LOS ANGELES - The city's police commission Tuesday cleared the way for Chief William Bratton to equip officers with lighter flashlights following last year's beating of a suspected car thief. Lighter flashlights would be "in the best interest of the department, in the best interest of the city," Bratton said. The civilian panel's vote allowing Bratton to select new flashlights came after Officer John Hatfield pummeled motorist Stanley Miller last June with a standard-issue flashlight. The beating led to widespread objections to using the device as a weapon. Shortly after, Bratton began reviewing a series of flashlights on the market...