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🇦🇺 Australia /Crime & Justice

ICE Plans to Equip Officers with Electric Shock Gloves Amid Abuse Concerns

From ABC Australia · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified New plan
  • US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) plans to equip officers with electric shock gloves, known as G.L.O.V.E. devices, costing up to $20 million.
  • The gloves deliver electric shocks when pressed against skin to force compliance, with the manufacturer claiming they de-escalate situations and reduce injury risks.
  • Critics, including elected officials and a former ICE director, warn of a high potential for abuse, while lawsuits allege deaths and injuries linked to the technology.

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is set to equip its officers with gloves capable of delivering electric shocks, a move drawing criticism over potential abuse and safety concerns. The acquisition, costing up to $20 million, involves devices described as "conductive distraction and de-escalation devices." These gloves, acronymed G.L.O.V.E. (Generated Low Output Voltage Emitter), function as normal patrol gloves until an officer activates an electrical mode. The shock is delivered upon direct skin contact, intended to compel compliance through pain.

The use of 'conductive distraction and de-escalation devices' ... has been condemned by elected officials and a former ICE director, who warned of a high potential for abuse.

— UnknownThe article mentions criticism from officials regarding the new equipment.

Compliant Technologies, the manufacturer, markets the G.L.O.V.E. system as a tool to help officers "de-escalate tense situations quickly and effectively, reducing the risk of injury for both officers and civilians." The company also suggests the technology could be beneficial in healthcare settings for managing agitated patients.

Compliant Technologies' Justin Morris demonstrates the G.L.O.V.E.

— Justin MorrisThis is a caption for an image, not a direct quote from the article text itself. However, it identifies the manufacturer's representative.

However, the planned rollout faces significant opposition. Elected officials and a former ICE director have voiced strong concerns about the high potential for abuse. These worries are amplified by existing lawsuits that allege serious harm, including one case where a 43-year-old man reportedly died in 2024 after being shocked multiple times with the gloves and a taser. An internal investigation in that case found some glove shocks exceeded the manufacturer's recommended duration.

empowers 'officers to de-escalate tense situations quickly and effectively, reducing the risk of injury for both officers and civilians'.

— Compliant TechnologiesThe manufacturer's statement on the intended benefits of the G.L.O.V.E. device.

Further legal challenges include a case involving a man with heart problems shocked at a trade show and another where a man claimed unnecessary shocking in court. While these cases were dismissed, they contribute to a growing unease about the use of such devices by law enforcement.

This same technology can be a game-changer in healthcare settings, helping to safely manage agitated or combative patients.

— Compliant TechnologiesThe manufacturer's claims about the device's application beyond law enforcement.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Australia in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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