US immigration officers to be equipped with gloves that deliver electric shocks

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers may soon be equipped with gloves that can deliver Electric Shocks as they carry out their law enforcement duties. ICE plans to spend up to $20m (£14.8m) to buy the Generated Low Output Voltage Emitter (GLOVE), according to a note published on Monday by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).The gloves can deliver up to 380 volts of electricity, roughly three times the charge of a standard US power outlet. "ICE is constantly assessing the needs of our officers in the field to ensure they have the tools and equipment necessary to safely arrest and remove criminal illegal aliens from our country," the DHS said in a statement to the BBC. "Every decision is made with careful consideration and appropriately reviewed to ensure that any technology ICE utilises is consistent with all applicable law enforcement policies and standards," it added.Compliant Technologies LLC, which makes the gloves, told the BBC it was unable to comment on the sale. A no-bid purchase contract could be published as early as Friday, DHS said.The GLOVE devices are activated by pushing a button to deliver shocks and can deliver up to 30 pulses per second. They also feature built-in microprocessors that keep a record of activation. Compliant Technologies states on its website that they do not cause injury and are used by many agencies.A user manual on the company's website recommends avoiding use on the elderly, small children, pregnant women and the "severely handicapped", as well as that an additional officer be present to restrain the subject while the gloves are being used.