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

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

The school district employed a New York firm named Armoured One, which makes a speciality of doorways and glass and claims it may well slow down or stop a shooter from getting into a classroom.

Those are crucial components 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 stated a instructor left the door propped open. Investigators concluded the instructor truly closed the door, however it didn’t lock automatically like it was alleged to. The gunman shot and killed 19 college students and two teachers earlier than he was killed by law enforcement.

Armoured One, which was founded after the Sandy Hook Elementary College capturing, is made up of former army and legislation enforcement agents who examine mass shooting assaults and consult on school security measures.

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

Press the play button straight below to watch your entire information convention.

The safety glass and movie that Armoured One invented can stand up to a number of hits -- whether or not that’s bullets, someone ramming into the glass or utilizing other objects or weapons -- with out breaking, which may gradual an attacker. The doorways it uses have steel framing, latch bolts and deadbolts.

Armoured One can be known for offering active shooter training and assessments. The company issues individual reviews for every constructing and recommends one of the best tools to make use of for each facility it’s working with.

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Curry stated he plans to search out the funding for that training but in addition work with the company to perform school security assessments. Armoured One CEO Tom Czyz said his group 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 do we gradual him down -- after which velocity up the response that would cease him.”

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

What I need to be widespread 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 safety and security,” Inexperienced said.

Burton said, “I might say the one phrase that summarizes all the things that we do is vigilance.”

Greene said that the district’s finest defense is its students and workers. She said she continues to encourage the school community to report something they see that’s suspicious.

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As far as the cost, it’s unclear proper now, as the partnership continues to be being labored out.

Duval County voters accepted a half-cent sales tax in November 2020 with the particular goal of changing growing old faculties, repairing an enormous backlog of maintenance points, and bolstering school security.

Right now, 74 projects are in the design phase and 15 are under building.

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

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

More information about how that cash is planned to be spent in individual colleges will be discovered on the varsity district’s half-cent sales tax information dashboard.

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The following listing of security measures is printed on the school district’s web site:

Every school has a safety plan and emergency response crew.

All faculty lecture rooms are locked when occupied by students.

College plans are reviewed with staff each semester.

The district has a highly educated school police department, giving all colleges direct access to highschool resource officers.

The district utilizes various major safety monitoring strategies including digicam surveillance and monitored controlled entry methods.

All faculties and district workplaces have a District Emergency Communications Community radio with direct entry to high school police and district management. College Police have direct entry to JSO.

All schools conduct common evacuation drills (fireplace drills).

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

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