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LOW-LIGHT LOW-LIGHT LO TRAINING TRAININGTR

LOW-LIGHT DRILLS
How do you teach those survival skills? Below, Ive listed some low-light training non-shooting drills that will help your officers learn how to make light an ally through guided discovery. By giving students a scenarioputting them in the middle of a situationthe officers get practical experience while discovering on their own what works best for them. The key: Instruct the officers to observe the effects of light from numerous perspectives so they learn how to make effective use of light under real-world conditions. LIGHTS ON-AND-OFF DEMO SEARCH DRILLS KIMS GAMES
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Position one half of the students inside the classroom looking out a window, and the other half outside. Turn the lights on in classroom, with no lights outside; Turn the lights on in classroom, with lights on outside;

Students take turns searching and observing inside a room. During the search, students should be able to identify guns and other items. Scenarios should include: Constant-on flashlight; Flashing and moving; Painting and moving; Door backlighting; Strobe lights; Offensive light use; and a

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Turn the lights off in classroom, with lights on outside; and

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Turn the lights off in classroom, with the lights off outside. LEARNING OBJECTIVE: If you are in a darker environment than your adversaries, its harder for them to see you than vice versa.

Hall drill (moving behind an intense, high-powered light). LEARNING OBJECTIVE: The students should learn how to observe, how to use light intermittently, how to move and how to search for cover, and they should learn the pros and cons of these different techniques.

I learned these drills from sniper-instructor schools. Students must identify objects and colors under time and illumination pressures. They must identify objects held by the instructor from 1520 yards by using a flash or paint technique from behind cover. We use the 1520 yard range because its the maximum effective range for most tactical flashlights. Team One Instructor John Zamrok says, You cant outshoot your light, which means you must always be able to identify your target. Students should make IDs from the following positions: Straight on (using only the flashlight); With the suspect backlit; With the suspect side-lit at 90-degree angle; and With one student off-center with another student opposite of center (using only the flashlights).

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PATROL CAR DEMO

Students should observe what the officer looks like in the car: With the interior light on (white); With the overhead light on (red);
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TO HOST OR SCHEDULE A CLASS, PLEASE CONTACT: Team One Network 800.618.3001 321.725.9911 877.201.4909 www.dickkramer.com www.portatarget.com www.21stairsoft.com John T. Meyer, Jr. 620 Richards Ferry Rd Fredericksburg, VA 22406 Phone Number: 540.752.8190 BY JOHN T. MEYER, JR. Fax Number: 540.752.8192 540.434.8974 636.343.7547 800.428.0588 E-mail: john@teamonenetwork.com www.tacsurv.com www.eagleindustries.com you train. While During a recent meeting of Team One Networkwww.protecharmored.com instructors must know all of the Web: www.teamonenetwork.com

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Not just a shot in the dark

instructors, more than 20 of us spent time discussing low-light training, which we agreed is a critical but sometimes short-changed component of officer-survival courses. What follows summarizes what we discussed, our conclusions about how to enhance low-light training and current doctrine dealing with weapon-mounted lights. 734.741.8868

techniques in order to offer various options to their trainees, those officers must find what works best for them and then practice that technique or techniques until they are proficient. Just like shooting skills, consistency and reinforcement are positive and critical factors in officer-survival training. 410.454.6480 703.897.1111 Officers who survive deadly encounters do so www.underarmour.com www.eotech-inc.com www. quanticoarms.com because they fight the way theyve been trained. We also agreed on another issue: As instructors, Training Truths We discovered many of us have been teaching low- we must do more that just teach flashlight-shooting light techniques for years. Most started with the FBI techniques. We must teach officers how to operate technique (shown above) and then progressed to the in low-light conditions, and how to use light and Harries (see photos, p. 48). These days, there are darkness, shadow, silhouette and even shock and more than eight versions of flashlight techniques awe to gain the tactical advantage. While knowing 800.441.3005 800.527.3703 800.865.7840 www.zeiss.com www.lasermax.com how to shoot with many names, but we agreed that no matter how www. redmangear.com a gun with a flashlight is certainly a many techniques you try, you must find the one or necessary survival tool, the officer operates in lowtwo that work best for you and stick with them light conditions far more than they shoot in lowinstead of introducing new techniques every time light conditions.

