U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has awarded a US$16.7-million no-bid contract to purchase 6,000 pairs of gloves capable of delivering electric shocks, according to a federal contracting notice reviewed by Reuters.The six-month agreement with Kentucky-based Compliant Technologies also covers supporting equipment and services. The Department of Homeland Security identifies the product as the CTG-5 Generated Low Output Voltage Emitter and describes it as a “conductive distraction and de-escalation” device.The equipment is expected to be issued to officers and agents working with Homeland Security Investigations and Enforcement and Removal Operations. The devices are designed to produce a painful electrical charge that can temporarily interrupt a person’s ability to respond.Civil-liberties and human-rights organizations have raised concerns about possible misuse, limited visibility and accountability. DHS maintains that the equipment is intended to provide officers with an additional method of controlling dangerous situations.Why it matters: The purchase expands the use-of-force equipment available to immigration officers at a time when ICE’s arrests, removal operations and detention practices are facing increased public scrutiny.
