ICE Could Soon Use Electric Shock Gloves During Arrests

Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents could soon have a new tool for making arrests: tactical gloves capable of delivering an electric shock.

ICE is looking to purchase up to $20 million worth of the gloves, known as the CTG-5 Generated Low Output Voltage Emitter. The device is manufactured by Compliant Technologies in Kentucky and is designed to deliver an electric shock intended to temporarily incapacitate a person and induce compliance.

A former police chief who reviewed the technology said the gloves could serve a purpose similar to a Taser, giving officers another option when attempting to take someone into custody.

Federal officials describe the gloves as a non-lethal option that could be safer for bystanders than some other methods of force. A Homeland Security official told NBC News the shock is painful enough to induce compliance but does not continue to cause pain after the shock and does not leave a visible mark.

Former Bristol County Sheriff Tom Hodgson supports the technology, saying it reflects the increasingly difficult circumstances facing law enforcement officers.

Civil rights advocates, however, have raised concerns about how ICE agents could use the gloves during immigration enforcement operations.

Efren Olivares of the National Immigration Law Center questioned whether agents could use the devices against people before determining their identity or immigration status. He also expressed concern about potential use against children, older adults and people with heart conditions who could have serious reactions to an electric shock.

The Department of Homeland Security said ICE works to ensure that any technology used by its agents complies with applicable laws, policies and law enforcement standards. The agency also said its officers receive de-escalation and ongoing use-of-force training.

ICE agents are expected to begin wearing the gloves in about a month.

DHS also told NBC News that body cameras are expected to be worn by all ICE agents working in the field by the end of August.

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