Not just a shot in the darkNot

A handgun, stainless; We must teach A blue or red handgun; Holding a lit cigarette lighter; officers how to A screwdriver or knife; Holding a live cell phone; A baseball bat; use light & With the headlights on and off; A long gun; darkness, With the overheads on and off; A flashlight; Holding a live penlight or shadow, BY JOHN T. MEYER, JR.A badge; stylus light; and A rubber hose; As the vehicle approaches using silhouette & wallet; and different lighting techniques to During a recent meeting of Team One Network you train. While instructors must know all of the During even shock in orderAto offer various options to their a rece distract. A spray can. instructors, more than 20 of us spent time discussing techniques instructors, mo LEARNING OBJECTIVE: It doesnt take LEARNING OBJECTIVE: The works low-light traini & awe to low-light training, which we agreed is a critical but trainees, those officers must find whatstudents best much to light you up, but light shining in should how it is to identify sometimes short-changedacomponent of officer-sur- tactical then practice that technique or techyour adversarys eyes will make huge gain the for them andthey are learncolorsdifficultstress without sometimes shor objects and under proficient. additional light vival courses. they canfollowshow vival courses. difference in what What see and summarizes what we niques until proper light, and how Just like shooting advantage. they react. reinforcement make the discussed, our discussed, our conclusions about how to enhance skills, consistency andand the use of anglesare positive sources
PHOTO COURTESY SUREFIRE

They should try to identify the following items:

With a laptop computer or MDT on;

low-light training and current doctrine dealing with weapon-mounted lights.

Weapon-Mounted Lights Training Truths In a recent PoliceOne.com survey, been teaching the We discovered many of us have nearly half of lowmore than 1,100 officers polled worked in agencies light techniques for years. Most started with the FBI that allowed the use of and then progressed to the technique (shown above) weapon-mounted lights. Heres our take on these48). These days, there are Harries (see photos, p. tools: The gun-mounted light enhances an versions ability to identify and more than eight officers of flashlight techniques with many names, but we agreed that no matter how engage a target if the officer has justification/reason many their gun you try, you must gun-mounted to drawtechniques in the first place. Afind the one or two that an illumination tool; consider it an elelight is not work best for you and stick with them instead law-enforcement weapons system. ment of a of introducing new techniques every time

situation easier. and critical factors in officer-survival training. low-light traini Officers who survive deadly encounters do weapon-mount so because they fight the way theyve been trained. We that in mind, another issue: As instructors, Withalso agreed onwe strongly recommend that Training Truths we must do install lights teach flashlight-shooting officers who more that justdesigned to mount onWe discovered a techniques. We holster to officers how to operate technique pistol purchase amust teachaccommodate the pistol light in the light attached. (The PoliceOne.com and withlow-light conditions, and how to use lightpoll technique (show darkness, shadow, silhouette and even shock and found that roughly 40 percent of the officers polled Harries (see p awe to a weapons-mounted light carried a holster who usedgain the tactical advantage. While knowing more than eig how to shoot a light to a flashlight is certainly that allowed the gun withremain on the handgun.)a many nam with necessary survival make such duty holsters. Many manufacturerstool, the officer operates in lowmany techniqu light conditions far more manufacturers in low- that work We dont contradict than they shoot two light conditions. instead of intr policiesalways verify the weapon is

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ls that will helpHow do you teach those survival skills? Below, Ive listed some low-light training non-shooting drills that will help putting them inyour officers learn how to make light an ally through guided discovery. By giving students a scenarioputting them in works best forthe middle of a situationthe officers get practical experience while discovering on their own what works best for y learn how tothem. The key: Instruct the officers to observe the effects of light from numerous perspectives so they learn how to make effective use of light under real-world conditions. LIGHTS ON-AND-OFF DEMO SEARCH DRILLS KIMS GAMES

sniper-instruc- Position one half of the students inside st identify the classroom looking out a window, time and illumi- and the other half outside. ust identify Turn the lights on in classroom, ctor from 1520 with no lights outside; paint technique Turn the lights on in classroom, e the 1520 yard with lights on outside; aximum effective Turn the lights off in classroom, shlights. Team with lights on outside; and ok says, You which means Turn the lights off in classroom, to identify your with the lights off outside. make IDs from the LEARNING OBJECTIVE: If you are in a darker environment than your the flashlight); adversaries, its harder for them to see you than vice versa. lit;

