Olight Valkyrie PL1 II Review

Olight Valkyrie PL1 II
450 lumens
$79.99
Cost per Lumen .17
Modes: Constant On, Momentary On, Strobe.

I have owned this light since December 2016. This is an amazing light. While Olight has released a newer version this model still deserves a heck of a lot of praise.  First off it's slimline in fact it blends almost seamlessly with the slide of my 22. It has a wonderful k.i.s.s interface. It's perfect for those high stress situations in which a light like this will be used. The buttons are in a good location and are easily pushed without having to change your grip on the firearm. The battery is easily changed with the light still attached to the frame. While the battery can be changed with the light attached, the light has such an easy on/off there's no reason not to disconnect to put in a battery. The easy on/off is a dream. I take it off often to put the gun in off duty holsters. The light clamps tightly to the frame and does not wiggle etc. The light is bright at 450 lumens but it hasn't caused bounce back in tight inclosed businesses. I would highly recommend this version over the newer version or others such as streamlight. I'm afraid the newer one with its high Lumens and throw will cause to much bounce to be useful for building clearing. Last thing you want is to blind yourself while clearing a house. Simply put brighter is not always better for everything.  So If your looking for a weapon light; at 79.99 you really cannot go wrong with this light.

Olight R50 Seeker Pro Review

Cost:139.00
Cost per lumen 0.04
5 modes:
3200 lumens(1.5 min steps to 1000 lumens for 150 minutes)
1500 lumens(10 minutes steps to 1000 lumens for 160 minutes)
400 lumens for 7.5 hours
60 lumens for 50 hours.
Strobe: 3200 lumens.



So Olight markets this flashlight for LEO use and even makes a law enforcement edition that comes with a charging dock for your Patrol Vehicle. I have been using this flashlight exclusively since December 2016 to write this review as truthfully as possible. The things I love; cost per lumen is incredible and it's flooding beam is absolutely wonderful on traffic stops. The flashlight usually last a rotation without having to charge it due to its great run time.Its hefty in the hand and feels premium. Charging is fast and simple. The included holster fits on a true duty belt and functions well.  The things I absolutely hate. The button. The button on this flashlight was not designed with law enforcement in mind. It's digital and it constantly turns on when you don't want it to. Now you can "lock" the switch but this poses a huge problem. You have to unlock it when you want to use it; honestly it's an Officer safety issue when working traffic and this beam is outstanding for traffic. The other problem  is even though it's lock it will get pushed an unlock its self and will still turn on. The other thing I hate is that the light is only drop rated for 1 meter. The word tank is used to describe the light in the advertisement. So is this light good for law enforcement? Good yes but it has bad flaws in design. Please Olight make a larger shroud for the digital switch, move the switch to the tail( would make it easier to operate), or go to clicky switch. Also make the tank a tank. Leo lights need atleast a 2 meter drop rating and honestly a 3 or 4 meter is what a leo light deserves.

Running; why I do it as a cop.

If your a cop and you end up looking online for exercises for Leo's, you will quickly see an ongoing debate on whether Officers should run or not. A lot of cops say that long distance running is a waste of time. They think that since most foot pursuits are short sprints that you should only run short sprints. Me, I run for multiple reasons. The first being health and the second stress relief. Now in regards to running I think the above school of thought is all wrong. Yes speed work needs to be part of your cardio training but so do long and slow runs. Simply put the long and slow work different muscles then fast running. It also increases your cardio endurance.  This helps if you catch the guy and end up fighting him.  I can honestly say it's awesome being in a foot pursuit and being able to call out streets, locations, and descriptions without being short of breath. Another nice thing about running is if you work in a small town everyone finds out. I remember when I took off to run a 10 mile race at the department I previously worked for. Word got out and I was never in another foot pursuit. My recommendation would be to look at halhigdon.com and find a training program. If you've not been running start with something easy and not something like the dopey challenge. Starting with to much mileage is a sure fire way to injure yourself.

Acebeam EC35 Flashlight Review

Cost $60 cost per lumen $.05!!!!
Max output 1200 lumens for 1.1 hours
Min 0.3 lumens for 1200 hours

This flashlight was given to me by Acebeam as a warranty replacement for an Acebeam EC32

Pros: This flashlight is a great deal price wise only 5 cents per lumen. This light has a wide bright floody Beam making it great for traffic stops. The light has a 0.3 lumen setting which is bright enough to look for pupil size without straining someone's eyes. The UI was done really well on this light. All the settings are usable as an leo. The knurling is more aggressive than the previous model allowing for a better grip.  This flashlight does not step down at a set time instead you have a constant brightness that gradually decreases as batteries deplete/ time goes on. The anodized finish on the  ec35 is more durable then the EC32. The mode switch is far more durable on the ec35 than the ec32. The stainless button looks sharp to.

