I feel safer already.
Softer flashlights for LA cops
LOS ANGELES police have unveiled their latest tool in the fight against crime – a flashlight powerful enough to stun suspects but too lightweight to beat them with.
The new flashlight, developed specifically for the Los Angeles Police Department and expected to be acquired by police forces around the world, replaces the heavy 13-inch (33-cm) metal flashlights controversially used by city officers to strike a car theft suspect three years ago.
At 8.6 inches (22 cm) long and weighing 10.4 ounces (295 grams), the new 7060 LED flashlight is more than 50 percent lighter than the old model, has a rugged polymer casing and produces a blindingly bright light.
“Pelican’s 7060 flashlight will give our officers the upper hand in fighting crime,” LAPD chief William Bratton said.
“If you shine this into someone’s eyes, you will momentarily disorient them. But unlike the previous flashlight it cannot be used to inflict unintended damage or used to strike someone around the head,” Bratton said.
More than 50 incidents involving Los Angeles police using flashlights as weapons have been reported since 2002.
Chief Bratton proposed a change after June 2004 when fleeing motorist Stanley Miller was struck 11 times by an officer using his metal flashlight in an incident caught by a TV news crew and broadcast around the nation.
The American Civil Liberties Union welcomed the new flashlights, which were purchased by the city for $1 million and will be distributed to all LAPD officers starting in June.
“The LAPD’s swift response shows what can happen when police seek innovative solutions to reduce misconduct. The old flashlight sent the wrong message to the community, and the new, smaller version can be a powerful symbol of the department’s commitment to reform,” ACLU executive director Ramona Ripston said.
Did you see the price tag? $200. For a flashlight. And you can’t even brain someone with it!
If it comes with a built in taser, I’m all for it.
Yeah that’ll stop them. Cause we all know its not cops that kill people, its flashlights that kill people.
Very funny! Only an idiot would use the business end of a flashlight to leave visible marks and damage. They deserve to be fired.
All cops know that you use the blunt end of the flashlight in a thrusting motion to the midsection.
You’d be surprised how fast even a big guy goes down after a thrusting jab to the solar plexus.
I’ve held a Pelican flashlight. You could beat the bloddy hell out of someone.
#5
And since it’s somewhat squishy you can force its ribbed surface into the “criminal’s” rectum.
” LA Cops Given Flashlights They Can’t Use To Beat Suspects”
Sure they can still beat suspects with this new flashlight. They just have to hit them harder!
They’re going to beat them with flashlights they can’t use?
Next time the cops will just shoot the suspects. Fewer witnesses that way.
I grew up in Chicago, the cops used rubber hoses. you can buy a really long one from Sears and cut it up.
Next they’ll be taking away their guns. They might hurt someone!
…a flashlight powerful enough to stun suspects but too lightweight to beat them with
Good idea at first glance, but how long before someone attaches a taser (thanks for the idea, mxpwr03) or, even better, one of those new cook-the-crowd microwave pain beams the Navy’s developing?
Anyway, if Gig is right, this is nothing but an LAPD publicity stunt with a nice built-in profit margin for the vendor. Anyway, as unconstable points out, these new lightsstill have a non-serrated end for jabbing.
Then how are they supposed to beat someone now? Their guns are probably too deadly for that purpose.
Flashlights? Hah…
The billyclubs are better, those aren’t flashlights in the Rodney King video ([editor: deleted for violation of guidelines]). Lead-weighted gloves are a helluva lot of phun, and more “hands on”. Heck, cuffin’ the perp then macin’ ’em is even pretty amusing.
Flashlights? Disorienting? Hah… best they do is blind somebody. They aren’t disoriented, flashbangs are better for that. However, they can’t get a good bead on your with their 9′ if they have a bright light in their face. Meanwhile, you can feed them 14 rounds really quick when you can see them, but they can’t see you.
Hah, you civies are all so soft — the Chinese are going to have a great time with ya when they invade in a few years. 🙂
Yes, even you civie nerds that practice ninja moves and play Risk.
this is f’n ridiculous.. i’m with #1..
$200 for a flashlight??? according to the article, LAPD bought a million dollars worth of’em!! who the heck okay’d $1mil for ONE type of flashlight? -at retail thats a little
over 5000 flashlights.. if they got’em on volume for half price thats 10,000 flashlights.. not to mention $39.95 for a spare battery…and $49.95 for a desk charger…and you know they ordered spares..
if you ask me, the fact that they can’t use it (as effectively) as a weapon is drawback.
sounds to me like someone at Pelican is drinking buddies with a PR guy and bean counter at LAPD…. and they came up with one hell of a way to make some serious cash.. that, and the Pentagon lost the bet with LAPD on who could spend the most, and get the least in return..
-so one video of someone getting beat by a flashlight and we get this knee-jerk reaction?
::sigh:: this country is really going downhill fast..
-so… is pelican selling stock?
-s
#13 Given that it is a Pelican, it is likely made in China too. You could get a fully custom light from a small, American shop for a similar price, so it’s hardly a bargain.
By the way, if you consider what an invading army does to a populace to be a “great time,” well, I’d rather be a ‘civilian’ rather than a psychopathic monster. . .
What you are all missing is that this light is a LAPD specified light. It was built expressly for them to their specifications in Torrance, CA not China!. They determined that they needed a smaller light. If any of you follow the news, you would know how this came about. But your constant bantering and blissful ignorance, it shows everyone that your utterly clueless.
Who you can thank for the price tag is ambulance chasing lawyers that you all know and love. Do you realize that Stanley Miller, who was beaten with a flashlight 11 times on televised TV, got paid a $454,000 cash settlement from the city?
Who is friggen drinkin’ buddies now!
Here’s a convicted felon getting a cash settlement. Who the hell is crazy? We all are for allowing laws that graciate criminals!
By the way, this flashlight was a great price deal to the city. Its awesome in terms of performance and again in meeting the spec’s of the dept.!
frist lets say that la cops are a bunch of dum assh–les when they take a person down they allways have to have 6 people jump on there backs even if the person gives up they are bad cops the worst in the us
Saratogaway, much of the LAPD light is in fact made in China, final assembly is done here, but the remaining is quite non-labor intensive and very quick. But the entire light is scheduled be done over in China after the first 10k or so. Of course, they could still put it in the box here, and then claim Made in USA…
Components in the electronics are not made in USA either, just a fyi.