LOW-LIGHT TRAINING
LOW-LIGHT DRILLS
Students take turns searching and observing inside a room. During the search, students should be able to identify guns and other items. Scenarios should include: Constant-on flashlight; Flashing and moving; Painting and moving; Door backlighting; Strobe lights; Offensive light use; and a Hall drill (moving behind an intense, high-powered light). I learned these drills from sniper-instructor schools. Students must identify objects and colors under time and illumination pressures. They must identify objects held by the instructor from 1520 yards by using a flash or paint technique from behind cover. We use the 1520 yard range because its the maximum effective range for most tactical flashlights. Team One Instructor John Zamrok says, You cant outshoot your light, which means you must always be able to identify your target. Students should make IDs from the following positions: Straight on (using only the flashlight);

LOW-LIGHT DRILLS
How do you teach those survival skills? Below, Ive listed some low-light training non-shooting drills that will help your officers learn how to make light an ally through guided discovery. By giving students a scenarioputting them in the middle of a situationthe officers get practical experience while discovering on their own what works best for them. The key: Instruct the officers to observe the effects of light from numerous perspectives so they learn how to make effective use of light under real-world conditions. LIGHTS ON-AND-OFF DEMO
Position one half of the students inside the classroom looking out a window, and the other half outside. Turn the lights on in classroom, with no lights outside; Turn the lights on in classroom, with lights on outside;

SEARCH DRILLS
Students take turns searching and observing inside a room. During the search, students should be able to identify guns and other items. Scenarios should include:
PHOTO JOHN MEYER

KIMS GAMES
I learned these drills from sniper-instructor schools. Students must identify objects and colors under time and illumination pressures. They must identify objects held by the instructor from 1520 yards by using a flash or paint technique from behind cover. We use the 1520 yard range because its the maximum effective range for most tactical flashlights. Team One Instructor John Zamrok says, You cant outshoot your light, which means you must always be able to identify your target. Students should make IDs from the following positions:

PHOTO JOHN MEYER

Constant-on flashlight; Flashing and moving;

lit at 90-degree

enter with site of center hts).

PATROL CAR DEMO

Students should observe what the officer looks like in the car: With the interior light on (white); With the overhead light on (red); With a laptop computer or MDT on;

y the

The students it is to identify stress without ditional light ngles make the

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Not just a shot in the dark

We must teach We must teach Holding a lit cigarette lighter; officers how to officers how to Holding a live cell phone; use light & use light & With the headlights on and off; darkness, darkness, With the overheads on and off; Holding a live penlight or shadow, shadow, BY JOHN T. MEYER, JR. stylus light; and As the vehicle approaches using silhouette & reflex action and subsequent negligent discharge. silhouette & reflex action the dark, and many officers who work dayshift may find in and subsequent negligent discharge. A wallet; and different lighting techniques to different lighting techniques to you train. While instructors must know all of the its impractical Furthermore, we also strongly believe Furthermore, wesearching dimly lit buildings during the middle also strongly believe its impractical During a recent meeting of Team One Network themselves even shock even shock distract. distract. A spray order to offer various options weapon you and unsafe if you must draw your weaponrealistic training, an addiinstructors, more than 20 of us spent time discussing techniques in and unsafe ifcan. must draw your to their but then have to of the day. But with adequate, but then have to LEARNING OBJECTIVE: It doesnt take LEARNING OBJECTIVE: It doesnt take LEARNING OBJECTIVE: The works & awe to & awe low-light training, which we agreed is a critical but trainees, those officersin orderfind whatthe tactical light. And finally,much to lightit tionalbut light shiningthe tactical light. ability to handle diffiunload it must to install students best unload you up, light will increase the officers And finally, to in order to install in much to light you up, but light shining in should learn how difficult it is to identify for them and such practice that technique or techsometimes short-changedacomponent of officer-sur- tactical then holsters address the issue of reholstering as wellyoursuch holsters address the issue of reholstering as well cult, will make a huge your adversarys eyes will make huge adversarys eyeslow-light situations. gain the tactical gain the objects and colors under stress without vival courses. they canfollowshow being forced and how Just like shooting being forced to can see your light before provide realistic Instructors should difference in what What see and summarizes what we niques until they are light, to remove your light before holstering hin-difference in what theyremove and how strive to holstering hin- training proper proficient. additional light advantage. advantage. they react. react. discussed, our conclusions about how to enhance skills, consistency yourand the use of promptly positive scenarios to promptly de-escalate a they can ders and reinforcement are de-escalate a situationthey ders your ability that give students experience situationuse in the ability to angles make the sources
PHOTO COURTESY SUREFIRE

