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

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The city of Jacksonville and Duval County college district on Wednesday announced a new plan to keep kids secure in the classroom.

The school district employed a New York company named Armoured One, which focuses on doors and glass and claims it will probably slow down or forestall 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 but not locked. Originally, state police stated a instructor left the door propped open. Investigators concluded the teacher really closed the door, however it didn’t lock automatically prefer it was speculated to. The gunman shot and killed 19 college students and two teachers earlier than he was killed by regulation enforcement.

Armoured One, which was based after the Sandy Hook Elementary Faculty capturing, is made up of former army and legislation enforcement brokers who research mass taking pictures attacks and seek the advice of on college safety measures.

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“We are going to first work collaboratively to determine where Armoured One resources can finest compliment the training already supplied, adding their resources to the training tools and assets the district already makes use of,” Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry stated Wednesday afternoon at a information convention at City Corridor to announce the partnership.

Press the play button instantly beneath to observe the whole information conference.

The security glass and movie that Armoured One invented can stand up to several hits -- whether or not that’s bullets, somebody ramming into the glass or utilizing different objects or weapons -- without breaking, which could gradual an attacker. The doorways it makes use of have metal framing, latch bolts and deadbolts.

Armoured One is also identified for providing lively shooter training and assessments. The company issues particular person experiences for each building and recommends the best tools to use for every 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 carry out school security assessments. Armoured One CEO Tom Czyz stated his team is aware of what to search for when it assesses a faculty’s vulnerability.

“They’re taking a look at ways to slow down an attacker and pace up police response,” Czyz stated. “How can 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 Faculty Police Department Chief Greg Burton say security and safety are top of mind day by day.

What I want to be common is that our families know that we're ready each day. And that’s what we work towards being a better faculty district as it relates to safety and safety,” Green said.

Burton said, “I might say the one word that summarizes the whole lot that we do is vigilance.”

Greene mentioned that the district’s greatest defense is its students and workers. She stated she continues to encourage the school neighborhood to report anything they see that’s suspicious.

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So far as the fee, it’s unclear proper now, as the partnership continues to be being worked out.

Duval County voters approved a half-cent gross sales tax in November 2020 with the specific objective of changing growing older colleges, repairing a massive backlog of maintenance points, and bolstering faculty security.

Right now, 74 tasks are within the design section and 15 are beneath development.

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

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

Extra details about how that money is deliberate to be spent in particular person colleges will be found on the varsity district’s half-cent sales tax information dashboard.

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

Every school has a safety plan and emergency response crew.

All faculty classrooms are locked when occupied by college students.

School plans are reviewed with staff every semester.

The district has a extremely educated college police division, giving all schools direct entry to school useful resource officers.

The district makes use of varied main security monitoring methods together with camera surveillance and monitored controlled access systems.

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

All colleges conduct regular evacuation drills (fireplace drills).

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

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