The ability to temporarily blind and stagger a criminal with incredibly bright output is an often-heard claim, but is there such a thing as too much? “Yes, there absolutely is, especially in our world of law enforcement,” explained Michael Hess, vice president of Armament Systems & Procedures (ASP) — one of the foremost suppliers of law enforcement gear in the United States. “…in indoor environments, high-output lights produce backsplash against walls and other reflective or semi-reflective surfaces. This can actually reduce the amount that the user can see — the opposite of what a flashlight is for. Needless to say, for a police officer or anyone else in a potentially hazardous environment, being blinded by one’s own flashlight can be really bad news.