Hall drill (moving behind an intense, darker environment than your high-powered teach Straight system. only the flashlight); of a weapons system. Therefore, we must light). our officers of a weapons on (using Therefore, we must teach our officers adversaries, its harder for them to see LEARNING OBJECTIVE: The students LEARNING weapons system in a you than vice versa. to point the light-equipped firearm OBJECTIVE: The students to point the light-equipped firearm weapons system in a With the suspect backlit; With the suspect backlit; should learn how to observe, how to should safe direction at all times, andlearn how to observe, how to point the light-equipped safe directionsuspect side-lit atand point the light-equipped With the suspect side-lit at 90-degree With the at all times, 90-degree use light intermittently, how to move and use light intermittently, how to move and angle; and angle; and firearm at someone only whento search for cover, and they should firearm at someone only when justified. Once drawn, howhow to search for cover, and they should how justified. Once drawn, however, the light-equipped firearm carried at a of theseposiready different ever, the light-equipped firearm carried at a ready posiWith one student off-center with With one student off-center with learn the pros and cons of these different learn the pros and cons PATROL CAR DEMO another student opposite of center another should project center techniques. techniques. tion can and should project sufficient ambient light for tion can andstudent opposite of sufficient ambient light for Students should observe what the (using only the flashlights). (using navigation. navigation. only the flashlights). officer looks like in the car: Officers should also check their firearm for proper operOfficers should identify the their firearm for proper operThey should try to identify the They should try to also check With the interior light on (white); following items: following a gun-mounted light attached prior to any ation with a gun-mounted light attached prior to any ation with items: With the overhead light on (red); A handgun, stainless; A handgun, some cases, the additional weight has deployment. In some cases, the additional weight has deployment. In stainless; With a laptop computer or MDT on; affected firearm performance, and adding a light may also affectedblue or red handgun; A blue or red handgun; A firearm performance, and adding a light may also Holding a lit cigarette lighter; affect the firearms handling characteristics if you dont affect Athe firearms knife; A screwdriver or knife; screwdriver or handling characteristics if you dont Holding a live cell phone; train with it attached. train with it attached. A baseball bat; A baseball bat; unloaded before you attempt to mount or remove a light. With the headlights on and off; unloaded before you attempt to mount or remove a light. A long gun; A long gun; Installing a light on the gun requires fine motor skills. With the overheads on on the gun requires fine motor skills. InstallingSummary and off; a light Summary A flashlight; A flashlight; Attempting to do this with the gun loaded could cause the Holding a live penlightthisshootings occur at night. Many officers working Attempting to do or with the gun loaded could cause the Most police Most police shootings occur at night. Many officers working A badge; A badge; officer to laser themselves, or worse, have an involuntary stylus light; and themselves,aor worse, have an involuntary officer to nightshift spend high percentage of their working hours laser nightshift spend a high percentage of their working hours A rubber hose; A rubber hose; As the vehicle approaches using
PHOTOS COURTESY SUREFIRE PHOTOS COURTESY SUREFIRE

A gun-mounted and moving;is Painting light not an illumination tool; Door backlighting; Turn the lightsconsider it an element of a lawoff in classroom, Strobe lights; with the lights off outside. Offensive light use; and a enforcement weapons system. LEARNING OBJECTIVE: If you are in a
Turn the lights off in classroom, with lights on outside; and

A gun-mounted light is not an illumination tool; consider it an element of a lawenforcement weapons system.

low-light training and current doctrine dealing with weapon-mounted lights.

commend that Weapon-Mounted Lights Training Truths to mount on We recent PoliceOne.com survey, been teaching the Inaa discovered many of us have nearly half of lowdate the pistol more than 1,100 officers polled worked in agencies light techniques for years. Most started with the FBI eOne.com poll allowed the use of and then progressed to the that technique (shown above) weapon-mounted lights. officers polled Heres our take on these48). These days, there are Harries (see photos, p. tools: The gun-mounted rried a holster enhances an versions ability to identify and light than eight officers of flashlight techniques more the handgun.) with many names, but we agreed that no matter how engage a target if the officer has justification/reason holsters. to drawtechniques in the first place. Afind the one or many their gun you try, you must gun-mounted two that an illumination tool; consider it an eleurers light is not work best for you and stick with them instead law-enforcement weapons system. on is ment of a of introducing new techniques every time

