Advancements in non-lethal force weapons and crowd control tools have created a new wave of police tactical equipment used to help with crowd control, street mobs and one-on-one chases. These tools are aimed at disarming or controlling people of potential danger without resorting to guns or other violent reactions. LED light sources play a heavy role in these new police weapons. LED or light-emitting diodes are extremely powerful, long-lasting light sources making them perfect for police hand-held tactical torches. These powerful lights are now showing up on the police belts of law enforcement agents, in the trucks of search and rescue crews and on the helmets of firefighters.

LED Applications

LED tactical torches are a new breed of LED application. When first introduced, LEDs were used for basic lighting functions like on/off indicator lights on electronic devices and small gadgets like keychain lights. As the technology has progressed, the light has been found to have incredible benefits in science as a way to grow indoor plants. As the bulb has been perfect and power consumption reduced significantly, the lights benefit as a rugged, long-lasting handheld flashlight or torch are fully coming to fruition.

LED Benefits

LED lights provide significant practical benefits over traditional lights.

** LED light bulbs put out a much brighter more powerful light.

** They produce more light per watt than an incandescent bulb making it one of the most efficient lights available and perfect for hand-held, city and home applications.

** Because of their solid state components, LEDs are the most durable bulb available, practically indestructible by external shock.

** LEDs can last anywhere from 35,000 to 50,000 hours, up to five times longer than a fluorescent bulb.

** Their efficiency and long-life make them a cost effective option over the long-term.

Tactical Uses for LED

The most commonly used LED is the torch or handheld light. LED torches run circles around traditional law enforcement flashlights. The strength of an LED light beam enables police officers to search dark areas with a farther reaching and brighter light. This provides more safety to the officer. Some handheld tactical torches also offer a focus setting which allows officers to expand the scope of the bright beam wider to see more or to focus that beam to pinpoint light farther. This can be very helpful for police officers chasing or looking for suspects. These tactical torches are also more durable allowing them to be used in rougher conditions like search and rescue activities.

High-frequency flashing LEDs are starting to be looked at as a non-violent crowd control. Known as a strobing tactical torch, or LED incapacitator, this device uses a series of super bright pulses, strobes, light frequencies, and colors to confuse and disorient a mob or attacker. Test trials have shown these devices to be very effective. The LED incapacitator may soon be as common a non-lethal weapon as tear gas, pepper spray or Tasers.

Tactical torches in their infancy were available only to law enforcement officers, firefighters and other service groups. Today, the same durability and functionality of those lights is available to anyone. Avid hunters and hikers like the tactical lights because they can take a beating and last a long time – great in case you are out on long hunts or hikes. These lights are also compact making them great to pack with you.

~ Ben Nystrom, 2009