Cons: As said before with the ec32 the customer service while good is not a quick response as say Streamlight. The clip's finish is not durable at all.  1 Meter drop height

Not Reviewed : holster. This light when purchased comes with a holster. My light came with just the light no accessories do to it being a warranty replacement.

So the big question is ; Is the light good for Law Enforcement?  Yes the light has a great user interface and is more durable then it's predecessor. With the addition of a holster the light becomes far more usable as an LEO.  It's priced great, compact and powerful. The only thing holding this light back is the drop height rating.

Streamlight Stylus Pro Review

Cost $19.00
Cost per lumen $0.21
Max Lumen 90
Max Runtime 6.5 hours
Power Source 2 AAA

Let's get started. I bought this light several years ago as a backup and for dui's. I paid 19 and purchase the light from Amazon. This truly is a great little light.

Pros: Built like a tank. It's practically indestructible. It has the ability to do momentary on. It's about the size of a sharpie and runs off of common batteries available just about every where. Did I mention well built even the tail cap switch is rugged. I've never had to replace it.

Cons: For what it is; none.

Recommend for  Law Enforcement? Not really. As a last resort it's a nice light but it's truly not bright enough  to be used effectively for traffic stops. That being said it truly is a great light for what most people need a flashlight for. The light now stays at home or comes with me on trips. It's been used to navigate in a few power losses including a hotel and it works great for that. So while I won't recommend it as a law enforcement flashlight, I will say it is perfect for a night stand or weather hazard kit.

Ace beam EC32 Review

Cost 52.90 plus 9 Shipping
Cost per lumen $0.05
Max output 1200 lumen for 1.2 hours
Min output 0.3 lumen for 1200 hours
Max Throw 223m
Max drop height 1meter


I purchased this light from the manufacturer at full cost.

Pros:
The cost per lumen is low at only .05 per lumen. It's a small flashlight with a ton of output. The strobe frequency is perfect. The strobe will disorientate anyone in front of it. The User interface is nice with well spaced modes with a firefly mode at only 0.3 lumens. The firefly mode is perfect for observing pupil change in low light or pupil size.  Even the medium mode at 250 lumens is brighter than a Streamlight Stinger. The flashlight is floody with a larger hotspot than a stinger. This flashlight is perfect for traffic stops; it will light up the whole interior of a car.


Cons:
The finish wears off fast exposing the bare metal. The knurling is not aggressive enough and can cause you to drop the light. The light CANNOT withstand drops. Mine fell from less than waist height and was 10-89. There is no holster with the light. The clips finish is poor and thin. The clip wears out and will easily fall off of the light.

Customer service is good but could be better. Since the product comes from China there is a slight language barrier. They sometimes do not respond to emails etc. They do stand behind their product but it's still not easy.

Do to the drop issues, no available holster, and customer service hiccups I would not recommend this flashlight for Law Enforcement Use.

Undershirts.... which ones and why.

Undershirts. Definitely a conversation that is not going to come up often is what undershirt you wear.
The absolute worst thing you can wear is 100% cotton. A cotton blend isn't much better. This includes the heavily marketed Under Armour charged cotton. Cotton is not breathable nor does it wick moisture. Once it's wet it gets heavy and sticks to you skin. For law enforcement there really is nothing better than a moisture wicking shirt made out of a synthetic such as polyester. The few times I have been asked what kind of undershirt I wear, it was always followed with," I don't know what you do for a living but I'm the Police I can't afford under armour." I always answered "I can attest we don't make a lot of money but you can afford it if you shop sales and by one piece at a time." Since then I have worn multiple high end/ high price and Burkes specials. The best overall out of any of the brands is hands down Russel 360 Dry-Fit from Walmart at roughly $14 a shirt. They are a heavy weighted synthetic. They wick moisture and keep you cool just as good as Under Amour and Nike. One issue I've had with some Under Armour in the past is that over time they peel where the vest straps go over your shoulders. It doesn't happen on all of them but it does on some. I've yet to have a Russel do that. Simply put for the price you can't beat them. If you don't believe me try it yourself I think you will be surprised.

