ICE plans to distribute gloves that can deliver electric shocks to officers

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers could soon be equipped with gloves that can deliver painful electric shocks, with the aim of forcing resisting individuals into compliance.

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 released Monday by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the Associated Press (AP) reports.

The devices are known as GLOVE, which stands for Generated Low Output Voltage Emitter, and are manufactured by Compliant Technologies LLC of Lexington, Kentucky. They have been used by some prisons and police departments in recent years.

The department said Tuesday it was preparing a response to an AP inquiry and did not immediately comment. Jeff Nicklaus, founder and CEO of Compliant Technologies, wrote in an email: "Unfortunately, we are unable to discuss this topic."

The announcement states that the call for tenders without a competitive procedure could be announced as early as Friday.

Civil rights advocates have expressed concern about the plan, saying ICE officers already face criticism for using force, with little oversight and accountability, while implementing President Donald Trump's immigration policies aimed at increased deportations.

Compliant Technologies says the devices function like a regular pair of police gloves until the officer presses a switch to activate the electric mode. The gloves must be placed directly on the person's skin to cause a painful stimulus that typically allows the officer to achieve compliance within seconds, according to the company.

“The effect is immediate and sharp and it will distract you. I describe it as a bee sting,” said John Peters, president of the Institute for the Prevention of Deaths in Custody, which studies how the device has been used. “If a person is putting up any resistance to an officer, this is certainly an effective tool.”

Peters said he believes the planned ICE purchase would likely be the company's largest order to date. He believes ICE officers could use the gloves to help extract uncooperative individuals from cars and homes, as well as to help them enter and leave detention facilities.

“For smaller, weaker or older officers, I think it’s a big advantage,” he said, because the device can allow for quicker subduing of the person and shorten the duration of the confrontation.

The manufacturer warns that the device should not be used as punishment, against individuals who merely display "verbal disobedience or belligerence," or against particularly at-risk groups, such as children, pregnant women, the elderly, or people with disabilities.

Jen Rolnick Borketa, deputy director of the ACLU's Policing Project, said the public has no reason to believe that ICE officers will use the devices appropriately. She questioned why such devices would even be needed in civil immigration enforcement, noting that people who are electrocuted may not receive any prior warning.

“ICE has shown this country over the past year that its officers are too quick to use force. They will now be able to administer electroshock with the gentle push of a button, and perhaps no one else will even see that they have done it,” she said. “Introducing gloves that can so easily inflict severe pain during interventions is a recipe for harm to citizens.”

Proponents of the devices say they are mostly used in specific situations in prisons and during transportation, rather than widely used on street patrols. According to Compliant Technologies, they have been used to subdue violent suspects who refuse to enter police vehicles, as well as inmates who harm themselves and threaten officers.

Peters said he expects a small number of employees to misuse the devices, as is the case with other police technology, but he believes they are unlikely to cause harm. He added that it will be important for ICE to establish strict rules and quality training.

To use the device, officers must complete an appropriate course and must renew their certification every two years, according to the manufacturer.