Ultraviolet flashlights are useful tools that are being utilized by law enforcement authorities and the military all over the world to aid in the uncovering of counterfeit materials, for detecting blood and other evidence, to help find hidden explosives so they can be destroyed, for intelligence gathering, in the capturing of criminals, and much more. Many policing and military professionals report that the ultraviolet flashlight is a critical tool to have in their arsenals for fighting the criminal element and for providing security here at home and abroad.



What is ultraviolet light? The sun produces infrared, ultraviolet, and visible light rays and each has different wavelengths. It is the length of these wavelengths that makes some light easy for us to see, and other light that is mostly undetectable to us unless we are using special equipment to view it. The light you see from the sun during the day has a longer wavelength and is therefore more visible than say ultraviolet light, which has a shorter wavelength. Ultraviolet light produces minimal visible light rays and is instead characterized by a deep blue or purple light ray that is most visible at night or when other light sources are blocked.

LED and ultraviolet flashlights incorporate the use of different lighting components to produce light beams for use in a variety of settings. The technological lighting components in ultraviolet flashlights use the shorter and concentrated wavelength of ultraviolet lighting to illuminate small particles that are rendered nearly or completely invisible by the intensity of longer wavelengths of lighting. A police flashlight with ultraviolet light technology is useful in the detecting of blood evidence, fibers, minerals and substances and other evidence that cannot be seen with the naked eye, and when other light sources are serving as the backdrop.

An ultraviolet flashlight can be used to detect counterfeit money and for finding traces of drugs like cocaine on money. This is useful in tracking down those criminals that manufacture and distribute counterfeit money and also many of the criminals that engage in drug trafficking. Money is not the only item counterfeiter's target. Art, clothing, jewelry, passports, social security cards, and other things can also be counterfeited. Detecting counterfeit items with the use of ultraviolet flashlights gets more of them off the streets before innocent people are victimized by the purchasing of fake items.

The military has also found the versatility of LED and ultraviolet flashlights helpful in their fight against terrorism as well as in previous covert military operations. Our military forces are stationed throughout the world on peace keeping and anti-terrorism missions, including the war in Iraq. The ultraviolet flashlight plays an important role in military maneuvers, surveillance, detection, and in a variety of other military activities.

Protecting our communities means equipping our police officers, investigators, and other members of the policing team with the versatility and advantages of LED flashlights. If you are in charge of procuring equipment for your military squad or regiment, make sure ultraviolet flashlights are on your purchasing list. The ultraviolet flashlight is a powerful tool for enhancing your arsenal of weapons against criminals and for defending the innocent.

~Ben Anton, 2008