Tips on choosing the correct Police Bike Lights for your Bicycle Patrol Needs

1.) Will I be riding at night in low-light situations, or will I be riding in an area with sufficient overhead lighting? 2.) Will the bicycle be used at night frequently, and for long periods at a time? 3.) Do I need lights to see, or do I need lights that let me be seen and identified as a law enforcement, security, or safety person. 4.) Do I need to be heard as well as seen? 5.) Do I need lights in the front only, or also in the rear of my bike for safety purposes?

If you are going to be riding in a low-light situation, where you need to illuminate your path, you will want to equip your bike with a quality headlight. In choosing your light system, also consider the time that you are going to be riding at night. A light system with a rechargeable battery, such as the Niterider Digital Patrol, or the Alerte Trailblazer II, may cost more money upfront, but do not forget to consider the cost of replacement batteries for light systems that do not use chargeable battery units. The light systems with the rechargeable packs also provide more power and light than the lower priced systems that operate on regular disposable batteries.

If you want to be identified as an officer, there are a variety of options for lens colors that will identify you while on a bicycle. The Niterider Digital Patrol has a built in wig-wag mode that will flash one beam and then the other. Available for this system is a flip lens that you can quickly flip down when riding and it will flash red/blue with the lens down – identifying you as a police officer on a bike. With this system, you can also add a taillight that is visible in the daylight, as well as a siren. The entire system operates on the rechargeable battery that fits in one of the water bottle cages on your police bike. This system has been specifically designed for Police use and provides a tremendous amount of light with a variety of light settings.

The Alerte Trailblazer II is another system that has been designed specifically for police bike, security and EMS use. It is an LED system that has two white beams in the front for illuminating the path ahead. On each side of the central white light is a pursuit color. You have a choice of pursuit colors and in the rear of the bike is an amber taillight for safety, as well as pursuit lights. The Trailblazer light system also includes a siren that is available with a hi-lo or wail siren. Power is provided by a battery that fits in the water bottle holder.

If you do not need a complete light system, or just need pursuit type lights, we recommend the Lightman Dual Strobe Light system. The pursuit lights are very bright Xeon strobes that quickly mount to your handlebars. A remote switch allows you to turn them on and they are viewable from a long distance.

If you are not doing a great deal of night riding, the dual strobes are an excellent choice because they will identify you as a police officer once you turn them on. A taillight is also available for safety purposes. We highly recommend a taillight to make you visible to traffic.

The dual strobe lights can also be used in conjunction with a regular headlight, be it a rechargeable light such as the Niterider Trailrat II, or a commuter LED headlight such as the Blackburn Quadrant Headlight/Taillight combo.

As you can see, there are a number of options available to choose from. What is most important is for the lights to fulfill your needs in a practical and safe way.