NCJ Number
212044
Journal
Law Enforcement Technology Volume: 32 Issue: 10 Dated: October 2005 Pages: 94,96,102
Date Published
October 2005
Length
8 pages
Annotation
This article reviewed key features necessary in optics, specifically binoculars for use by law enforcement officers and tested several binocular products, utilizing these key features to present products best suited to meet the needs of law enforcement.
Abstract
Although commonly perceived as just a tool for surveillance, binoculars can help law enforcement officers be witnesses to much more, such as scanning poorly lit areas, identifying license plate numbers from a distance, and discerning the numbers off a placard from a safe distance. Because of the variety of uses, law enforcement optics needs are unique and require several key product features which include, but are not limited to brightness, field of view, stereoscopic viewing, glass characteristics, and coatings. In identifying these beneficial features, six binoculars for patrol use from Steiner Binoculars and Swift Optics were tested; the Steiner 8x30 Military/Marine, the Steiner 10x50 Police, the Swift 930 Ultra Lite 10x42, the Swift Ultra Lite 8x42, the Steiner 8.5x26, and the Swift 825R Eaglet 7x36. The Swift Eaglet 7x36 was the only product that fulfilled each of the optics needs.