The LED Police Light Bar

Dec 2, 2011 by admin

Police lights are critically important to the work of law enforcement. When a police car pulls up behind a suspect’s car, he turns his vehicle approximately 15 degrees to the left, putting his car between himself and the suspect. This is known as a “felony takedown” position. Some of the police lights on the top of the vehicle are always positioned 15 degrees to the passenger’s side. When the policeman turns his car, these “takedown” lights, as they are called, shine directly into the suspect’s car. The technology behind police lights has changed, and so have the techniques and methods police officers use to make an arrest.

Older designs consisted of an incandescent bulb mounted to the roof or sides of the vehicle. The bulb was surrounded by a rotating half-mirror. As the half-mirror spun, it broke up the light into flashes, which created the familiar alternating flashes of red and blue light associated with emergency vehicles. This assembly was cumbersome and added to the air resistance of the vehicle. Maintenance and repair were also frequent issues. Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) changed the design of police lights by replacing incandescent bulbs.

LEDs generate light by passing electricity through a semiconductor. Depending on the materials used to make the semiconductor, LEDs can generate any color desired. Red and blue LEDs are used most often in police lights. A popular design is the light bar, made by arranging rows of LEDs into the shape of a rectangle. The light bar is often thin and able to be attached on the roof or sides of the vehicle. Featuring takedown lights on both sides, LED police light bars are a great addition to any police force, helping to save lives and keep officers safe as they enforce the law.

Smaller LED light bars can be mounted almost anywhere on a vehicle. Some LED police lights are mounted inside the radiator grille or on the back of sun visors inside the car. Concealment affords greater opportunities for undercover or plainclothes officers. LED police light bar installations are the next generation of police lights, offering the maximum protection for officers as they do their jobs.