The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency will equip its officers and agents with CTG-5 G.L.O.V.E. electric shock gloves by March 2027, with a planned expenditure of up to $20 million, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on August 10, 2026 [1, 2, 3].
The gloves are manufactured by Compliant Technologies, a company based in Kentucky. They are Conductive Distraction and De-escalation Devices (CD3) designed to deliver painful electric shocks to induce compliance without causing systemic incapacitation [2, 3]. A wrist-activated switch delivers electrical pulses up to 380 volts through conductive pads on the palm and fingers in about one second [2, 3]. The gloves operate via Neuro-Peripheral Interference, which overstimulates sensory nerves and temporarily inhibits muscle coordination while minimizing long-term effects [3].
Compliant Technologies describes the gloves as "a great, humane, low-optics, de-escalation solution that is usually effective in bringing individuals into compliance in less than three seconds" and brands it as "The New Protocol in Peace Keeping" [2]. Although the products are marketed as non-lethal and designed to de-escalate confrontations, they have limited adoption so far in law enforcement agencies [1, 2, 3].
Similar electric shock gloves have been used by certain U.S. police departments and correctional facilities. However, there have been incidents of misuse, such as two corrections officers charged in 2022 for employing them improperly during inmate assaults [2]. Users are warned against deploying more than one glove per person and advised to limit shock durations. Special caution is urged when using the devices on vulnerable populations [2].
Some former ICE officials and policing experts have raised concerns that deploying these gloves within ICE could escalate use of force in enforcement encounters, given ICE's prior history with aggressive tactics and controversial applications of force [1, 2]. The DHS emphasized that every decision about new technology undergoes careful review to ensure compliance with law enforcement policies and standards. A DHS spokesperson said, "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" [1].
The gloves have three versions—Gen 3, 4, and 5—with operating voltage ranges between 210 and 380 volts and designed to perform in temperatures from 14°F to 122°F [3].
ICE plans to complete the purchase and begin issuing the CTG-5 G.L.O.V.E. gloves to its personnel by March 2027 [1, 2].
