Omaha Public Schools, the largest school district in Nebraska, will no longer permit police officers assigned to its campuses to use electric shock gloves, according to a decision announced this week by Superintendent Matthew Ray.
Ray requested on Tuesday that school resource officers cease using the devices, known as G.L.O.V.E. (Generated Low Output Voltage Emitter). He stated that he had only become aware of the gloves the previous week, just before the start of the school year. The Omaha Police Department had demonstrated the gloves the week prior, asserting they could quickly achieve compliance with minimal force.
The decision to discontinue the use of the gloves in middle and high schools follows an Associated Press investigation into plans by Immigration and Customs Enforcement to provide officers with these devices. Similar gloves have also been employed in some correctional facilities in recent years.
During a school board meeting on Monday, approximately 30 individuals spoke against the use of the gloves by police in schools. Residents and board members alike expressed dismay, with no one speaking in favor of the practice. "I can't even imagine walking down the hallway and seeing a peer of mine being electrocuted in a place that is supposed to be a safe space for students," said Nora Wessel, a senior at Omaha Central High School. "Yet, this is now a very real possibility. These are adults we are supposed to be able to trust, but these weapons create a barrier for our students to turn to resource officers when needed."
Superintendent Ray acknowledged the district's long-standing relationship with law enforcement and the role school resource officers play in maintaining safety. He stated that the continued use of the gloves "would be counterproductive to our work together."
Mayor John Ewing Jr. confirmed that the police department has complied with the school district's request to stop using the gloves. The Omaha Police Department indicated that officers will continue to be equipped with tasers, batons, OC spray, and firearms.
Most of the department's 34 school resource officers had been trained and authorized to use the G.L.O.V.E. devices, according to statements from the mayor and Police Chief Todd Schmaderer. The department described the gloves as "the safest use-of-force option in the rare times when it is used."
During the 2025-2026 school year, the gloves were deployed twice, according to police. In one instance, an officer used the glove to subdue a high school student from another school who was attempting to flee after an altercation with a security guard. Officers were instructed to provide a warning before activating the gloves, which must maintain direct skin contact for up to 15 seconds to deliver a shock intended to ensure compliance. Unlike tasers, the gloves do not leave visible marks.
In 2025, the city's police department entered into a contract with Compliant Technologies LLC, the manufacturer, for approximately $66,000 to purchase 40 gloves.
Omaha Public Schools serves more than 50,000 students and is the largest school district in Nebraska.