in the dark, and many officers who work dayshift may find A wallet; and themselves searching dimly lit buildings during the middle spray can. of theAday. But with adequate, realistic training, an addiLEARNING OBJECTIVE: The students tional light will increase the officers ability to handle diffishould learn how difficult it is to identify cult, low-light situations. objects and colors under stress without Instructors should strive light proper light, and how additionalto provide realistic training scenarios that the use of angles make the they can use in the sources and give students experience situation easier. situation easier. and critical factors in officer-survival a training. field. The bottom line: Gun-mounted lights will aid identifiand may force you to handle loaded weapon in a danand may field. The bottom line:aGun-mounted lights a dan- identififorce you to handle loaded weapon in will aid Officers who gerous manner. survive deadly encounters do so gerous manner. and enhance the officers tactical ability, which cation cation and enhance the officers tactical ability, which because they fight the way theyve been trained. In addition, the justification for drawing and pointing In addition, the justification forsafety of officers and the public in turn will increase the drawing and pointing in turn will increase the safety of officers and the public LOM We that in mind, another not change simply because the officer Withalso agreed onwe shouldissue: As instructors, the firearm strongly recommend that the firearm Lights that they serve. Weapon-Mountedshould not change simply because the officer With LOM in mind, we strongly recommend that they serve. we must do install lights teach flashlight-shooting officers who more that justdesigned to Officers on a still carry bothIn a recentlight on the firearm. Officers musthalf of theboth a has a light on the firearm. mount must a has a PoliceOne.com survey, nearly still carry officers who install lights designed to mount on a JOHN T. MEYER a is president flashlight even techniques. Weamust flashlight and ahow to operate pistol purchaseprimary teachaccommodate the pistol holster to officers secondary flashlight even if they pistol purchaseJOHN T. MEYER JR. is president of Team a holster to accommodate the pistol moreprimary flashlight andpolled worked in agenciesif they than 1,100 officers JR.secondaryof Team One Network, LLC, a company established to One Network, LLC, a company established to in the light have a weapon-mounted light, lightpoll withlow-light conditions, and how to usebecauseandtime spent using attached. (The PoliceOne.com the attached. (The PoliceOne.com poll that have a weapon-mounted and market variousthe time spent using the light test, evaluate, train and market various manallowed test, evaluate, train light, because man- lights. with the use of weapon-mounted For Meyer: For darkness, shadow, silhouette and even shock and found that roughly 40 percent of the tool far exceeds the time spent fira light as an operational officers polled a our take operational tool far The gun-mountedmore firan on officer tools: exceeds the Heres light as ufacturers thesesurvival-related products. time spentfound that roughly 40 officer survival-related officers polled more Meyer: ufacturers percent of the products. www.PoliceOne.com/meyer www.PoliceOne.com/meyer Meyer officers ability to identify and Meyer spent 15 years light carried awe to a weapons-mounted light carried a holster who usedgain the tactical advantage. While knowing ing a weapon with a light. Indeed, similar doctrine has has light ing a weapon spent 15 years withIndeed, Koch, enhances anwith a light. Heckler & similar doctrine who used a weapons-mounted with Heckler & Koch,a holster Inc., and was a lieutenant with the DOD Inc., and was a lieutenant with the DOD how to shoot a light tofor many years is certainly a flashlight lights mounted that allowed the gun withremain on the handgun.)a on long guns. addressed addressedPolice, manyheyears as special reaction team leader. guns. president engage a targetfor the officer hasajustification/reason Hethat allowed the light to remaina on the handgun.) He is vice president if where served lights mounted on long is vice Police, where he served as special reaction team leader. necessary survival make such duty holsters.in concern the officer draw their of the International Association of Law Enforcementthe officer manufacturers make such duty holsters. Many manufacturerstool, thelights eliminates anylowHaving these officer operates Having these in the eliminates anygun-mounted Many a to gun lights first place. A concern Firearms Instructors, of the International Association of Law Enforcement Firearms Instructors, a member of the Policeone.com advisory board an a light. light conditions farhave to manufacturers ablelowWe dont would more draw his gun to be in to employ a light. light would haveillumination tool;be able to employ ele- One Training dont member of the Policeone.com advisory board and the Police One Training We contradict than they shoot contradict manufacturers is not an to draw his gun to consider itand the Police Network, and a member of the American Society of Law Enforcement Trainers Network, and a member of the American Society of Law Enforcement Trainers light conditions. Again, the weapon is Again, whenCommittee. to the gun, a light mounted policiesalways verify when mounted to the gun, a light becomes part policiesalways verify the weapon is ment of a law-enforcement weapons system. becomes part Firearms Firearms Committee.

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