ICE awards $16.7 million contract for 6,000 electric shock gloves as non-lethal tool
ICE has contracted Kentucky firm Compliant Technologies for $16.7 million to buy 6,000 electric shock gloves that will be issued to Enforcement and Removal Operations officers and HSI agents as a low-impact de-escalation device.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement secured a $16.7 million contract with Kentucky-based Compliant Technologies to acquire 6,000 electric shock gloves over the next half-year. Branded as the Generated Low Output Voltage Emitter (G.L.O.V.E.), the gloves can be worn as ordinary patrol gear but switched to an “electrical mode” that delivers a shock when pressed against a person’s skin, providing a low-impact option for subduing detainees who resist.
DHS plans to distribute the devices to Enforcement and Removal Operations officers and Homeland Security Investigations agents for use in “high-tension environments,” including civil disturbances outside detention facilities, confrontational arrests, and detainee transport. Training for ICE and HSI staff started at the beginning of August. Democratic politicians have voiced opposition, but a DHS spokesperson emphasized that the technology has been vetted against agency policies and standards.
Why it matters
The purchase introduces a new non-lethal weapon for federal agents, raising debate over law-enforcement methods.
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