Is my Mini mag modded flashlight illegal to ...?

Law enforcement officers in the U.S. are not required to know the law, so they’re a terrible source for legal opinions. Even most attorneys only know their narrow field of practice. Best bet is to look up the laws of your state, and maybe see if you can get an attorney with the right subscriptions to search for relevant cases.

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What’s funny is that the 2020 Jetbeam RRT-03 has exactly that mode.

^ And so does the Wuben Gecko E61 (similar, at least).

Thanks for the explanation manithree, I was not aware of that! :+1:

A citation would be appreciated. I’ve never heard it claimed that using red and blue flashing lights counts as impersonating an officer, except obviously if you do so on your car.

However, using unapproved lighting even of white or red on a car is illegal, and you can be ticketed for doing so. I just looked up my state laws on this to be certain, and they specifically state it is an infraction, rather than a crime like impersonating a police officer would be. You could not be arrested for unapproved lighting (although you could be arrested for failure to stop if you don’t comply when they cite you). The requirements in my state are:

- No flashing lights except warning lights, turn signals, and bicycle tail lights (I believe this means flashing bike headlights are prohibited, although this is clearly not - enforced).

- No red lights visible from the front.

- No blue lights, except on law enforcement vehicles, and classic cars may have a “blue dot”

  • No lighted signs capable of changing text (eg - to send road rage messages).

Reading my states laws about criminal impersonation, using red and blue flashing lights on a car would likely meet the standard of “creates an impression that he or she is a law enforcement officer,” but I don’t see how using them in a manner not plainly visible from a road would.

All points mentioned is correct, I made a mentions as the “intent” of what the OP wanted to do was unclear and also mentioned “Will this light get me into trouble with the law if used within reason?” I don’t see within any reason that one would need a strobe pattern similar to that of an emergency vehicle. As to my mention of “impersonation” someone or anyone whom dislikes what the OP does with such a light etc could easily report him and claim such an event and that is more than enough to get law enforcement to investigate.

My question is what is even the purpose of having such a mode? Is there any practicality in the flashing red/blue aside from amusing oneself?

New York is a fascist state. Since the CCP virus pandemic, the already tyrannical governor became a full fledged dictator. The state can punish you regardless if you broke one of their endless laws (most of which the public would never consent to) or not.

As to the flashing red/blue lights, I doubt most cops will care unless you use it while in a vehicle to impersonate the police/speed/pull people over or the like.

only if it can also be used as a silencer…

Considering that you could be arrested and convicted of a DUI if you’re sleeping it off in the backseat of your car, which is up on blocks, with keys locked in the glovebox, and all 4 flat tires, and no gas in the tank, and a dead battery to boot, I’d be leery of any semblance of “common sense” being used in (mis)applying the law anywhere.

Flash red’n’blue at your own peril.

I’ve been in a car/ van that someone had placed a colored beacon up on the dash . Same lights cops or fireman use but the color in that state meant it was cop . It wasn’t on and he was using it at a flea market to get attention and left it up on the dash . The cop who pulled him over for “ Something else “gave him a rash of **it about it . My friend a little unstrung ,started giving the cop a bunch of crap back... and then suddenly he used those three magic little words ....My brothers a cop .. ok 4 ..... I thought they were going to kiss and buy a house together. The cop apologized , my friend still laying it on him . I don’t think having a fictitious brother impersonating a police officer is illegal. It’s gotta be better than trying to be Billy obedient. If you go in front of a judge you can get philosophical and ask ...Am I my brothers keeper? “Who then is my brother ...Aren’t we all tied together commonly as a brotherhood of man .?

I like the greater question .. who the hell would want this mode anyway .. I just want a nice alpine beacon

Our security folks used red OR blue strobes to guide first responders to the best entrance to the scene of whatever emergency they were dealing with at the time. I know it sounds odd but the city shared emergency services with the neighboring cities and as a result the responding crews weren’t always familiar with all of our buildings. The security guard would be sent to the appropriate entry point and would hail the first responders with their lights. It was obvious the first time we tried it that it helped hasten the response because the company had a dozen buildings along a few blocks and the first responders were checking each one as they drove down the street. Once they were hailed by security they increased speed almost immediately.

So, did they ever get that house?

I wondered why buildings in a complex, industrial park, etc., never had strobes by the entrance, which could be flicked on by security personnel. Slow strobe (1pps or so) like when a fire drill happens, etc.

Ages ago on my block, few if any houses would have front lights on at night, and it was customary that if someone ordered a pizza or was just generally expecting someone, you’d flick on the front light to guide him in.

Nowadays that doesn’t work so well, as almost a quarter of the houses keep those lights on at night, and some of Those have those 5000W halogen monstrosities in their alleys that go on and off seemingly at random all damned night long.

Still, the general theory holds.

Right, I see the utility of strobing red OR blue in those cases. But why red/blue? I don’t see any reason other than to look like police lights? Therefore a useless feature that could get one in trouble?

So does the Jetbeam TCR-10. Its actually pretty cool, shine it on a wall in a dark room and it looks just like you have been pulled over.
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I think your allowed to have a police strobe just not turned on in a automobile.
They would have to argue you had the tool to impersonate a cop with the intent to use it as such.
A carpenter would have burgular tools in his possesion but that doesn’t make him a burgular.
In the wrong place at the wrong time with questionable tools might not turn out good though.
Just my thoughts, might be best to check your state laws like has been mentioned.

And even old Nitecore SRT5 i have does the same blinking mode. Even advertised like that.

So OP, carry on. Do what makes you happy building lights. Even big names do this.

just do not try to pull someone over with this light, or use it in traffic, and you should be ok, i see some stores have red\blue flashers in their window displays. those colors are not limited to police, firefighters and emt use them as well, including volunteers.

if you had yellow\white strobe it would be very useful\legal in a road emergency,

Going by your location being Croatia you are subjected to different laws in another country…. the OP is in the United States which have stricter laws and very grey areas for such things. Sure building such lights is fine but the OP already mentioned “INTENT” on using it where he questioned the possibility of being crossing the line and being in trouble with the law.

So again don’t just give bad advice without taking into account of local ordinances of other countries besides your own.

Something quite opposite happened in NL a time ago. A person stepped into the police station to report a situation, but the oficer was not inclined to follow up on that. Then the older brother steps in and says something like “why don’t you, I’m a police officer”. He was, but he could (or would) not show an ID to prove that. Then one thing led to another, ending in the officer being arrested. But he gave his colleagues a hard time by resisting. So this pissing contest ended in a holding cell for one of them.
The ending? Not too well for both parties, though their respective superiors stepped in for them.
So now there is a lawsuit where the short fused officer with a (now) criminal record is playing the ethnic profiling card.

Back to OP: if the law says you can’t, then don’t.

One thing I haven’t seen mentioned, is no police officer I ever seen in my life uses a red/blue flashlight. Unless you had such a flashlight mounted on a vehicle it’s not an impersonation of an officer, very simple. The Chinese websites sell these now as another user stated, If they were that dangerous and ilegal to use,customs wouldn’t allow it in, in mass amounts.

That being said you definitely could impersonate a police officer like I said if you had it mounted to a car or some type of vehicle or bike even. You could also impersonate a police officer with nothing, just saying you are an officer when your not basically.

No one is going to be arrested for impersonating an officer with a flashlight for personal use, and if they are I bet they’re be a heck of a lawsuit after for false arrest.