Metropolis, DCPS broadcasts partnership with firm specializing in security doorways, glass

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The city of Jacksonville and Duval County school district on Wednesday announced a brand new plan to maintain kids protected in the classroom.

The college district employed a New York firm named Armoured One, which focuses on doorways and glass and claims it could actually slow down or prevent a shooter from getting right into a classroom.

These are essential factors after police in Texas determined the door accessed by the gunman at Robb Elementary Faculty in Uvalde was closed but not locked. Initially, state police said a trainer left the door propped open. Investigators concluded the teacher actually closed the door, but it didn’t lock routinely like it was alleged to. The gunman shot and killed 19 students and two teachers before he was killed by law enforcement.

Armoured One, which was founded after the Sandy Hook Elementary College taking pictures, is made up of former army and law enforcement agents who study mass capturing assaults and consult on college safety measures.

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“We'll first work collaboratively to establish the place Armoured One resources can best praise the training already provided, including their resources to the training instruments and sources the district already uses,” Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry mentioned Wednesday afternoon at a information convention at City Hall to announce the partnership.

Press the play button instantly below to watch the entire news convention.

The safety glass and movie that Armoured One invented can stand up to several hits -- whether that’s bullets, someone ramming into the glass or utilizing other objects or weapons -- with out breaking, which may slow an attacker. The doorways it uses have steel framing, latch bolts and deadbolts.

Armoured One is also identified for offering lively shooter training and assessments. The corporate points individual stories for each building and recommends the very best equipment to make use of for each facility it’s working with.

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Curry stated he plans to seek out the funding for that training but additionally work with the company to perform college safety assessments. Armoured One CEO Tom Czyz mentioned his crew is aware of what to search for when it assesses a college’s vulnerability.

“They’re looking at methods to decelerate an attacker and speed up police response,” Czyz said. “How can we gradual him down -- after which pace up the response that may cease him.”

Duval County Public Colleges Superintendent Dr. Diana Greene and Duval County College Police Division Chief Greg Burton say security and safety are top of mind day by day.

What I need to be common is that our families know that we are prepared each day. And that’s what we work in the direction of being a better faculty district as it pertains to security and security,” Inexperienced stated.

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

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

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

Duval County voters authorised a half-cent sales tax in November 2020 with the particular goal of replacing growing older colleges, repairing a massive backlog of upkeep issues, and bolstering college security.

Proper now, 74 initiatives are in the design phase and 15 are below development.

As of January 2022, the tax has generated greater than $118 million dollars, with greater than $5.7 million already spent or allocated to tasks beneath construction.

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

More information about how that money is deliberate to be spent in particular person faculties can be discovered on the school district’s half-cent sales tax data dashboard.

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The following list of safety measures is published on the school district’s website:

Every faculty has a security plan and emergency response crew.

All college lecture rooms are locked when occupied by students.

College plans are reviewed with employees each semester.

The district has a extremely trained school police department, giving all faculties direct entry to highschool resource officers.

The district makes use of numerous major safety monitoring strategies including camera surveillance and monitored controlled access systems.

All colleges and district places of work have a District Emergency Communications Community radio with direct entry to school police and district leadership. School Police have direct entry to JSO.

All faculties conduct regular evacuation drills (hearth drills).

All schools conduct common emergency and lockdown (“code purple” and “code yellow”) drills.

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