SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — ICE has awarded a $16.7 million contract to purchase 6,000 pairs of electric gloves for officers across the country, drawing pushback from California lawmakers who want to ban the devices statewide.
The gloves are made by Compliant Technologies LLC, a Kentucky-based company. In a notice published on a federal contracting site, ICE said it intends to incorporate the gloves to support de-escalation objectives and to reduce its reliance on higher levels of force where appropriate.
That notice was published Thursday, just hours after California lawmakers pushed back on the use of electric gloves at both the local and federal level.
Assemblymember Dr. LaShae Sharp-Collins, who represents a large part of San Diego County, introduced legislation earlier this week that would ban the use of the gloves for all law enforcement agencies in the state.
"This news and dangerous tool, but also just the fact that it is a new and dangerous tool will be in the hands of our least trained and most lawless law enforcement," Sharp-Collins said.
On Friday, Sharp-Collins said the bill has been modified to an initial three-year ban while the Department of Justice studies the safety and efficacy of the gloves.
"But if it's not deemed safe, then obviously we know that the ban should actually continue," Sharp-Collins said.
The sheriff in the state capital said Thursday that the gloves are not only necessary, but lifesaving.
"That is very effective. So it saves lives. It prevents injuries," Sacramento County Sheriff Jim Cooper said.
In a statement to ABC 10News, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said: "Sanctuary politicians attempting to ban our federal law enforcement from any safety equipment is despicable and a deliberate attempt to undermine and endanger our officers. To be crystal clear: we will not abide by unconstitutional bans..."
The bill to ban the use of electric gloves in the state will be heard next week.
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