As a law enforcement officer, there are several pieces of gear that I carry. Some get used very rarely, if ever like OC spray and my taser. Some get used virtually daily, such as my handcuffs and radio. One item, in particular, gets used in a variety of ways in a variety of scenarios. The flashlight. Everyone imagines cops as carrying a big mag light or what other LEOs know as the SL 20. They are big, bright, and double as an impact weapon. The downfall is that they take up a lot of precious belt space and are quite cumbersome. That is why, while most cops still carry their large light in their car, they are also following suit with the rest of the tactical community and trying to streamline our gear. Enter the 5.11 Rapid L2. Small, compact, and bright. You sacrifice no belt space by carrying it and have it readily available for vehicle searches, threat assessments, or light your way through the woods on a foot chase. It isn’t the only light you should carry, you would be a fool to only have one light, but it should absolutely be the one you carry on you for all occasions.
Author – Wes Nanny is former Marine with combat deployments to Afghanistan. He is now pursuing a career in law enforcement.
