Metropolis, DCPS pronounces partnership with company specializing in safety doors, glass

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Town of Jacksonville and Duval County school district on Wednesday introduced a brand new plan to maintain children safe in the classroom.

The varsity district hired a New York firm named Armoured One, which focuses on doors and glass and claims it might slow down or forestall a shooter from getting into a classroom.

Those are essential components after police in Texas determined the door accessed by the gunman at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde was closed but not locked. Originally, state police mentioned a trainer left the door propped open. Investigators concluded the teacher really closed the door, however it didn’t lock robotically prefer it was purported to. The gunman shot and killed 19 college students and two teachers before he was killed by regulation enforcement.

Armoured One, which was founded after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, is made up of former navy and regulation enforcement agents who study mass shooting assaults and consult on faculty security measures.

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“We'll first work collaboratively to determine where Armoured One sources can best compliment the coaching already supplied, adding their assets to the coaching instruments and resources the district already makes use of,” Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry mentioned Wednesday afternoon at a news conference at City Hall to announce the partnership.

Press the play button straight beneath to watch the complete news convention.

The security glass and film that Armoured One invented can withstand several hits -- whether or not that’s bullets, somebody ramming into the glass or utilizing other objects or weapons -- with out breaking, which may gradual an attacker. The doors it makes use of have steel framing, latch bolts and deadbolts.

Armoured One can also be identified for offering active shooter coaching and assessments. The corporate points particular person reports for each building and recommends the very best tools to use for every facility it’s working with.

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Curry said he plans to search out the funding for that coaching but also work with the corporate to perform faculty security assessments. Armoured One CEO Tom Czyz stated his workforce knows what to search for when it assesses a college’s vulnerability.

“They’re ways to decelerate an attacker and speed up police response,” Czyz said. “How will we sluggish him down -- and then velocity up the response that will stop him.”

Duval County Public Colleges Superintendent Dr. Diana Greene and Duval County School Police Division Chief Greg Burton say security and safety are top of thoughts daily.

What I want to be widespread is that our households know that we are prepared each and every day. And that’s what we work towards being a better faculty district as it pertains to safety and security,” Inexperienced stated.

Burton stated, “I would say the one phrase that summarizes every little thing that we do is vigilance.”

Greene mentioned that the district’s finest defense is its college students and staff. She stated she continues to encourage the school group to report anything they see that’s suspicious.

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

Duval County voters accepted a half-cent sales tax in November 2020 with the specific function of changing growing old faculties, repairing an enormous backlog of maintenance issues, and bolstering faculty safety.

Right now, 74 projects are in the design phase and 15 are beneath construction.

As of January 2022, the tax has generated greater than $118 million dollars, with more than $5.7 million already spent or allotted to projects below building.

Over its 15-year life, the gross sales tax is projected to generate $64.9 million for the precise purpose of upgrading school security in DCPS schools.

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

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The next record of safety measures is printed on the college district’s website:

Each school has a safety plan and emergency response crew.

All school school rooms are locked when occupied by college students.

Faculty plans are reviewed with employees each semester.

The district has a highly skilled faculty police division, giving all schools direct entry to highschool resource officers.

The district utilizes varied main security monitoring methods together with camera surveillance and monitored managed entry techniques.

All schools and district offices have a District Emergency Communications Network radio with direct entry to highschool police and district leadership. College Police have direct entry to JSO.

All faculties conduct common evacuation drills (fireplace drills).

All faculties conduct regular emergency and lockdown (“code purple” and “code yellow”) drills.

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