City, DCPS declares partnership with company specializing in security doorways, glass

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

The school district hired a New York firm named Armoured One, which specializes in doorways and glass and claims it may slow down or stop a shooter from getting right 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 however not locked. Initially, state police said a instructor left the door propped open. Investigators concluded the instructor actually closed the door, nevertheless it didn’t lock automatically prefer it was supposed to. The gunman shot and killed 19 students and two lecturers earlier than he was killed by law enforcement.

Armoured One, which was founded after the Sandy Hook Elementary College shooting, is made up of former navy and regulation enforcement agents who examine mass taking pictures assaults and consult on college security measures.

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“We are going to first work collaboratively to identify where Armoured One assets can greatest praise the training already offered, including their assets to the training tools and resources the district already uses,” Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry stated Wednesday afternoon at a information conference at City Corridor to announce the partnership.

Press the play button directly under to observe the complete information conference.

The security glass and film that Armoured One invented can face up to a number of hits -- whether or not that’s bullets, somebody ramming into the glass or utilizing different objects or weapons -- without breaking, which could sluggish an attacker. The doorways it uses have steel framing, latch bolts and deadbolts.

Armoured One can be identified for providing active shooter coaching and assessments. The company points particular person reports for each constructing and recommends the perfect gear 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 in addition work with the corporate to carry out school safety assessments. Armoured One CEO Tom Czyz said his workforce is aware of what to search for when it assesses a school’s vulnerability.

“They’re looking at ways to decelerate an attacker and speed up police response,” Czyz said. “How can we gradual him down -- and then speed up the response that might stop him.”

Duval County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Diana Greene and Duval County College Police Department Chief Greg Burton say safety and security are high of thoughts every single day.

What I want to be widespread is that our families know that we are ready each and every day. And that’s what we work in the direction of being a better school district as it pertains to security and safety,” Green mentioned.

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

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

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So far as the fee, it’s unclear right now, because the partnership is still being worked out.

Duval County voters authorised a half-cent sales tax in November 2020 with the specific function of changing growing older schools, repairing a massive backlog of upkeep issues, and bolstering college security.

Proper now, 74 initiatives are within the design part and 15 are beneath construction.

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

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

Extra details about how that cash is deliberate to be spent in particular person faculties may be discovered on the college district’s half-cent gross sales tax data dashboard.

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The following record of security measures is revealed on the varsity district’s website:

Each faculty has a safety plan and emergency response team.

All faculty lecture rooms are locked when occupied by college students.

Faculty plans are reviewed with workers each semester.

The district has a extremely skilled school police department, giving all faculties direct access to school useful resource officers.

The district utilizes varied main safety monitoring strategies including camera surveillance and monitored managed entry programs.

All faculties and district places of work have a District Emergency Communications Community radio with direct entry to high school police and district management. School Police have direct access to JSO.

All schools conduct regular evacuation drills (fire drills).

All colleges conduct regular emergency and lockdown (“code crimson” and “code yellow”) drills.

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