For now, school resource officers with the Bellevue Police Department will continue to use shock gloves inside Bryan High School and Bryan Middle School.
Omaha Public Schools Superintendent Matthew Ray fielded questions about the gloves at Benson High School Wednesday morning. The use of the electric shock gloves, officially called G.L.O.V.E., brought a firestorm of criticism following an NPR news story last week.
Since then, Omaha Mayor John Ewing Jr. and Police Chief Todd Schmaderer shared there were two instances of the gloves being used in Omaha schools. The first was to stop a high school student who was trespassing at Omaha South High School, and the second was on a student in OPS’ Integrated Learning Program who had thrown a chair at and punched a guard.
About 30 parents, students and community members voiced concerns about the use of electric shock gloves at the Omaha Public Schools board meeting Monday night while a full room listened.
Ray sent letters to Omaha and Bellevue city and police officials requesting school resource officers stop using electric shock gloves in OPS buildings “immediately.” Omaha honored that request. Bellevue, so far, has not.
“It’s my understanding that Bellevue has them throughout the city,” Ray said, “and so it’s a little bit different in the Bellevue Police Department. And by no means do I want to speak for Bellevue, but my understanding is it’s standard in all the city of Bellevue.”
Reached by phone Wednesday, a spokesman with the Bellevue Police Department said the agency “has no statement at this time.”
Ray said the school board found out about the gloves the same time as the general public. He said a review of communication methods is underway.
“It sure did identify that there are some gaps in information that has flown through the organization or through the system,” Ray said, “and so as we review things, and as we try to determine where those gaps are, we’ll definitely have to review as a system where we fell short.”