Following the revelation that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) plans to spend up to $20 million on electric shock gloves by March, questions are emerging about how the technology works. According to one source, the gloves can deliver painful electric shocks to help officers restrain individuals. A notice released earlier this week by the Department of Homeland Security classifies the device as a non-lethal law enforcement tool. Here’s what to know about these electric shock gloves.
The device is marketed under the acronym GLOVE, which stands for Generated Low Output Voltage Emitter. It is manufactured by Compliant Technologies, a company based in Lexington, Kentucky. Previously used by U.S. prisons and police departments, the gloves are designed to look and function like standard patrol gloves until an officer activates the electrical mode.
GLOVE is classified as a CD3, or conductive distraction and de-escalation device. Unlike stun guns and Tasers, which may fire probes or use high-voltage electrical currents to cause neuromuscular incapacitation, GLOVE is designed to work through what the manufacturer calls neuroperipheral interference. The device delivers electrical stimulation to the skin and sensory nerves, creating a distraction that can temporarily disrupt a person’s focus.
Compliant Technologies did not respond to WIRED’s request for comment.
The device is activated by pressing a switch on the wrist for approximately one second. Conductive pads embedded in the palm and beneath the fingers then deliver high-frequency electrical pulses to the point of contact. A rechargeable battery and microprocessor, housed in a zippered pouch on the cuff, power the system.
The electrical pulses overstimulate nerve endings in the peripheral nervous system, producing localized pain that may interfere with muscle coordination. Unlike devices intended to cause full-body neuromuscular incapacitation, GLOVE is designed to affect only the area touched by its conductive pads. The manufacturer claims the gloves can bring a subject under control within three seconds without leaving burns, marks, or scars.
The officer wearing GLOVE, as well as an assisting officer holding the subject, should not receive an electrical shock because the current is intended to travel between the device’s conductive pads across the subject’s skin. The gloves are designed to operate in temperatures ranging from 14 to 122 degrees Fahrenheit and are available in third-, fourth-, and fifth-generation versions. All three models have a maximum voltage of 380 volts. The minimum voltage is 210 volts for the third- and fourth-generation models and 324 volts for the fifth-generation model.
The third- and fourth-generation gloves have a maximum operating time of two hours, while the fifth-generation model is rated for up to 90 minutes. The rechargeable battery is designed to withstand 2,000 charge and discharge cycles and can be fully charged in approximately two hours. Four LED indicators on the glove show the battery level, with each light representing a 25 percent increase in remaining charge.
The fourth- and fifth-generation GLOVE models can record activation events, including the date, hour, minute, and duration of skin contact. This information can be used for audit trails and post-operation reports. Gen 4 stores the records on a removable microSD card, while Gen 5 uses internal memory that can be accessed through a USB-C cable.
The gloves also include a testing function that allows operators to verify whether the device is working by touching the active pad to their forearm and feeling a small electrical pulse. According to the manufacturer’s manual, GLOVE operators must complete certification training and renew their certification every two years.
GLOVE is sold only to verified professional organizations, including military units, correctional facilities, and law enforcement agencies. The manufacturer’s manual also outlines several restrictions for using the electric shock gloves:
- No more than two GLOVE units, or one pair, should be used on a single subject at the same time.
- Continuous electrical shocks should not last longer than 15 seconds.
- Operators should target the arms and legs and avoid the head, face, throat, chest, and groin.
- The gloves should not be used on elderly people, young children, pregnant people, or individuals with severe disabilities.
- The device must not be used in response to verbal defiance, as punishment, or as a form of torture.
Source: www.wired.com