Not long ago we introduced you to the safety banners from DSM Safety Products. These bright, reflective banners can quickly identify you as a plainclothes/off-duty POLICE officer or LEOSA armed, retired law enforcement officer and hopefully prevent a “blue on blue” tragedy. I’ve been wearing the black, nylon pouch containing my LEOSA banner whenever I am armed. Having demonstrated the banner at several recent seminars I’ve taught has made me fairly adept at re-rolling the banner for storage in the pouch and I noticed the banner didn’t quite fill the pouch.
As one who likes to be prepared for every eventuality, I also carry a small LED flashlight on my person when armed. I have a great little single-cell Surefire light, which uses a CR123 lithium battery, but it still takes up significant pocket space. The Streamlight is too “fat” to occupy the spare space in my DSM banner pouch, so I went looking for a thinner light. There are several high-quality lights on the market that take AAA batteries, but most were far less powerful than my Surefire or too large to fit into the banner pouch. Finally, just like Goldilocks, I found one that is just right!
Brite Strike Technologies makes a model they call the Executive Precision Lighting Instrument (EPLI). The machined aluminum and stainless steel EPLI puts out an impressive 160 lumens on the brightest setting, more than enough for any concealed carry need. Using two AAA batteries it claims a 1.5 hour run time on bright and up to eight hours on the 10 lumen low setting. The tailcap switch allows either momentary or constant-on use at three different settings (bright, low or strobe) and the pocket clip holds it in the banner pouch perfectly, staying in place even when the banner is deployed. Now I have my flashlight, and more pocket space to boot, and I can wholeheartedly recommend the ELPI.
The MSRP for the ELPI is $80 and is currently on special for Father’s day.
Help us spread the word about the LEOSA banner — LEOSA stands for the Law Enforcement Officer’s Safety Act — and LEOSA means I am FRIEND not foe. Go armed all the time, you never know when IT will happen before your eyes. Not here! Not Today!
