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

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Town of Jacksonville and Duval County college district on Wednesday introduced a new plan to maintain children protected within the classroom.

The college district hired a New York company named Armoured One, which specializes in doors and glass and claims it may decelerate or stop a shooter from getting into a classroom.

These 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 instructor really closed the door, but it didn’t lock routinely like it was speculated to. The gunman shot and killed 19 college students and two academics before he was killed by regulation enforcement.

Armoured One, which was founded after the Sandy Hook Elementary College taking pictures, is made up of former army and legislation enforcement brokers who examine mass shooting assaults and seek the advice of on school safety measures.

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“We'll first work collaboratively to identify the place Armoured One sources can best praise the training already supplied, adding their resources to the coaching tools and assets the district already uses,” Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry said Wednesday afternoon at a information conference at City Hall to announce the partnership.

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

The security glass and film that Armoured One invented can stand up to several hits -- whether that’s bullets, someone ramming into the glass or using different objects or weapons -- with out breaking, which could sluggish an attacker. The doors it uses have metallic framing, latch bolts and deadbolts.

Armoured One is also known for offering active shooter training and assessments. The corporate points particular person reports for each constructing and recommends the most effective tools to use for each facility it’s working with.

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Curry stated he plans to search out the funding for that training but also work with the company to perform school security assessments. Armoured One CEO Tom Czyz mentioned his staff is aware of what to search for when it assesses a faculty’s vulnerability.

“They’re taking a look at ways to decelerate an attacker and pace up police response,” Czyz mentioned. “How will we slow him down -- and then speed up the response that may stop him.”

Duval County Public Faculties Superintendent Dr. Diana Greene and Duval County Faculty Police Department Chief Greg Burton say safety and security are high of mind day-after-day.

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

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

Greene said that the district’s finest protection is its students and staff. She said she continues to encourage the varsity neighborhood to report something they see that’s suspicious.

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So far as the associated fee, it’s unclear proper now, as the partnership remains to be being labored out.

Duval County voters accepted a half-cent gross sales tax in November 2020 with the specific purpose of replacing getting older schools, repairing a large backlog of upkeep issues, and bolstering school safety.

Right now, 74 projects are in the design part and 15 are underneath 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 tasks beneath development.

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

Extra details about how that cash is planned to be spent in individual colleges will be found on the school district’s half-cent gross sales tax information dashboard.

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

Every school has a security plan and emergency response crew.

All faculty classrooms are locked when occupied by college students.

College plans are reviewed with employees each semester.

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

The district utilizes various main safety monitoring strategies together with digicam surveillance and monitored managed entry methods.

All schools and district places of work have a District Emergency Communications Community radio with direct entry to highschool police and district leadership. College Police have direct entry to JSO.

All colleges conduct regular evacuation drills (hearth drills).

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

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