On occasion I see officers with their large squad flashlights hanging on a ring in the small of their back. While it may be equally accessible to both hands, this is not a good practice.
Any hard object worn over your spine can be hazardous to your health. Landing on a flashlight, cuff case or any other hard object can cause damage to the spine. You risk the chance of dislocating the vertebrae or worse, severing your spine should you fall on or are thrown into a hard object.
The length of the flashlight also extends down to your tailbone, known as the coccyx. Falling back onto the flashlight could bruise, dislocate or break the coccyx. The injury can result in severe pain and make sitting uncomfortable.
Wear your flashlight and any other hard equipment away from your spine to ensure you never have to deal with the pain caused by this type of injury.
