City, DCPS publicizes partnership with company specializing in security doors, glass

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

The varsity district hired a New York company named Armoured One, which makes a speciality of doorways and glass and claims it can decelerate or forestall a shooter from getting right into a classroom.

Those are essential factors after police in Texas decided the door accessed by the gunman at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde was closed however not locked. Initially, state police mentioned a trainer left the door propped open. Investigators concluded the instructor really closed the door, but it surely didn’t lock mechanically prefer it was purported to. The gunman shot and killed 19 students and two academics earlier than he was killed by legislation enforcement.

Armoured One, which was founded after the Sandy Hook Elementary Faculty capturing, is made up of former navy and regulation enforcement agents who research mass taking pictures attacks and seek the advice of on school security measures.

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“We'll first work collaboratively to determine where Armoured One resources can greatest compliment the training already provided, adding their sources to the training instruments and sources the district already uses,” Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry mentioned Wednesday afternoon at a information convention at Metropolis Corridor to announce the partnership.

Press the play button directly below to look at the complete news conference.

The safety glass and film that Armoured One invented can stand up to a number of hits -- whether or not that’s bullets, someone ramming into the glass or using other objects or weapons -- without breaking, which may slow an attacker. The doors it makes use of have metallic framing, latch bolts and deadbolts.

Armoured One is also recognized for providing lively shooter coaching and assessments. The corporate issues individual studies for each building and recommends the most effective equipment to use for every facility it’s working with.

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Curry mentioned he plans to seek out the funding for that coaching but in addition work with the company to perform college security assessments. Armoured One CEO Tom Czyz stated his crew knows what to search for when it assesses a faculty’s vulnerability.

“They’re looking at methods to decelerate an attacker and pace up police response,” Czyz stated. “How can we gradual him down -- and then velocity up the response that will stop him.”

Duval County Public Colleges Superintendent Dr. Diana Greene and Duval County Faculty Police Department Chief Greg Burton say safety and security are top of mind on daily basis.

What I need to be frequent is that our families know that we're ready each day. And that’s what we work towards being a better faculty district as it relates to safety and safety,” Inexperienced stated.

Burton mentioned, “I'd say the one word that summarizes every thing that we do is vigilance.”

Greene said that the district’s greatest protection is its students and workers. She mentioned she continues to encourage the school group to report anything they see that’s suspicious.

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As far as the cost, it’s unclear right now, as the partnership is still being worked out.

Duval County voters accepted a half-cent sales tax in November 2020 with the particular objective of changing aging colleges, repairing a large backlog of upkeep points, and bolstering faculty security.

Proper now, 74 projects are within the design section and 15 are under development.

As of January 2022, the tax has generated more than $118 million dollars, with more than $5.7 million already spent or allotted to tasks beneath development.

Over its 15-year life, the sales tax is projected to generate $64.9 million for the precise purpose of upgrading college safety in DCPS faculties.

Extra details about how that cash is deliberate to be spent in particular person colleges could be found on the varsity district’s half-cent sales tax data dashboard.

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The following list of security measures is published on the college district’s web site:

Each school has a security plan and emergency response workforce.

All college classrooms are locked when occupied by students.

School plans are reviewed with employees each semester.

The district has a extremely educated faculty police division, giving all colleges direct access to school resource officers.

The district utilizes numerous main security monitoring methods including camera surveillance and monitored controlled entry systems.

All faculties and district workplaces have a District Emergency Communications Network radio with direct access to highschool police and district management. School Police have direct entry to JSO.

All faculties conduct common evacuation drills (hearth drills).

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

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