond the point of manageability. My sources are my experiences with strobing many aggressive off leash dogs and getting yelled at by irresponsible owners later. I believe it has something to do with the way a dog sees color and light, and that their vision is more movement sensitive. I've strobed crazy chihuahuas, crazy pit bulls, crazy pugs, crazy greyhounds, angry mutts, etc; none have stopped their charge from strobe alone, and I almost got bit the first time by a pair of boxers. Bellowing out and advancing toward the dog with a towering demeanor will more than likely confuse the dog. And a confused dog usually runs. Fortunately, I haven't run into any German Shepards. Being fiercely loyal, I don't think their territorial nature would let them run. Unless you can condition a dog to fear the strobe (pair with an inhumanely uncomfortable experience like zapping or stick beating) strobe will NOT work on dogs.

 

[ghodan]

What about a nice dose of candela. Like 23.000 candela coming out from a SRT7 or G25C2 mk2 or Armytek Predator. (Predator has 40.000 cd?)

 

[sidecross]

What about a nice dose of candela. Like 23.000 candela coming out from a SRT7 or G25C2 mk2 or Armytek Predator. (Predator has 40.000 cd?)

I have one of my two Egaletac G25C2 MKll set at strobe and even have double click set to strobe on both lights; each G25C2 MKll is set in tactical mode. :thumbsup:

 

[ghodan]

I have one of my two Egaletac G25C2 MKll set at strobe and even have double click set to strobe on both lights; each G25C2 MKll is set in tactical mode. :thumbsup:

Ok. Can you now jump over some wall with a area that has guard dogs and test your candela canon?

Its for flashaholic research cause :huh:

 

[donjoe]

Strobes alone of any frequency do not deter dogs at ALL.

Actually, I never considered using strobe against a dog, I always just pictured myself blinding it with a continuous high-beam while backing away. Humans I would have to strobe because they can put their hands in front of their faces and still try to advance.

 

[ghodan]

Ok. Can you now jump over some wall with a area that has guard dogs and test your candela canon?

Its for flashaholic research cause :huh:

MMhhh he did not reply yet.... So the dog(s) must have gotten him. So it did not work

 

[dc38]

Actually, I never considered using strobe against a dog, I always just pictured myself blinding it with a continuous high-beam while backing away. Humans I would have to strobe because they can put their hands in front of their faces and still try to advance.

Ah, my mistake lol. I thought the same as you with the constant on; Even with high beam lights, dogs really don't seem deterred by lights at all... My tk41 on turbo didnt help at all with the greyhound or pit bull...in both cases I had to yell and charge at the dogs to intimidate them. In retrospect, I'm glad that I didn't get hurt doing that lol.

 

[Bullzeyebill]

Guy's we're getting a little off topic here. Please stick to the conversation re the Police Study of tactical use of Strobe.

Bill

 

[medic75142]

I believe that the use of strobes on dogs is still on topic! Now, it did get a little silly, but overall still on topic. I have found a light that I can get that meets all the criteria for a tactical light, I'm wondering if there is someone from the forum that could make the modifications to have it come o in the strobe mode?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk 2

 

[CounterAttack]

Very interesting. I work along side police officers on a regular basis. And our department uses Pelican 7060 flashlights. So there are dual switches for which ever one you feel more ergonomic and it is only one mode: High.

I see why they want to make them use light weight lights b/c most officers do leave there lights in the car or don't carry it at all if they are working day watch. But I would have to disagree on dual tail switches. Especially like Klaurs lights. If they have two switches in the back and they were different size and shape I don't think the officers would confuse them, that is more convenient, b/c have your light on strobe as the primary setting can get annoying at times. But it does take the the error in humans.:tinfoil:

 

[cheapdietpills]

Thank you for the excellent write up. I was particularly interested in the fact that a slow strobe could allow a suspect to actually move his hands undetected. The effect must be sort of like an old movie where the "flicker" of each slow moving frame and border makes what you are seeing look like a series of still images.

 

[Dave D]

If they have two switches in the back and they were different size and shape I don't think the officers would confuse them

Despite your forum name I think you are missing the point!

Think 'Violence of Action' and you're on the receiving end with somebody intent on doing you serious harm or worse!

In that high stress situation would you be able to hit the correct button on time every time??

In comparison almost every other use of a flashlight is a lower stress situation allowing you the split second it takes to click through to constant on, whilst holding the beam against your leg if necessary.

The average cop doesn't have the luxury to train on a regular basis with every bit of defensive kit that they carry so that it becomes instinctive. In my own department we have to qualify once every twelve months.

 

[texas cop]

Stress puts the brain into overload. Lots of practice can help but why risk it? We had a officer during qualification not be able to get her weapon to fire. She was squeezing the trigger guard. Funny, but still deadly in real life. Plenty of stories about officers drawing a radio or screaming instructions counter to what was needed or physically possible. Good physical health, practice, experience helps with most of the issues. Less equipment is better. As far as flashlights I carry one on the belt that does everything, a spare in the shirt pocket.

 

[pzmobile]

useful information

some manufactures built a change frequency strobe. Shining from low to high automatically.

 

[silverspurr]

Excellent, very informative.
Thank you.

 

[Joe Talmadge]

Think 'Violence of Action' and you're on the receiving end with somebody intent on doing you serious harm or worse!

The thing here is, if you haven't trained it or lived it, it's easy to get the wrong idea of what's easy or hard, at least for most people. Before I started stress-training this years ago, I thought I'd be much more capable than I was. The first time we stress trained this type of thing, I had my training partner put on gloves, we walked through a scenario, I told him to attack me with sudden forward drive if and when he wanted ... keep in mind, I *knew* he might be attacking me, knew it was a training drill, told him specifically not to knock my head off (but do hit me)... and even with all this pre-knowledge and restraint, was shocked how incapable I'd become. I had a new appreciation of "keep it simple" and the kinds of stress factors many of the LEOs are discussing here. Took lots of drills to get more capable.

 

[WWWW]

Good read, very interesting and very informative. Thanks a lot!!

 

[Harvest123]

Grizzlyb - first, I have read the entire thread and it has really been an enlightening and educational experience for me as a newbie to the forum. I understand far more about basics of the terminology surrounding this cool science. I wanted to mention on thing that I saw in your earlier pics of how you held your light for a possible counter strike to an aggressor. It showed a fist like grip around the light for a "knuckle" strike. In the hand to hand training that I have done, I have always been taught to throw a strike with an open hand to avoid hand injury. Once the hand is broken due to a fisted punch around a light, the LEO personnel has a difficult time with cuffs, accessing a weapon, etc. I know there are few ways to grip a light, but when I saw the fisted strike it kinda made me think "what if?" Again, I appreciate this forum more now than I ever thought possible. Just my first thread as well!

 

[RI Chevy]

Welcome to the Forum! :welcome:

 

[Bullzeyebill]

Hello HARVEST123, I appreciate your interest in this thread, as it is very well done. I posted the following earlier in this thread, and the OP has agreed that this thread is only about the tactical use of strobe, with no emphasis on using a flashlight as a striking tool.

Let's keep this on topic, which is a police study of tactical use of strobe........... Threads are always closed when the emphasis is that flashlights are considered as blunt instruments to be used defensively or offensively. There are other forums on the web where that can be discussed.

Bill

Bill