US Immigration Officers May Get Gloves That Deliver Painful Electric Shocks: Report
US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is planning to purchase conductive electric-shock gloves to gain compliance from individuals. The move has drawn criticism from civil rights advocates concerned about oversight and the use of force.
Why it matters
The deployment of new, potentially painful restraint technology by federal agencies raises significant questions regarding human rights and the accountability of law enforcement.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers may soon be outfitted with gloves that can deliver painful electric shocks intended to gain compliance from combative individuals.ICE plans to spend up to $20 million to purchase thousands of "conductive distraction and de-escalation devices" for officers and agents by March, according to a notice published Monday by the Department of Homeland Security.The devices are known as the G.L.O.V.E., which stands for Generated Low Output Voltage Emitter, and are manufactured by Compliant Technologies LLC of Lexington, Kentucky. They have been used in recent years by some jails and police departments.DHS said Tuesday that it was working on a response to an Associated Press inquiry and offered no immediate comment.
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