Lt. David A. Ricardi, of the Southwick Police Department, uses a non-firing training pistol to demonstrate a new light emitting diode light that attaches to the weapon. The Southwick Board of Selectmen recently approved the funds to purchase the new TLR-1 Steamlights. (Photo by chief photographer Frederick Gore)
SOUTHWICK – The Southwick Board of Selectmen approved a fund transfer for police equipment this week.
The Southwick Police Department requested $6,000 to purchase lights for its existing firearms, as well as holsters.
Police Chief Mark Krynicki said during a qualification training for firearms, the trainer identified a “weakness” in the department’s low-light, or night, shooting.
“We are trained with a flashlight in one hand and a firearm in the other,” Krynicki said, “so the officer is doing two tasks and in a high stress situation, your attention is divided.”
New technology is now part of a newly-developed system where a light is mounted to the bottom rail of a firarm, allowing an officer to have a free hand. The $6,000 reserve transfer would purchase the lights and new holsters for every full-time and reserve office in the department.
“This makes it a simpler task, a one-handed task,” said Krynicki. “It frees up a hand to save a life or open a door when checking a building because without this, you have a flashlight in one hand and a weaopn in the other – how can you open a door or drag someone from harm’s way?”
Police gave a demonstration of the equipment to the board this week using a fake weapon called a Blue Gun.
“They agreed with us,” said Krynicki.
The transfer should take place in the next few weeks and the equipment will be ordered. Krynicki said the lights cost $100 each and the holsters are $139 each.