Streamlight PolyStinger DS review

If there is one brand that goes hand in hand with Law Enforcement it's Streamlight. I would say almost every Officer in the United States owns atleast one of their products. They are a marketing genius.

Now for the review. This product was purchased 5 years ago from Chief Supply with an LEO discount for $155.00.
Max lumen 185
Max duration at max output 2 hours
Cost per lumen $0.85

THE GOOD:
It charges relatively fast. It's nice to be able to charge your light in less than 2 hours.
It's waterproof and can be dropped 3m. Having the ability to sustain being dropped is important, you will drop your light in Law Enforcement it's a given.
It has a narrow hot spot that throws a long distance if your looking for something in a distance it's nice.

Streamlight has responsive customer service to inquiries.

THE BAD
The PolyStinger DS is made of a "durable" polymer that scratches and gouges easily.
The tail switch goes bad easily on this light. It was bad within a month of purchasing. It took over a month for Streamlight to fix my light.  It quit working within 3 months of being fixed.
"C4" Technology was not new then and is surely not now. Their are far superior LED's such as Cree XP-L2 and XHP3.
The cost per lumen is high.
There is better switches available then what is used by Streamlight.
There are not many belt holsters to hold the PolyStinger DS. The tail cap and head are much larger than a normal stinger.
The hotspot is to narrow for most police work. A floody light works better for traffic stops then a thrower.

I do not recommend the PolyStinger for LEO use. There are not only better brands but better flashlights available for less money.  If your sold on getting a Streamlight then get a normal stinger there a lot more durable.

How to polish internals on a Glock

Disclaimer: I will not be held responsible for damages caused to your gun by you; proceed at your own risk.
Supplies needed:
Black permanent marker
50 rounds of ammunition or more
Gun oil( wet sand agent)
120 grit Wet/dry sand paper
1000 grit wet/dry Walmart auto detailing area
3000 grit wet/dry Walmart auto detailing area
Metal paste polish . I used metal-glo works great.

1.Take your trigger internals out. Black all the metal parts with the marker and let dry.
 2. Reassemble dry fire about 10 times.
3. Take apart and look for marker worn off areas. Remember these areas, pictures write down.
4. Reassemble and shoot 50 rounds.
5. Disassemble and look for new worn areas
6. Worn areas from step 2 get dry 120 until metal is bare.
7. Wet sand 120 worn parts from step 2 & 4
8. Dry 1000 grit step 7 parts
9. Wet 1000 grit whole assembly til bare and smooth
10. Wet 3000 grit whole assembly til silky smooth
11. Apply paste let sit a minute
12. Rub paste off with soft cotton cloth
13. Continue step 12 until you are getting clean cotton( no grey/oxidation etc)
14. Clean the rest of your gun
15. Make sure to reapply oil to trigger oil area
16. Enjoy your smooth trigger

This will make the biggest difference on new/newer guns. If your gun has seen 1000s of rounds don't expect a lot of improvement.

****BE CAREFUL **** with steps 6-8 if you remove to much metal the weapon may function differently.  I also polished my rails, safety plunger,etc. If you polish the extra parts especially the rails be very careful take to much off and you will need a new frame.

Ghost Inc Pro 3.3 review

The product reviewed was purchased by me at LEO discounted pricing.  First of all Ghost Inc has impeccable customer service. Although they have a product chart to help you select the connector , that best fits your needs I had a few questions. Oliver was quick to answer the questions and did not just try and sell the most expensive connector they make.  I chose the pro 3.3 based on what I wanted and it exceeded my expectations.  I have  tried other light trigger connectors such as Zev's that we're in friends guns. Personally alot of the light weight trigger connectors give a "hollow" feel with vibrations. It's just hard to explain unless you experience it yourself.  The pro 3.3 did not give this hollow feel. A normal Glock trigger when pulled has a very light mushy travel met with a wall of resistance. The stock trigger pull weight is in the wall. Here's what the pro 3.3 does. It eliminates the wall of resistance. It also eliminates the mushy feel in pre-travel. The pre-travel seems a tad shorter and the weight is felt through the whole pull. Trigger reset is shorter and positive. Because there is only one solid smooth pull it's easier to remain on target. The shorter reset means follow up shots are faster. The first time I shot the 27 with the new connector I was a believer when I hit dead center the first shot from the 25 yard mark. The connector required fitting. It's somewhat time consuming. Ghost Inc has helpful videos as a guide for installation. There are also step by steps on YouTube available.  I had an issue with my firearm returning to battery and messaged Oliver. He sent me a replacement spring at absolutely no cost to me and solved my issues. Like I said above impeccable customer service. The connector along with my hours of tedious sanding and polishing the internals gives me about as smooth of a trigger pull as you could ask for at a little over 3 lbs. In case your wondering all the safety features on the firearm still function flawlessly and I have had no issues with the pistol. If your on the fence about trying a connector or have been looking for one; I wholeheartedly recommend giving Ghost Inc a try.

