ALBAWABA - In a new innovation in subduing civilians, ICE is spending millions on new gloves that give 'bee sting' electric shocks to ‘combative’ individuals.
ICE is planning to spend $20 million on what they have called “conductive distraction and de-escalation devices” for their agents by March of next year, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
The “distraction and de-escalation” devices are also known as G.L.O.V.E., which stands for Generated Low Output Voltage Emitter. ICE will not be the first to use these devices as they have been in service by some jails and police departments in the U.S. in recent years.
Civil rights activists are understandably alarmed at the new addition to ICE’s arsenal as they say that ICE agents already face criticism of unnecessary violence when subduing civilians, adding that giving them more weapons is not the right move.
The company responsible for the creation, Compliant Technologies, says the gloves will function as normal gloves until the agent presses a switch giving any suspects a painful shock, giving the agent the upper hand.
“It’s immediate and sharp, and it will distract you. I call it like a bee sting,” according to the president of the Institute for the Prevention of In-Custody Deaths, who is studying how the device has been used. “If the officer is getting any type of resistance from the person, this is certainly an effective tool.”
While Jenn Rolnick Borchetta, deputy project director on policing at the American Civil Liberties Union said:
“ICE spent the last year showing this country they are too quick to use force. Now they will be able to deploy electric shocks with the slight push of a button that maybe nobody else can see them do,” she said. “Introducing gloves that can so easily be used to deliver terrible pain in encounters is a recipe for harm to the public.”
