- OPD says it has delivered shock gloves to SROs at 29 of 34 Omaha-area public schools, with 5 more schools still awaiting training
- OPD says the gloves have been used twice — both times on students — and both uses were reviewed and deemed within policy
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) – School resource officers at 29 public schools across the Omaha area have access to gloves capable of delivering an electric shock — the same technology U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is considering purchasing for its agents.
The Omaha Police Department said Friday that the gloves have been used twice by school resource officers, in both cases on students.
According to its website, OPD has school resource officers – or SROs – at 34 schools in the Omaha, Westside, Millard, and Elkhorn public school districts. A spokesperson for OPD confirmed Friday that the gloves have been delivered to SROs at 29 of the 34 schools, with plans to train officers at the remaining 5 schools.
A demonstration of the gloves in use is posted on Compliant Technologies' YouTube page.
Omaha Police Officer Jason Civitano trains SROs on how to use the glove. During a Friday afternoon press conference, he gave a demonstration and described both incidents in which the gloves were used.
"The officer was trying to get this individual away from the school to leave. The commands were given. There was a refusal. It was a quick touch with the glove and then the officer was able to secure that individual," Civitano said.
"The other one, I believe, was in a high school and again, noncompliance, and so the officer chose in this situation to utilize the glove. No reported injuries," Civitano said.
When asked why the gloves are being used in schools but not in the general public, Civitano pointed to the lower level of force involved.
"I think because of the low level of force, plain and simple. I don't have taser barbs. I'm not gonna spray pepper spray where there's a lot of aftercare," Civitano said. "This, as you saw, has lesser effects than each of those areas," Civitano said.
OPD confirmed that in both incidents, the use of force was reviewed and deemed within policy.
Last June, the Omaha City Council approved OPD purchasing 40 pairs of the gloves. According to city documents, OPD said it was making the purchase to give SROs "another use of force option with the goal of de-escalating and preventing use of force situations."
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
