Yup, typical technique was to hold the beam a little low to allow a clear look at their face without blinding them and keeping it all friendly. Positioning yourself so the light illuminates your face allows people to see your reassuring smile and tends to calm people. At the first sign of possible resistance you pull your body back and raise the beam to blind them and limit their options. Follow with calming them and some reassurance to deescalate and few questions to determine why they are stressed. If they get froggy they get the back end of the four-D-cell Mag gently buy firmly applied to the soft target deemed most appropriate. It is a sound strategy.

Most police departments no longer allow the carrying of large flashlights because of their possible, and sometimes actual, overuse as a weapon. Homeowners and individual citizens are not so burdened. Just be aware that use of force has to be a last resort in response to a clear and present threat to life and limb. That any serious use of force will likely be second guessed by others who will be wearing suits and sitting in an air conditioned jury room. Act accordingly.