ICE Plans to Give Officers Gloves That Can Deliver Electric Shocks

The Department of Homeland Security has announced a potential $20 million expenditure on a unique set of gloves. These gloves, developed by Compliant Technologies LLC in Kentucky, can deliver electric shocks to officers and agents in the ICE force. The innovative device, dubbed "Glove (Generated Low Output Voltage Emitter)," is set to be purchased by ICE for use by March, according to a DHS notice published recently.

The manufacturer claims the discomfort experienced by the wearer is typically enough to bring an individual into compliance within less than three seconds, leaving no lasting marks or scars. The gloves function like regular patrol gloves until the officer presses a switch to switch them into electrical mode. The activated gloves need to be directly applied to someone's skin for the pain stimulus to be delivered, which often helps an officer gain compliance quickly, according to the company.

John Peters, president of the Institute for the Prevention of In-Custody Deaths, who is studying the device's usage, stated that the electric shock is immediate and sharp, likening it to a bee sting. He expressed concern that if an officer encounters any resistance from a person, the device could prove to be an effective tool.

However, civil rights advocates have expressed alarm over the plan. Jenn Rolnick Borchetta, deputy project director on policing at the American Civil Liberties Union, questioned the use of such devices for civil immigration enforcement. She expressed worry over the ease with which this tool could be used to inflict pain, potentially leading to public harm.

Peters, on the other hand, believes this planned purchase might be the largest of its kind from the manufacturer to date, envisioning its use in removing uncooperative subjects from cars, houses, and detention facilities. The manufacturer itself has cautioned against using the device as punishment, against verbal defiance, or on vulnerable populations such as children, pregnant women, the elderly, or disabled individuals. Compliant Technologies' CEO, Jeff Niklaus, declined to comment on the matter.