Page 352 - NIXBOOK

Next: let’s talk about police flashlights because why not. Actually, it’s another good representative example of changes I lived
though. Our first flashlights were big giant heavy things that required 4, 6, or even 8 large D cell batteries. The popular and
preferred brand was “Maglite.” To carry one on a belt required a large belt ring that the flashlight could slip into and just sort of
dangle from. Of course it would be close to impossible to sit down with a flashlight like that hanging off one’s belt, so it would
be taken out when an officer got into a car, and put back in the ring when the officer got out; like the PR-24 side-handled long
baton. Officers who worked nights would take their flashlights on and off probably a couple dozen times a least, every shift.

The Maglite batteries were single-use only and they needed to be replaced about once or twice a month, depending how much
the flashlight was used at night. If an officer used the flashlight a lot, the batteries might only last two or three shifts. The
flashlights were so big and heavy we were taught to use them as weapons. I never actually saw anybody get thumped with one
but we did joke a lot about clients who needed but managed to avoid getting a “flashlight massage” on their scalp. Side note: I
met an old Seattle cop once who told me about how the patrol officers there used to have a “beat and release” method of policing
for certain kinds of problems, usually in dark alleys at night. That sort of thing was pretty much gone and over by the time I
started wearing a badge.

Flashlight technology improved greatly over the years; we upgraded from the Maglights to Streamlight brand SL20 flashlights
that we could recharge in our cars, which was really super cool. No more disposable D cells!

And then Streamlight invented a flashlight that was much smaller, but almost as bright as the big ones, called a “Stinger.” Those
gave us the ability to carry a flashlight on our belt at all times and not have to take if off every time just to sit down somewhere.

And then eventually came along flashlights with LED’s instead of the old incandescent or halogen bulbs, which was a real game
changer. (it was not uncommon for the halogen bulbs to burn out or even break after a couple years, requiring a replacement..)
The new LED flashlights were much, much brighter, smaller and lighter and even cheaper. At some point virtually every officer
I know just broke down and bought their own flashlight to use on duty; since the new ones were so much better than the
department-issued old ones.

I wish I had kept a police supply catalog from when I first started in 1993. Because I noticed that as the years went by, the police
catalogs we got delivered in the mail gradually got thicker and were filled with more interesting gear and equipment; the
selection and quality of everything went up considerably. For example, in 1993 there were only about three different kinds of
flashlights available, and only about 2 different kinds of black gloves. Nowadays it seems like any good police supply business
offers two or three dozen different styles and brands of flashlights and gloves, at least. And there are a lot more different kinds
and styles of boots available, too. And all kinds of jackets and coats and duty belt gear. I could go on and on. Seriously though-
a 1993 police gear catalog would be super amusing.