According to a notice released by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on Monday, ICE intends to purchase thousands of pain-inducing electric shock gloves for officers and agents by March of next year, at a cost of up to $20 million (approximately 135 million RMB).
The device, named “Glove,” is manufactured by Compliant Technologies LLC, based in Lexington, Kentucky.
According to the manufacturer, “the discomfort from the shock typically brings compliance within three seconds, without leaving burns, marks, or scars.” The company markets the device as “a humane and discreet de-escalation solution for a wide range of situations our law enforcement officers encounter.”
These gloves have already been used in some U.S. prisons and other facilities.
Compliant Technologies says the glove functions like a standard patrol glove until an officer activates the shock mode with a switch. The company states that direct skin contact is required to deliver the painful stimulus, which typically helps officers gain quick compliance.
John Peters, director of the Death in Custody Prevention Institute, said he is studying the device’s usage: “The sensation is immediate and sharp, and it distracts you. Like being stung by a bee.”
He also praised the device: “If an officer faces any form of resistance, this is undoubtedly an effective tool.”
Peters believes this ICE procurement is likely the largest order the company has received to date. He also envisions ICE officers using the gloves to pull non-compliant individuals out of cars or homes, or to move them in and out of detention facilities.
Human rights advocates, however, are deeply alarmed. They say ICE, already widely criticized for its use of force and lack of oversight in immigration enforcement operations, would only exacerbate the problem by equipping officers with such gloves.
Jenn Rolnick Borchetta, deputy director of the American Civil Liberties Union’s Policing Project, told the Associated Press that she questions the use of such devices in civil immigration enforcement.
“ICE has shown this country over the past year that they use force far too often,” she said. “Now, they can deliver an electric shock with just a push of a button, and possibly no one will even see them do it.”
The manufacturer warns that the device should not be used for punitive purposes, should not be used on individuals who merely display “verbal provocation or hostility,” and should not be used on high-risk populations such as children, pregnant women, the elderly, or persons with disabilities.
Jeff Nicklaus, founder and CEO of Compliant Technologies, wrote in an email: “Unfortunately, we are unable to comment on this matter.”
