U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is planning to purchase electric-shock gloves for officers in the field under a contract valued at up to $20 million, according to a notice published by the Department of Homeland Security. The devices, known as G.L.O.V.E. — Generated Low Output Voltage Emitter — are manufactured by Compliant Technologies LLC of Lexington, Kentucky, and are described by DHS as 'conductive distraction and de-escalation devices' to be issued to Homeland Security Investigations and Enforcement and Removal Operations officers and agents.
ICE Plans to Equip Officers with Electric-Shock Gloves Under Contract Worth Up to $20 Million
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is planning to purchase electric-shock gloves for officers in the field under a contract valued at up to $20 million, according to a notice published by the Department of Homeland Security. The devices, known as G.L.O.V.E. — Generated Low Output Voltage Emitter — are manufactured by Compliant Technologies LLC of Lexington, Kentucky, and are described by DHS as 'conductive distraction and de-escalation devices' to be issued to Homeland Security Investigations and Enforcement and Removal Operations officers and agents.
The DHS notice, published on Monday, indicated the solicitation for a no-bid contract could be published as early as Friday, according to CBS News. CBS News reported the spending range as between $10 million and $20 million, with purchases expected by March.
The G.L.O.V.E. functions as a standard patrol glove until an officer activates an electrical mode by pressing a switch. The gloves must be applied directly to a person's skin to deliver a pain stimulus. Compliant Technologies describes the technology as empowering officers to 'de-escalate tense situations quickly and effectively, reducing the risk of injury for both officers and civilians,' and has said it can also be used in healthcare settings to manage agitated patients.
The devices have previously been used by some local police departments and jails across the United States, more commonly in prison settings than in the community, according to ABC News Australia. John Peters, president of the Institute for the Prevention of In-Custody Deaths, told the Associated Press he believed ICE's planned purchase would likely be the largest from the company to date, and said he could envision the gloves being used to remove uncooperative subjects from vehicles, homes, and detention facilities.
Compliant Technologies states the gloves leave no contact wounds, do not affect cardiac rhythms, and that stimulation is felt only where the device is applied. The manufacturer warns the device should not be used as punishment, against individuals exhibiting only verbal defiance, or on high-risk populations including children, pregnant women, elderly people, or disabled people — groups that ICE agents routinely encounter, according to ABC News Australia. Officers must complete a training course and be recertified every two years to use the device.
Safety concerns have been raised in connection with the gloves. According to ABC News Australia, a pending lawsuit alleges a 43-year-old man died in 2024 after being shocked 27 times with the gloves and 13 additional times by a taser at a jail in Richmond, Kentucky. An internal investigation by the Madison County Detention Center found two of the shocks lasted 45 and 99 seconds — exceeding the manufacturer's recommended 15-second limit — and concluded these 'actions not only inflicted unnecessary pain but also heightened the risk of serious health complications,' according to court documents cited by ABC News Australia. At least two other lawsuits alleging injuries from the gloves have been filed, though both were dismissed, according to ABC News Australia.
The planned acquisition comes amid an expanding ICE enforcement campaign under President Donald Trump, who has said the crackdown aims to improve domestic security. More than 50 people have died in ICE custody since Trump took office in January of last year, according to the Straits Times, citing the immigration agency. ICE has also drawn scrutiny following fatal shootings of individuals during attempted vehicle stops in Maine and Texas, with CBS News reporting that in both cases agents were not wearing body cameras. DHS has since pledged to widely deploy body-worn cameras.
A DHS spokesperson told the Associated Press that 'every decision is made with careful consideration and appropriately reviewed to ensure that any technology ICE utilizes is consistent with all applicable law enforcement policies and standards,' and noted that ICE officers receive ongoing use-of-force and de-escalation training. Jeff Niklaus, founder and CEO of Compliant Technologies, told the AP: 'Unfortunately, we are unable to speak on this subject.'
Where sources differ
- CBS News reports the contract spending range as between $10 million and $20 million; ABC News Australia and the Straits Times report only the upper figure of up to $20 million without specifying a lower bound.
- Neither DHS nor Compliant Technologies provided substantive on-the-record responses specifically about the ICE contract at the time of reporting.
- The total number of G.L.O.V.E. units to be purchased under the contract is not established by any source.
- The specific policies and training protocols ICE plans to implement for use of the gloves have not been detailed.
- The outcome of the pending lawsuit alleging a death following use of the gloves in Richmond, Kentucky, is not established.
- The identities of the individuals fatally shot during ICE vehicle stops in Maine and Texas are not fully established across all sources.
- It is not confirmed whether the no-bid contract solicitation was ultimately published on the indicated date.
- Independent medical or scientific review of the gloves' safety profile beyond the manufacturer's claims is not provided by any source.
- ABC News Australia — original — by Maddie Nixon
- The Straits Times — by The Straits Times
- CBS News
Read the original at ABC News Australia