Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) intends to spend up to $20 million to equip officers and agents with gloves capable of delivering electric shocks, a measure aimed at gaining compliance from combative individuals. The Department of Homeland Security published a notice indicating plans to purchase thousands of these devices, known as Generated Low Output Voltage Emitters (G.L.O.V.E.), by March.
The G.L.O.V.E. devices are manufactured by Compliant Technologies LLC and have been used by some correctional facilities and police departments. According to the manufacturer, the gloves function as standard patrol gloves until activated by a switch, delivering a pain stimulus upon direct skin contact that can reportedly achieve compliance within seconds. John Peters, president of the Institute for the Prevention of In-Custody Deaths, described the sensation as "immediate and sharp, and it will distract you. I call it like a bee sting," and stated it is an "effective tool" for officers facing resistance. Peters suggested the purchase would likely be ICE's largest from the company and envisioned their use in situations such as removing uncooperative subjects from vehicles, residences, and detention facilities, potentially aiding smaller or less physically capable officers.
Despite potential benefits for de-escalation, the plan has drawn sharp criticism from civil rights advocates. Jenn Rolnick Borchetta, deputy project director on policing at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), expressed concern that ICE officers, who have faced scrutiny for their use of force, would be given devices that can be deployed with a "slight push of a button that maybe nobody else can see them do." She questioned the necessity of such devices for civil immigration enforcement and highlighted that individuals might receive a shock without warning. "Introducing gloves that can so easily be used to deliver terrible pain in encounters is a recipe for harm to the public," Borchetta stated.
The manufacturer, Compliant Technologies, includes warnings that the devices should not be used for punishment, against individuals exhibiting only "verbal defiance or belligerence," or on high-risk populations including children, pregnant women, the elderly, or disabled individuals. The company states that officers must complete a course and undergo recertification every two years to use the devices. Supporters of the technology, like Peters, anticipate that misuse by a small number of employees is possible, as with other policing tools, but do not expect them to cause significant injuries. He emphasized the importance of ICE implementing robust policies and comprehensive training for the devices.