US ICE Awards $16.7 Million Contract for 6,000 Electric Shock Gloves

WASHINGTON, Aug. 28, 2026 — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has awarded a $16.7 million contract to purchase 6,000 pairs of electric shock gloves for officers in the field, according to a federal contracting notice reviewed by Reuters.

The contract gives ICE access to the gloves as the agency expands the equipment available to officers working in enforcement operations. The deal includes the 6,000 devices as well as related support equipment and services over a six-month period.

The purchase represents a new federal procurement commitment for equipment designed to give ICE officers another option for controlling people during enforcement operations.

ICE Electric Shock Glove Contract

The contract was awarded to Compliant Technologies LLC, a Kentucky-based company that manufactures the electric shock gloves, according to the federal notice reported by Reuters.

The agreement was made without a competitive bidding process. The contract covers the purchase of 6,000 pairs of gloves, together with support equipment and services during the six-month contract period.

At the headline contract value, the $16.7 million agreement works out to roughly $2,783 per pair if the full value were divided evenly across the 6,000 pairs. However, the contract also includes support equipment and services, meaning the total contract value does not represent the purchase price of the gloves alone.

The procurement therefore covers more than the physical devices. The additional services and equipment form part of the government’s overall spending commitment under the agreement.

ICE’s decision follows an earlier notice outlining plans to obtain thousands of what the agency described as conductive distraction and de-escalation devices for officers and investigators.

The gloves operate as regular patrol gloves until an officer activates their electrical function. When activated and brought into contact with exposed skin, the device can deliver an electric shock intended to cause pain and gain compliance.

ICE has said the devices are intended for situations in which officers need to gain control of people who are resisting.

The agency’s earlier procurement notice identified potential uses including arrests, transporting combative detainees and responding to civil disturbances outside detention facilities.

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What the $16.7 Million ICE Contract Covers

The value of the agreement is significant because it combines the procurement of thousands of devices with associated equipment and services.

The contract is structured around the deployment of 6,000 pairs of gloves to ICE personnel in the field. The six-month support component means the government’s expenditure extends beyond simply acquiring the physical equipment.

The procurement also illustrates how federal agencies can use government contracts to equip personnel with specialised technology for operational purposes.

For Compliant Technologies, the agreement represents a substantial government order and places the company at the centre of a federal procurement involving thousands of specialised devices.

The financial terms also show why the contract value should not be interpreted as the unit cost of the gloves alone. The $16.7 million figure covers the broader agreement, including the equipment and services attached to the procurement.

The contract has also attracted scrutiny from human rights advocates, who had opposed the planned purchase before ICE formally awarded the deal. Their concerns focus on how the devices could be used by immigration officers and the safeguards surrounding their deployment.

The procurement notice had described the devices as tools intended to help officers gain control while avoiding the use of more severe forms of force. The agency said their deployment would be subject to approved policies, training and accountability standards.

ICE’s parent agency, the Department of Homeland Security, defended the procurement and said criticism of equipment intended to protect federal law-enforcement officers was misplaced.

For the federal government, the immediate financial commitment is $16.7 million, while for the supplier, the contract represents a large order for its specialized equipment.

The agreement is expected to cover the delivery of the 6,000 pairs and the associated support requirements over the six-month period specified in the contract.

The procurement comes as ICE continues to expand its enforcement operations and equipment requirements. The contract therefore adds another significant spending commitment to the agency’s operational budget while placing greater attention on the technology being purchased and the terms under which it will be deployed.

Source: Reuters

Author

Onyeka M. Kimekwu

Financial Researcher & Editor

at Makon Financials with over four years of experience specialising in financial markets, economic developments, and corporate finance across Africa, the Middle East, and global markets. His work focuses on analyzing financial data, examining market developments, and translating complex economic information into clear, accurate, and insightful reporting.