Breaking car windows, especially in emergency situations, might seem straightforward, but it’s often more challenging than people realize. Many have witnessed scenarios where even trained police officers struggle to quickly breach a car window using standard equipment. Conversely, stories circulate of individuals effortlessly shattering car windows with seemingly simple items like a piece of a spark plug. This begs the question: Is There A Tool Police Use To Break Car Windows effectively and reliably?
The answer isn’t a simple yes or no. The success of breaking a car window depends on various factors, including the type of glass, its curvature, and, crucially, the tool being used. For law enforcement and first responders, having access to specialized glass breaking tools is paramount for rapid vehicle entry in emergencies. Let’s delve into the world of glass breaching and explore the tools designed to overcome the challenges of breaking car windows.
Understanding the Challenge: Glass vs. Steel
It’s a common misconception that glass is fragile. In reality, glass, particularly the type used in vehicles, is surprisingly hard. Both the Mohs and Brinell hardness scales actually rank glass as harder than stainless steel. While tool-hardened steel can exceed the hardness of standard glass, automotive glass undergoes strengthening processes like tempering and lamination, further increasing its resistance.
Car windshields are constructed using a sophisticated lamination process. This involves bonding two layers of glass together with a resilient vinyl interlayer. This multi-layered structure results in an exceptionally tough barrier that is incredibly difficult to penetrate. The integrity of laminated glass is evident even when shot; while a bullet will create a point of entry, the windshield largely remains intact, preventing shattering and fragmentation. Attempting to breach a vehicle through the windshield is generally considered impractical outside of specialized training scenarios.
Side and rear windows of modern vehicles typically utilize tempered glass. The tempering process significantly enhances the glass’s strength, making it up to four times stronger than annealed (normal) glass. Furthermore, curved automotive glass tends to be more robust than flat panes. Therefore, striking a reinforced car window with a relatively softer object like a standard baton often yields disappointing results, with minimal damage to the glass and potential frustration for the user.
Interestingly, many street criminals are aware of an effective, low-tech tool for breaking car windows: fragments of a broken spark plug. The porcelain insulator in spark plugs, when broken into small pieces, can easily shatter tempered car windows when thrown with force. This “spark plug trick” is widely known among those familiar with bypassing vehicle security. A quick online search for “breaking glass spark plug” will reveal numerous demonstrations of this technique. It’s important to note that breaking tempered glass with porcelain requires relatively little force.
However, relying on improvised methods like spark plugs is not a viable or safe solution for law enforcement or emergency personnel. Fortunately, there are purpose-built tactical tools designed to reliably and efficiently break car windows in critical situations.
Tactical Glass Breaking Tools: Precision and Power
Recognizing the need for effective and reliable glass breaching, numerous tactical tools have been developed specifically for law enforcement and first responders. While these tools vary in form and function, they share common design principles that ensure efficient window breaking.
The primary principle behind effective glass breaking tools is the concentration of force onto a small point. By applying pressure to a focused area, the tool overcomes the glass’s surface strength, initiating a fracture. Once a fracture point is created, the tempered glass will typically “spiderweb” and shatter into small, relatively harmless fragments.
The second critical element of these tools is the material used for the contact point. Optimal tactical glass breakers utilize materials significantly harder than glass.
Tungsten carbide is the industry-standard material for high-quality glass breaking tool tips. Tungsten carbide is exceptionally hard and durable, capable of withstanding repeated use on various types of automotive glass without significant wear or the need for sharpening.
Some less reputable or budget-oriented products may employ stainless steel tips. However, stainless steel is considerably softer than tungsten carbide and may be prone to failure or rapid wear. Caution is advised when considering tools with stainless steel tips, as their reliability may be compromised.
Let’s examine some specific examples of glass breaking tools commonly used by law enforcement.
Leatherman Z-Rex: The Multi-Functional Breaching Tool
The Leatherman Z-Rex is a specialized multi-tool designed for law enforcement officers and other first responders who require a versatile tool for emergency situations, including forced entry through windows. It includes a carbide glass breaker tip, along with other essential features like a seat belt cutter and oxygen tank wrench. For a comprehensive review, refer to articles specifically detailing the Leatherman Z-Rex as a first responder multi-tool.
XS Sight Systems Glass Assault Tool (GAT): Weapon-Mounted Breaching
The original XS Sight Systems Glass Assault Tool (GAT) is designed for rapid glass breaching while maintaining weapon readiness. Resembling a micro-bayonet, the GAT attaches to the flash hider of an AR-15 or M4 rifle. Its secure attachment ensures it remains in place even during extended shooting. Once mounted, the rifle’s muzzle becomes an effective glass breaking tool.
The GAT’s primary advantage is that officers can breach windows without relinquishing their grip on their firearm, crucial in dynamic and potentially hostile situations.