AIWB Holster by 508Holsters review

First off let me express that I am in no way affiliated with 508 holsters. The product I am reviewing was purchased by me at full price minus the LEO discount.That said I cannot speak better of a holster manufacturer than 508 holsters. Erik is truly an artist when it comes to Kydex. Did I mention the turn around time is only 2 Weeks ; that's right 2 Weeks not over 2 months. Fast turn around, great workmanship , competitive pricing, and outstanding customer service; what more could you ask for. Let's get down to the product itself. It's an open bottom appendix carry inside the waist band holster. This is an older model and has a g-code style clip. The claw versions came out later and I've not tried that product. The kydex is contoured extremely well to the pistol. There are absolutely no imperfections or ripples in the kydex. It has a wonderful positive retention. While easily removable the holster "snaps"(positive feedback) around the weapon. It will not fall out unless you pull it out. I recently road amusement park rides while wearing it with no issues. The trigger guard is 100% enclosed with no possible way for fabric to get in it. This means you can rest assured that you won't have a misfire while wearing the holster. Even though the tigger is completely covered the bottom of  trigger guard near the handle/grip is not. This allows the product to remain safe and extremely functional. You can get a positive grip on the weapon at draw  and be in the fight instead of repositioning your hand. The edges are rounded and polished. There's not a sharp place on this whole holster it's buttery smooth.  I have had the holster for almost a year and the screws have not worked their way out yet. The only negative thing I have found is that my screws are beginning to rust. That being said I'm extremely hot natured and live in an extremely humid area. The holster itself is extremely comfortable to wear. I wear it direct center. I never liked appendix carry , but this product made me fall in love with it. It took me about 2 weeks to get use to having something press against my boys, since then I have even forgot I had it on . I'm a bigger guy about 6' 230 and I have no issues concealing the pistol without "branding." It conceals very well in just a t-shirt untucked. It conceals just as well in dress shirts tucked in. I've worn it just about every place you can imagine; hospitals, football games, church etc and have yet to have anyone look at me funny or say anything. I've worn it while driving up to 4 hours and have worn it around town for up to 16 hours with no discomfort.  The good thing is if it starts giving discomfort while driving you can take it off . When you get to where your going you can put it back on without getting out of your vehicle. You would be hard pressed to do that with an iwb worn at 5 o'clock. For all the reasons above; if you have ever considered an aiwb or are just looking for a new holster I highly suggest you give Erik's products a chance. www.508holsters.com

C.A.T Tourniquet

C.A.T Tourniquets are an invaluable piece of equipment. They save lives it's as simple as that. They are used stop arterial bleeding in limbs( arms/legs). They do this by completely cutting off the blood flow to the limb. In case your wondering yes it hurts like hell, but it beats the alternative. A lot of Departments are seeing the need and supplying officers with tourniquets or IFAKs. If not there are a few ways to get your hands on one. Your rescue squad may be able to get you one if you ask. If you know a a military medic or someone in supply you may be able to acquire some expired supplies. Yes they have an expiration but these are one item that will work just fine past it's date. Or you can purchase online from multiple suppliers.  A common question is the following: Does combat gauze and a tourniquet do the same thing? The  answer is no. Israeli Bandages are just bandages that have a handle and wrap preattatched. They allow you to apply dressing to a wound and the bar allows it to apply pressure; it however does not create enough  pressure to stop blood flow. These are great for areas that either don't require a tourniquet or are in places that a tourniquet can't be applied minus the chest. It's also important to know that C.A.Ts are not intended to be used more than once. The big Question I have is to those of you that have them? Where is it when you work. The most common place is going to be the car or IFAK. If your department lets you wear an IFAK your lucky no need to do anything different. If it's in your car and you get shot after a foot pursuit and your a mile from your car or a thousand other scenarios it's not going to do you any good. Wear it somewhere on your person. I used a Tactical Medical Solutions vest attachment purchased online at LA Police Gear. It held my tourniquet and had places for chest seals, Celox etc. It was extremely well made and did not print badly on my shirt. When I added plates to my vest, I had to quit using the attachment. My partner and myself both keep our tourniquet on the right hand side inside our outer vest between the straps, where the vest separates. Everyone else on our shift has been given an extra tourniquet by another officer and myself  to do the same thing. It cost nothing to put it in the crease and if you wear an outervest  that unzips under the arm it's an easy grab. There are companies that make boot straps for tourniquets as well or you could fashion a vest stap with some elastic and some Velcro. It's a great piece of equipment to have on you when you need it.

