ICE to Purchase Electric Shock Gloves for Officers

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is moving to equip its officers with gloves capable of delivering painful electric shocks, a new tool intended to gain compliance from individuals who resist arrest. According to a notice published by the Department of Homeland Security on August 11, 2026, ICE plans to spend between $10 million and $20 million to purchase thousands of the devices by March 2027.

The equipment, known as the Generated Low Output Voltage Emitter or G.L.O.V.E., is manufactured by Compliant Technologies LLC of Lexington, Kentucky. The company describes the product as a "conductive distraction and deescalation device" that functions as a normal patrol glove until an officer activates its electrical mode. To deliver a stimulus, the glove must be applied directly to a person's skin. The manufacturer states the discomfort is usually effective in bringing individuals into compliance in less than three seconds and leaves no burns, marks, or scars.

John Peters, president of the Institute for the Prevention of In-Custody Deaths, described the effect as similar to a bee sting. He said the device could be a useful tool for officers, particularly for removing...