Key facts
- ICE plans to spend up to $20 million to equip officers with electric-shock gloves by March of next year.
- Civil rights advocates express concerns about oversight and potential misuse of the devices.
- The gloves deliver an electric shock upon contact with bare skin.
- A lawsuit alleges a man suffered cardiac arrest after being shocked multiple times with gloves and a Taser.
- The gloves are used by approximately 50 police departments nationwide.
Plans by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to spend up to $20 million to equip Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers with electric-shock gloves have drawn significant criticism from civil rights advocates.
The controversial gloves, manufactured by Compliant Technologies under the brand name G.L.O.V.E. (Generated Low Output Voltage Emitter), deliver an electric shock upon contact with bare skin. The DHS published its intention to procure these devices for ICE officers by March of next year, a move that has alarmed experts and sparked protests.
Sarah Mehta, deputy director of government affairs in the ACLU's equality division, expressed strong opposition, stating that ICE already lacks sufficient oversight and that the gloves could be used to "terrify people" and create a "chilling effect" on the streets. She emphasized that there are "no circumstances" under which the ACLU believes their use is appropriate.
Compliant Technologies' demonstration videos, posted on Instagram, show the gloves in use, with one video featuring the company's CEO, Jeff Niklaus, laughing as a volunteer fell to the ground after being shocked. The CT-G5 model of the glove operates between 324 and 380 volts, significantly less than a Taser's typical 1,200 to 1,500 volts. The user manual advises against using the gloves on vulnerable populations such as the elderly, children, pregnant women, and disabled individuals.
Despite concerns, the gloves have seen limited deployment, with an estimated 50 police departments across 20 states using the technology. In Omaha, Nebraska, the police department purchased 40 pairs for use by school resource officers, but later discontinued their use in public schools following a request from the school superintendent.
Legal challenges have also arisen. Joshua Elswick sued a Kentucky jail guard, Lt. Ryan Derrough, alleging excessive force after being shocked with the gloves during pre-trial detention. However, a federal court dismissed the lawsuit, finding the use of force warranted, a decision upheld by an appeals court.
In another case, Johnathan Mansfield's family filed a lawsuit alleging he suffered cardiac arrest two weeks after being shocked 27 times with the gloves and 13 times by a Taser at a detention center in Kentucky. Sara Collins, a lawyer involved in Elswick's case, noted that while less-lethal force options are needed, shock gloves are not a new tool and are not widely adopted by law enforcement agencies due to concerns about feasibility, practicality, training, and risk of error.