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pq CROSSOVER/HARRIES TECHNIQUE LIGHTS DURING DAYLIGHT CAN ALSO BE USED TO BLIND OR DISORIENT A SUSPECT. with them, so if you use an ice pick grip with a thumb switch, you need to have the light in your hand with an ice pick grip before you worry about your gun. While parallel techniques provide initial supported shooting, by the time the second and third rounds leave the barrel, your grip has most likely gone one-handed. Tis is due to the forces of recoil acting against the isometric tension you are applying. If you train that technique, it will have less efect on your accuracy. If you don���t, you will spend precious time you don���t have trying to fnd your sights for follow-up shots. Crossover Techniques Crossover light/gun techniques (Harries Technique) involve the crossing of your gun and support hand while assuming the grip. Tis is the most complicated grip style of any of them because it requires a little bit of coordination to keep from fagging yourself as you present the weapon. Te key point to remember here is the muzzle of your weapon needs to be past your support arm and hand before bringing the support hand into place on the grip. Tis typically ends up with the backs of your hands touching one another, although it can also result in your support hand being positioned near the trigger guard. If you use a light with a switch near the light���s bezel, you will most likely use your thumb to activate the light. In this case, you must have the light in your hand with a proper grip or you might wind up pointing the light at your face and your weapon at your adversary. You know the saying, ���One is none and two is one.��� Since you never know when something is going to break, get lost, stolen, or be taken from you, this advice defnitely applies to police lights. A compact, beltmounted light should be a backup to your large, rechargeable light, which you may have to use as an impact tool. Have a handgunmounted light (and proper holster) and another light mounted to your patrol rife. Make sure you have enough extra batteries for each and a schedule to replace them like you do with your household smoke detectors. Do not use your weapon-mounted lights in an administrative mode to search for things (items or evidence). Weapon-mounted lights are used for identifying friends and foes alike and nothing more. Shooting without a gunmounted light (or a handheld light) is like shooting with your eyes closed. Low-light frearms techniques are vital to law enforcement operations regardless of the shift you work. Low-light conditions can and do occur anywhere and without warning. It is our responsibility to be ready to apply the fundamentals correctly the frst time under stress. Understand we need to deploy the light when needed, ensuring the beam of light goes exactly where we need it to go precisely when we intend for it to get there. Lastly, when it comes time to apply deadly force, we need to know which light/handgun technique is appropriate and more importantly, that our profciency with the techniques is already solid. Anthony Winegar is the Chief Ranger of an urban park in the southeast region. He may be reached at anthony_winegar@nps.gov. Photos courtesy of Richard Hecht. Post your comments on this story by visiting www.trmagonline.com www.trmagonline.com 49