Omaha Public Schools Gives Update on GLOVE Technology Following Internal District Review
Omaha Public Schools Gives Update on GLOVE Technology Following Internal District Review
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On Thursday, Sept. 10, Superintendent Matthew Ray sent an updated message to staff, families and high school students.
A follow-up to our Aug. 18, 2026, message about GLOVE technology in Omaha Public Schools
Dear Omaha Public Schools community,
Nothing is more important than the health, safety and well-being of every student we serve.
That is exactly how we started our message on August 18.
Safety is always our top priority.
Following our message about School Resource Officers (SROs) equipped with “Generated Low Output Voltage Emitters,” or GLOVEs, we started an internal district review.
After many people in our district and community learned about GLOVE technology from a national news report, we needed to understand what happened and ensure we do better in the future.
GLOVEs and Schools
At our Board of Education meeting on Monday, Aug. 17, I shared that the Board of Education and I were caught off guard by the national news report about GLOVE technology.
I took responsibility and committed to resolving it.
SROs are only in middle and high schools, and secondary alternative programs across our district. No elementary schools have SROs.
Most of our district is in the City of Omaha, staffed by Omaha Police Department SROs. In August, the Mayor of Omaha offered each school district in the city a choice – to have Omaha Police Department (OPD) SROs use GLOVEs or not. We opted to have them removed.
Some middle and high schools are staffed by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office. Their department has said publicly that SROs do not carry GLOVEs.
Two schools in our district are staffed by Bellevue Police Department SROs. They declined our request to remove GLOVEs. SROs at Bryan Middle and Bryan High continue to carry them.
Our Internal Review
As our internal review progressed, it became clear that some staff in our organization were aware of the use of GLOVE technology. Both when Bellevue Police adopted it for all officers, and as OPD considered purchasing and implementing the technology for SROs.
In addition, we identified two emails I received regarding GLOVE technology. Reflecting our commitment to open communication, we have posted these two emails from the internal review to our website:
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One is from September 2023, where someone outside our organization asked if Omaha Public Schools staff were using GLOVEs. I replied definitively that staff were not. I said Bellevue Police officers were equipped with them, and we do have Bellevue Police SROs in two schools.
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Another email mentioned use of a “taser glove” during an incident at South High in January 2026.
I have reflected on those emails and additional questions I would have asked, looking back with the information we have now. I have served my entire career in Omaha Public Schools, and I care so incredibly much about our young people.
Our Next Steps
We take this review, and what we learned, most seriously.
We understand more staff, throughout our school district, need to be involved with something as important as this. We are opening additional communication channels and strengthening explicit expectations around information sharing.
My quarterly meetings with law enforcement partners will have a standing agenda item for updates like this.
I have also asked our law enforcement partners to bring directly to me any change in standard operating procedures relating to SROs or future consideration of new use-of-force tools which might be deployed on OPS students. That will allow me to fully understand and consider the proposed changes and take appropriate steps to inform our Board and key stakeholders.
If future changes take place, we will work collaboratively with law enforcement partners to ensure staff, students and families have the information they need.
We are grateful for our law enforcement partners. SROs are a critical part of our comprehensive work to protect schools. Officers build positive relationships with students and are the first to respond in an emergency. Thank you.
Our United Focus on Improvement
This review shows where we need to do better with information sharing.
I also want to highlight our united focus on improvement for every student we serve. Our Moonshot.
Since the start of this school year on Aug. 19, I have visited every school and program in our district.
I’ve seen dedicated staff, engaged students and active learning.
As we confronted this challenge and gave it the immediate attention it deserved, staff never lost focus.
We are making sure every student reads on grade level by 2030.
Bus drivers, nutrition services and office staff, teachers, paraprofessionals, volunteers, families and partners have all told me how their work helps make it happen.
I am so proud to serve the students, staff and families of Omaha Public Schools.
Thank you for being part of our community.
Matthew
Posted: Aug. 18, 2026
Omaha Public Schools Requests Omaha, Bellevue Police Cease Use of GLOVEs in District Schools
On Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026, Superintendent Matthew Ray sent messages to the City of Omaha, Omaha Police Department, City of Bellevue and Bellevue Police Department requesting that SROs cease use of Generated Low Output Voltage Emitters, or GLOVEs, at any Omaha Public Schools location.
Both departments had assigned GLOVEs to SROs, who work in middle and high schools across multiple metro school districts.
Read Superintendent Ray’s Message to the Omaha Public Schools Community
Dear Omaha Public Schools community,
Nothing is more important than the health, safety and well-being of every student we serve.
Nothing.
To me, to our Board of Education, to our 9,000 dedicated staff members.
When I learned last week that School Resource Officers were equipped with “Generated Low Output Voltage Emitters,” or GLOVEs, I had countless questions and concerns. Just as I know our Board, staff, students and families did.
We sought answers and accurate information.
We’ve had open and frank conversations with Omaha Mayor John Ewing and Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer.
We’ve heard community input and concern.
We listened.
Today, we communicated with both Omaha Police and Bellevue Police to request that School Resource Officers (SROs) no longer be authorized to carry GLOVEs on any Omaha Public Schools premises.
We recognize our long-standing relationships with law enforcement partners and the important role SROs have in promoting school safety.
Continued use of GLOVEs would be counterproductive to our work together.
As we heard at Monday’s Board of Education meeting, students must be safe and feel safe.
Tomorrow, we welcome students for the 2026-27 school year.
Serving our community is a privilege and a responsibility we take most seriously.
We have important, tough conversations.
And we stay grounded in our mission.
We are relentlessly focused on doing better for every student we serve.
Strengthening student experiences.
Fostering deeper connections with families.
Improving outcomes.
We are ready for the new year.
Thank you to our staff who make it happen.
Thank you to our families who entrust us with your children.
It is an honor to be part of our district community.
Matthew
Review Omaha Public Schools letters to the City of Omaha, Omaha Police Department, City of Bellevue and Bellevue Police Department
- Letter to the City of Omaha and Omaha Police Department
- Letter to the Douglas County Sheriff
- Letter to the City of Bellevue and Bellevue Police Department
Read Superintendent Ray's Aug. 19 Follow-Up Message to the Bryan Middle and Bryan High Community
Dear Bryan Middle and Bryan High staff, students and families,
Tuesday, we communicated with staff and families across our district about “Generated Low Output Voltage Emitters,” or GLOVEs.
We communicated with both Omaha Police and Bellevue Police, calling for SROs to no longer carry GLOVEs on Omaha Public Schools premises.
Most of our middle and high schools are in the City of Omaha, with Omaha Police providing SROs. Bryan Middle and Bryan High are in Bellevue, staffed by Bellevue Police SROs.
The Bellevue Police Department has declined our request. SROs will continue to carry GLOVEs, just as all Bellevue Police officers working across the city do.
As we shared Tuesday, we value partnerships with law enforcement in promoting school safety. The protection of our students and staff is paramount. We consider use of the GLOVEs to be counterproductive to our work together.
We value open communication and wanted you to have this information. It is important you hear directly from us.
School and district leaders will continue to engage with partners and monitor this closely. As we said Tuesday, safety is our top priority. Students must be safe and feel safe.
As we begin the new school year, we are grateful for the privilege of serving you.
Matthew