U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement plans to spend up to $20 million by March to purchase thousands of electric shock gloves for officers and agents. The Department of Homeland Security procurement notice sparked immediate alarm from civil rights groups over potential use-of-force abuses.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers and agents may soon be outfitted with specialized handwear capable of delivering painful electric shocks during confrontations. According to a notice published by the Department of Homeland Security, the agency plans to spend up to $20m to procure thousands of the devices.
The G.L.O.V.E. System: How the Shock-Delivering Gear Functions
Known as the G.L.O.V.E., which stands for Generated Low Output Voltage Emitter, the equipment is manufactured by Compliant Technologies LLC of Lexington, Kentucky. The gear is designed to look and function as ordinary patrol gloves until an operator activates an integrated electrical switch.
The system requires direct contact with a person’s skin to deliver a charge. A spokesperson for Compliant Technology told reporters that the device uses positive and negative pads on the hand to trigger a sensory response upon contact. The equipment emits up to 380 volts of a charge upon skin contact, which manufacturer specifications note will not penetrate clothing and does not impact pacemakers or defibrillators.
According to manufacturer documentation cited by CBS News, the pain stimulus is intended to bring combative individuals into compliance within seconds.
Supporters Point to De-Escalation While Advocates Warn of Abuse
Proponents of the technology argue that the gloves offer a controlled method to shorten volatile confrontations, particularly for officers handling resistant subjects.
“It’s immediate and sharp, and it will distract you. I call it like a bee sting. If the officer is getting any type of resistance from the person, this is certainly an effective tool.”
John Peters, president of the Institute for the Prevention of In-Custody Deaths, via The Associated Press
Peters also noted that the technology could benefit smaller, weaker, or older officers by producing faster takedowns during difficult encounters, such as removing uncooperative subjects from vehicles, homes, and detention facilities.
Conversely, civil rights organizations have condemned the planned purchase. Jenn Rolnick Borchetta, deputy project director on policing at the American Civil Liberties Union, questioned the necessity of the devices for civil immigration enforcement.
“ICE spent the last year showing this country they are too quick to use force. Now they will be able to deploy electric shocks with the slight push of a button that maybe nobody else can see them do. Introducing gloves that can so easily be used to deliver terrible pain in encounters is a recipe for harm to the public.”
Jenn Rolnick Borchetta, deputy project director on policing at the American Civil Liberties Union, via The Associated Press
Procurement Timeline and Scrutiny Over Past Force
The proposed acquisition comes as ICE faces heightened scrutiny regarding its arrest tactics.
While manufacturer guidelines dictate that the gloves must not be used as punishment, against individuals showing only verbal defiance, or on vulnerable groups like children and pregnant women, critics remain skeptical about field compliance. To operate the equipment, officers are required by the manufacturer to complete a training course and undergo recertification every two years.
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