Daniel Wolfram
The multimillion-dollar investment is part of a push by the Trump administration to give ICE more power
Modern law enforcement tools are constantly changing, from body cameras to specialized gear.
Some of these are meant to subdue people, but there are a lot of instances of tools being used as weapons and being extremely harmful.
Now a controversial addition might soon end up directly on officers’ hands.
Voltage on demand
According to the Associated Press, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) plans to spend up to $20 million to buy thousands of specialized shock gloves. The agency expects to finalize the contract by March.
The device is known as the G.L.O.V.E., which stands for Generated Low Output Voltage Emitter.
The gear looks like normal leather wear until an officer hits a switch. Once activated, it delivers a sharp burst of electricity through direct contact with a person’s skin.
Expects ICE to misuse it
The manufacturer, Kentucky-based Compliant Technologies, declined to discuss the pending contract. The Department of Homeland Security also offered no immediate comment when questioned about the purchase.
Supporters claim the gear helps officers gain control in distressing moments. John Peters, president of the Institute for the Prevention of In-Custody Deaths, noted that “it’s immediate and sharp, and it will distract you. I call it like a bee sting,” adding that “for smaller officers or weaker officers or older officers, I think it has a great advantage” during difficult arrests.
Peters admits that he would expect the G.L.O.V.E. to be misused by ICE officers who will get their hands on the tech, literally. He also claims that it is doubtful that they will cause any real harm.
Safety concerns
Civil rights advocates are worried about putting the gloves onto officers’ hands. They argue that ICE already faces criticism for excessive force during immigration crackdowns.
Jenn Rolnick Borchetta, a legal director at the American Civil Liberties Union, raised concerns about the investment. “ICE spent the last year showing this country they are too quick to use force. Now they will be able to deploy electric shocks with the slight push of a button that maybe nobody else can see them do,” she said.
Borchetta warned that introducing these gloves will ultimately cause harm. She stated that “introducing gloves that can so easily be used to deliver terrible pain in encounters is a recipe for harm to the public.”
Safety guidelines forbid using the gear on high-risk groups, including children and pregnant women. The company states the devices must never serve as punishment or respond to simple verbal defiance. Still, critics remain skeptical. They doubt officers will follow restrictions in the field or consider people with poor health or invisible illnesses.
