I am a firearms, rifle and defensive tactics instructor. I have been on my agencies emergency response team for over ten years. I have taken many classes on tactical handgun, urban rifle, building searches, threat resolution... I can think of at least three times when strobe was specifically worked into drills and the topic of instruction. I have a training partner who is an adjunct instructor for a private firm that teaches defensive tactics to law enforcement, military and private contractors. He uses the strobe mode specifically in his class. We have conducted in-service training in low light building searches where strobe mode was used as a technique. I am saying this to answer his specific question, not write a bio. I have attended training on strobe tactics and taught tactics on strobe use. Going into that in any more depth would be drifting too far from the topic.
Strobe mode and a steady light in the face achieve two different goals. A bright steady light takes the eyes out of the equation. It is great and can help a great deal in dynmaic encounters. The suspect can shield their eyes or look at the ground. They can use shadows and reflected light to still track your movements and work toward their goals. Strobe mode goes a step further and disorients a person. They loose their ability to properly judge distance and movement. Reflected light and shadows become unpredictable and chaotic. If you are running at someone for a take down with a steady light they can judge your distance and time their response. If you run at someone using angles and moving a strobe in different directions it disorients them considerably and the moment of contact is a surprise. If they are surprised and the proper techniques are applied you can wrap someone up before they can mount a defense. That means less injuries for the officer and the suspect. I have used it in training and fought many suspects using a steady light and a strobe. There is a difference. Either you believe me or you don't. Don't make a judgment if you have not trained both ways and applied it in the field.
Another great use for strobe is when you are working with a K9 officer running tracks. We have to work with helicopters and when you are a small dot in an urban sea of structures, vehicles and other police lights you can get lost. Using the strobe to signal the pilot is a great help so they can vector you in to an area or track your position.
My only point in all this is that strobe does have real world uses. They might not be for the masses, but there are benefits. It comes down to the consumer. If you don't like strobe and don't have a use for it, don't buy it. Voice your concerns with the manufactures. If you have a use for it then buy it. That is the beauty of our economic system. The market drives the products.
