Metropolis, DCPS publicizes partnership with firm specializing in security doors, glass

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The town of Jacksonville and Duval County faculty district on Wednesday announced a new plan to keep kids secure within the classroom.

The school district hired a New York firm named Armoured One, which makes a speciality of doors and glass and claims it can slow down or prevent a shooter from getting right into a classroom.

These are crucial components after police in Texas determined the door accessed by the gunman at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde was closed however not locked. Initially, state police mentioned a teacher left the door propped open. Investigators concluded the trainer truly closed the door, but it surely didn’t lock mechanically prefer it was purported to. The gunman shot and killed 19 college students and two lecturers earlier than he was killed by law enforcement.

Armoured One, which was based after the Sandy Hook Elementary Faculty taking pictures, is made up of former military and regulation enforcement agents who research mass shooting attacks and consult on college safety measures.

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“We'll first work collaboratively to identify the place Armoured One assets can finest praise the coaching already supplied, adding their resources to the training instruments and assets the district already makes use of,” Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry said Wednesday afternoon at a information convention at City Hall to announce the partnership.

Press the play button directly below to observe the complete news convention.

The safety glass and movie that Armoured One invented can withstand several hits -- whether or not that’s bullets, someone ramming into the glass or utilizing different objects or weapons -- with out breaking, which could sluggish an attacker. The doorways it makes use of have metal framing, latch bolts and deadbolts.

Armoured One can be recognized for offering energetic shooter training and assessments. The company issues individual experiences for every constructing and recommends the very best equipment to use for every facility it’s working with.

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Curry mentioned he plans to find the funding for that coaching but additionally work with the company to carry out faculty safety assessments. Armoured One CEO Tom Czyz stated his group knows what to search for when it assesses a school’s vulnerability.

“They’re taking a look at methods to slow down an attacker and velocity up police response,” Czyz mentioned. “How do we slow him down -- and then pace up the response that might stop him.”

Duval County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Diana Greene and Duval County College Police Division Chief Greg Burton say security and safety are high of thoughts daily.

What I want to be frequent is that our households know that we are prepared every day. And that’s what we work in the direction of being a greater college district because it pertains to security and safety,” Green stated.

Burton stated, “I would say the one phrase that summarizes the whole lot that we do is vigilance.”

Greene stated that the district’s best protection is its students and employees. She mentioned she continues to encourage the varsity community to report something they see that’s suspicious.

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So far as the associated fee, it’s unclear proper now, because the partnership continues to be being worked out.

Duval County voters accredited a half-cent sales tax in November 2020 with the specific objective of replacing getting old schools, repairing a massive backlog of maintenance issues, and bolstering college safety.

Right now, 74 projects are in the design section and 15 are underneath development.

As of January 2022, the tax has generated more than $118 million dollars, with more than $5.7 million already spent or allocated to tasks under building.

Over its 15-year life, the sales tax is projected to generate $64.9 million for the particular function of upgrading faculty security in DCPS colleges.

Extra information about how that cash is deliberate to be spent in individual colleges may be discovered on the varsity district’s half-cent sales tax info dashboard.

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The following list of security measures is printed on the school district’s web site:

Every school has a security plan and emergency response workforce.

All college classrooms are locked when occupied by college students.

Faculty plans are reviewed with staff each semester.

The district has a highly educated school police division, giving all colleges direct access to highschool useful resource officers.

The district utilizes various main security monitoring methods including digicam surveillance and monitored controlled entry programs.

All faculties and district offices have a District Emergency Communications Community radio with direct access to school police and district management. College Police have direct access to JSO.

All schools conduct common evacuation drills (hearth drills).

All faculties conduct common emergency and lockdown (“code crimson” and “code yellow”) drills.

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