Some Advice for the hopefuls and rooks

While I am not an FTO( Field Training Officer) I would like to impart some advice to the hopeful and the rookies. This advice is either from personal experience and/or advice I've received from FTO s and Salty Dogs. Here it goes:
1) Have you ever seen dead bodies outside of a funeral home?If not you are now guaranteed to. I will never forget my first. A lady in her 40s. The back of her skull was missing and blood was coming out of all her eyes, ears, mouth etc.Since I've seen a multitude. Adolescent drownings, natural, suicide, murder, car wrecks,overdose etc. You will soon learn that people die at all ages from many ways every day.
2) Policing hardens you. You soon will have a very thick skin or you will leave the job. Look at point 1.
3) Because of things like point 1 you need a positive stress outlet.Lots of Officers turn to Alcohol or food. Your goal is to find something you love and do it often. Running, working out, reading, fishing. Anything that gets your mind off the job and is healthy.
4) Leave work at work and home at home.Easier said then done.
5) Spend as much time with your family as possible; treat every day as if it's your last because it truly might be.
6) Expect to lose friends you never thought you would. A lot of law abiding citizens still hate the Police. Weird I know . You don't believe me; I didn't believe my FTO either.
7) Be expected to change as a person.  You will it's inevitable. You will become more withdrawn from society. It's a stressful job . You will find yourself keepin space between yourself and others. You will watch people. You can't turn it off.
8)People tell you that eyes lead to a persons soul. It's crap people will look you dead in the eye and lie to you all day long. Ask your FTO for lying cues if he says eyes request to go to interview and interrogation.
9) Trashy people come in all walks of life. It doesn't matter race or income. Don't judge people based on how they look.
10) Treat everyone with respect and dignity no matter what they look like or what crimes they have committed. If they make you treat them bad, well that's on them.
11) You catch more bees with honey and criminals are a lot like bees,
12)  Watch people's hands as long as you see them your going home.
13) In God you trust only every one else you check in NCIC. Refer to 9. Truly dangerous people will treat you better than the common citizen.
14) SAY WHAT YOU MEAN AND MEAN WHAT YOU SAY. If you tell someone there going to jail take them. If you tell them your going to let them go if they tell you the truth let them. This is were you get your reputation.
15) Not everyone who commits crimes are bad people.
16) Everyone is mam/sir unless they are fighting you. You gain respect by giving it.
17)  You can be proactive without being a prick. Learn to community police. Get out and talk to people in the community; listen to the needs of the community and try to meet the needs.
18) Be an active listener. When someone talks listen until they are done don't simply think of ways to solve their problems the whole time they speak. You will be surprised at what you learn when you truly listen.
19) Great Effective report writing is one of if not the most critical skill an officer can possess. Great reports win court cases. GREAT REPORT WRITING WINS CASES.
20)When you get hired you will hear a lot of old Officers(salty dogs) talk very negatively about the department or Policing in general. Don't let them get you down.
21) DONT BE A HYPOCRITE. It's my pet peeve. How can you write someone a ticket for speeding, seatbelt, insurance etc if you break the same law.
22)MAKE IT HOME AT ALL COST!!!!

The introduction

I would like to give an intro. I'm a Law Enforcement Officer and have been for several years at an undisclosed department. My department has a very strict social media policy; therefore my department will never be disclosed and we can call myself Scott for formal purposes. The aim of this blog will consist of mainly product reviews for would be's, rooks, baby birds,and salty dogs alike. However it will also contain some personal opinions, advice,and commentary on Law Enforcement and current issues.