Handgun/Pistol Weapon Mounted Lights, Approved or Not

[TGS]

Only our tactical teams have had them approved up until last year. Now all of us can qualify with/carry an X300, which is ginormous on a CCW'd P229. XC1 is in testing....which I would like.

Even when the XC1 is approved, I don't want to use it unless I get myself some substantial training on it. Whether that's from personal out-of-pocket training or agency training, I think it's necessary. I'd rather not have to use my personal liability insurance because I negligently smoked some dude on accident. After doing some reading on the topic, I feel that carrying a WML without specific training for it is the same as carrying a gun without specific training for it. Just because you have a dick doesn't mean you know what you're doing, that whole deal.

[jnc36rcpd]

We've authorized pistol-mounted lights for several years. The firearms training coordinator intended to mandate their use on pistols when we transitioned from the .40 SIG 226/239 platform to the FNS-9. Unfortunately, the FNS-9 proved unreliable with the TLR-1 HL. We are hopeful that FN America trading out our barrels will eliminate that issue. That said, two training issues to consider...

First, most cops are not stupid enough to use their PML's to look for lost keys or do SFST's. The risk is during searches when there is an argument to having a pistol drawn or even indexed toward a potential threat. It would be difficult or impossible to write strict policy on this matter. I know that, as a responding back-up officer or curious neighbor, I don't want to be looking down someone's muzzle as he or she illuminates me as I enter a backyard. On the other hand, perhaps the weapon and light should be indexed when the bedroom door is opened during a search for a violent fugitive.

As usual, training is the solution. You need some mandates on PML's, but well-crafted training with both weapon-mounted and handheld lights will result in better performance. Even with pistol-mounted lights, officers need to be taught to shoot with handhelds as few will turn off the light that illuminates a potential threat in order to turn on their PML. Officers should also be mandate to have quality high-lumen handheld on their person, especially if they have a PML. Removing the PML to use as a handheld in the event their handheld fails should also be addressed in training.

Second, if you use a DA/SA pistol, it is important to train to decock before operating a rocker-operated switch. If you turn the light off first (which you probably shouldn't in the real world), you can easily have a slip-and-capture failure of assuming you decocked the pistol. I probably had more trigger time using a TLR-1 HL and a 226 than anyone on my department, but occasionally found myself holstering a cocked weapon in training. After all, I knew I had decocked the pistol because my thumb had just moved the way it does when I hit the decock lever.

Incidentally, we mandate lights on long guns, but that is probably a topic for another thread.

[lwt16]

We are just now getting them. Matter of fact, I ordered one on this year's uniform allowance at an inflated price through our local uniform supply shop. I plan on using it on my carbine. That, a pair of boots, a pair of shoes, and a pair of socks and my allowance was spent. I hope my uniforms hold out.

In the past, the mentality was that it was far cheaper to "just say no" to them rather than lay out the coin to train all of us. They were afraid that someone would use their WML to shine the spot to sign a citation and trigger off a round into a motorist's leg. And we had a strict mentality of being non-confrontational to the .5 percent of officers that would do something that stupid and just wax them for their past sins so the rest of us could get good gear. Directing traffic with it? Yeah, I can name about five or six coworkers that are that clueless right now so I understand the past mentality. I don't agree with it, but I "get" it and the brass' thinking.

Things are changing though. When I get mine, I plan on going out to my private club that I am a member of and setting up a low light course to train with it a little. I'm day shift but I go 10-8 around 0530 and during half the year that is pretty dark. I have jumped calls on the way to work (shootings and such) and would probably have benefited from having a WML....particularly on the rifle. I am a firm believer in training though, and will have to do that on my dime.

I can't remember the last time the department put us through low light firearms courses.........1998 if memory serves.

On my dime? Last month i got up on my off day at 0400 and drove out to my club and shot low light....rifle and pistol. I like to keep fresh and real.

Regards.

[SansSouci]

I wouldn't want a light on my duty weapon. In fact, I wouldn't want anything on my duty weapon. I didn't even want a laser sight. I was good with a 5904, P-229, and H&K USP just as they came from their factories. That that was merely my opinion. If a cop wants a light of his gun, that should be his decision and only his decision.

I'd rather hold a flashlight. It can be used as a distraction, and it can be used as a weapon.

Bottom line: I don't think that agencies should have mandatory policies one way or the other. It should be up to individual officer discretion.

[MRW]

We have them on our patrol rifles and shotguns. Right now, the only thing holding us back for the duty pistols is budget constraints. That being said, I would have some concerns unless we had a solid policy and robust introductory training. That's the tough part. Training time, especially range time, is at a premuim.

A neighboring agency's firearms instructors flat out opposes them for general patrol use. The rational is they won't be used safely and properly. The general skill level and common sense of everyone you work with should be taken into account. I probably would have the same concerns unless we could set up some serious training time.

[Chuck Haggard]

WHILE MOST ADDITIONAL TRAINING IS GENERALLY GOOD, IS IT REALLY NECESSARY TO HAVE ADDITIONAL TRAINING JUST TO USE/DEPLOY A WML?

More when I have time, but YES, ABSOFUCKINGLUTELY IT IS......



The issues with stupid shit happening involving WMLs are 100% related to no or shitty training with this gear.


BTW, of the commonly available gear cops can have, pistol mounted lights are IMHO on of the smallest niche bits o' kit one can get, they are in no way "mandatory" for street level coppers (although nice to have), and the vast majority of people with them are "doing it wrong".

[L-2]

Thanks for all the replies. I'm not missing a pistol WML so much now, after reading all the opinions. We do have them on our long-guns for some reason. Lights just happened to not have made it to our shotguns or handguns, with an exception. Possibly, if one has made it onto our SWAT unit, then they may be able to carry a pistol WML on his regular patrol-street-uniform, too. These things can change in just a moment's notice, however. The one I saw could have been out-of-policy, for all I know, and just that individual "doing it".

I'll be in some in-house building-search training in a few days and I'm sure the question will come up because I'll ask the question if it's not addressed. I heard pistol-WMLs were requested up the command chain but there was no word on approval, denial, or just no decision.

[L-2]

Update 4/9/17: I'll be approved for weapon-light carry tonight following a recently-implemented department certification class.

[cpd2110]

I'd be interested in what the certification course involved. Also any one with information on sop's or training specific to dg switches.

[KevH]

We've authorized WML's since 2005. We do not have any type of transition class, but have department-mandated low-light training once a year for four hours.

We've had AT LEAST three ND's directly attributable to the WML. None of these were related to the DG switch, but rather the officer using their trigger finger to actuate the light switch on the X200/X300 light. We try to pound into everyone's heads to only use their off hand thumb to actuate the light. There are only a handful of people using DG switches (mainly K9 handlers). I think if their use was more widespread we would have more ND's.

Is extra training necessary? YES