Pistol versions of the GAT are also available, designed to mount on SureFire or Streamlight weapon lights. These pistol GATs slip over the flashlight bezel and are compatible with standard police duty holsters designed for weapon lights.
To utilize the pistol GAT, an officer uses their support hand to stabilize the pistol slide, simultaneously securing their trigger finger to prevent accidental discharge. Applying pressure with the GAT tip against the window causes it to shatter. Law enforcement agencies testing the weapon light GAT have reported highly positive field results, praising its effectiveness and ease of use. The entire GAT product line is available directly from XS Sights.
Bust A Cap: Baton and Flashlight Glass Breakers
Bust A Cap offers a range of window-breaking caps designed to replace the tail caps of expandable batons and flashlights. These replacement caps feature a cone-shaped projection with a specialized steel tip. The tip is engineered to be effective for glass breaking while remaining safe for handling and preventing uniform damage.
Currently, Bust A Cap manufactures glass-breaking tail caps compatible with various Streamlight and Maglite flashlights, as well as ASP expandable batons. However, they do not offer tail caps for models with tail cap-mounted buttons or switches.
Bust A Cap also introduced a glass-breaking bezel for SureFire flashlights. This bezel replaces the stock bezel on SureFire 6P, G2, Z2, and C2 models. The bezel design addresses the tail cap switch issue by relocating the glass breaking point to the front of the flashlight, allowing officers to tap the side window for breaching without activating the light. Pricing for Bust A Cap products varies depending on the specific model.
Gerber Hinderer CLS: The Rescue Knife with Integrated Breaker
The Gerber Hinderer CLS (Combat Life Saver) is a folding knife designed for rescue personnel and law enforcement, incorporating a built-in window punch. This versatile knife features a partially serrated 3.5-inch blade alongside other rescue-oriented tools.
Gerber integrated a carbide glass breaker at the base of the knife handle. It also includes a seat belt cutter and an oxygen tank wrench, making it a comprehensive tool for emergency situations.
Unlike some rescue knives with blunted tips, the Hinderer CLS maintains a sharpened blade tip, making it a more practical everyday carry knife for law enforcement officers in addition to its rescue capabilities. The Gerber CLS has a manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of $76.
Buck Redpoint Rescue (Discontinued): A Legacy of Rescue Tools
Note: The Buck Redpoint Rescue knife is no longer in production. This knife previously featured a 2 3/4-inch drop point blade and a tempered glass breaker integrated into the rubber-coated handle. It also included a specialized seat belt cutter. While discontinued, the Redpoint Rescue can still be found in some retail channels. It had an MSRP of $55.
Spyderco Assist: Innovative Retractable Glass Breaker
The Spyderco Assist is a folding knife specifically engineered for rescue operations. It features a blunted tip blade, a serrated edge, and a unique retracting tungsten carbide window punch in its handle base.
The window punch mechanism on the Spyderco Assist differs from many other knives and multi-tools. Instead of a permanently exposed or spring-loaded tip, the carbide tip on the Assist is recessed within the handle.
To deploy the window punch, the user squeezes the folded knife handle, which extends the carbide tip for use. Releasing pressure retracts the tip, enhancing safety and preventing accidental damage. The Spyderco Assist has an MSRP of $170.
Benchmade 365 Outlast Rescue Knife: The Ultimate Rescue Multi-Tool
The Benchmade 365 Outlast Rescue Knife is arguably the most comprehensive rescue knife integrating a carbide tip glass breaker for police and first responders. It incorporates two specialized blades and a rescue hook for safely cutting seat belts.
One blade is a plain-edged knife, offering the renowned cutting performance associated with Benchmade products. The second blade is fully serrated, optimized for cutting through fabric and fibrous materials. It also includes an integrated oxygen tank wrench. The Benchmade 365 Outlast is priced at $300 MSRP, reflecting its premium features and construction.
Conclusion: Equipping for Effective Glass Breaching
Breaking automotive glass, while seemingly simple, presents a significant challenge without the appropriate tools. While improvised methods or general-purpose tools like batons or flashlights might be successful under ideal conditions, they are not consistently reliable for rapid entry in emergency situations.
In law enforcement and emergency response, time is often critical. Delays in breaching vehicle windows can have severe consequences, potentially allowing suspects to pose further threats or delaying life-saving aid to accident victims.
Utilizing specialized glass breaking tools designed for police and first responders dramatically increases the probability of successful and rapid vehicle entry on the first attempt. These tools provide the necessary focused force and material hardness to overcome the strength of automotive glass, ensuring efficient breaching when it matters most.
When employing glass breaking tools, it’s also crucial to prioritize personal safety. Wearing cut-resistant gloves and other protective gear is essential to minimize injury from glass shards. In potentially hazardous situations, ensuring the presence of a cover officer for support is paramount during breaching operations. Equipping officers with the right tools and training is vital for effective and safe vehicle extrication.
