ICE's $20 Million GLOVE Gloves Deliver Pain, Not Stun-Gun Paralysis
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US Immigration and Customs Enforcement plans to spend up to $20 million by March on GLOVE electric shock gloves. The gloves deliver localized pain through high-frequency pulses that overstimulate peripheral nerves, rather than the muscle lockup caused by stun guns or Tasers. The devices are classified as nonlethal and are made by Compliant Technologies in Lexington, Kentucky.
Key Facts
- ICE will spend up to $20 million by March on GLOVE electric shock gloves.
- The gloves are manufactured by Compliant Technologies in Lexington, Kentucky, and are classified as a conductive distraction and de-escalation device.
- Maximum stimulation time is two hours on Gen 3 and Gen 4 models and 90 minutes on Gen 5.
- Gen 4 and Gen 5 gloves record activation events including date, hour, minute, and skin-contact time.
Shock Glove Mechanism
The GLOVE transmits high-frequency electrical pulses from conductive pads on the palm and fingers after a one-second press on a wrist switch. The pulses overstimulate nerve endings in the subject's skin, causing localized pain that inhibits coordinated movement without systemic muscle lockup. Current flows only between the glove's contact pads and the subject's skin, so the officer and assisting officers should not feel electrical shocks. Compliant Technologies says the gloves produce compliance in under three seconds and leave no burns, marks, or scars.
Technical Specifications
All GLOVE versions cap maximum voltage at 380 V; minimum voltage is 210 V for Gen 3 and Gen 4 and 324 V for Gen 5. Operating temperature range is 14 to 122 degrees Fahrenheit. The rechargeable battery supports 2,000 charge/discharge cycles and recharges to full in two hours, with four LEDs showing charge level in 25 percent increments.
Law Enforcement Use
The GLOVE has previously been used in jails and police departments in the US. ICE designates the gloves as a nonlethal tool for law enforcement. The gloves are manufactured by Compliant Technologies in Lexington, Kentucky, and come in Gen 3, Gen 4, and Gen 5 versions.
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ICE's $20 Million GLOVE Gloves Deliver Pain, Not Stun-Gun Paralysis
