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

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Town of Jacksonville and Duval County school district on Wednesday introduced a new plan to keep kids protected within the classroom.

The college district hired a New York company named Armoured One, which makes a speciality of doorways and glass and claims it could actually decelerate or stop a shooter from getting into a classroom.

These are crucial elements after police in Texas determined the door accessed by the gunman at Robb Elementary College in Uvalde was closed however not locked. Originally, state police said a instructor left the door propped open. Investigators concluded the trainer truly closed the door, but it surely didn’t lock routinely like it was imagined to. The gunman shot and killed 19 students and two teachers earlier than he was killed by regulation enforcement.

Armoured One, which was based after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, is made up of former navy and regulation enforcement agents who research mass capturing attacks and consult on college safety measures.

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“We'll first work collaboratively to identify the place Armoured One assets can finest compliment the training already offered, including their sources to the training instruments and resources the district already makes use of,” Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry stated Wednesday afternoon at a information conference at Metropolis Corridor to announce the partnership.

Press the play button directly below to watch all the information convention.

The security glass and film that Armoured One invented can stand up to several hits -- whether or not that’s bullets, somebody ramming into the glass or using different objects or weapons -- without breaking, which may slow an attacker. The doorways it uses have metallic framing, latch bolts and deadbolts.

Armoured One is also recognized for offering energetic shooter coaching and assessments. The company issues particular person stories for every building and recommends the most effective tools to make use of for each facility it’s working with.

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

“They’re ways to slow down an attacker and speed up police response,” Czyz stated. “How will we sluggish him down -- after which velocity up the response that might stop him.”

Duval County Public Faculties Superintendent Dr. Diana Greene and Duval County College Police Department Chief Greg Burton say safety and security are top of thoughts day-after-day.

What I need to be frequent is that our families know that we are ready each day. And that’s what we work in direction of being a better faculty district because it relates to security and safety,” Inexperienced said.

Burton stated, “I might say the one phrase that summarizes every little thing that we do is vigilance.”

Greene mentioned that the district’s finest defense is its college students and employees. She mentioned she continues to encourage the school neighborhood to report something they see that’s suspicious.

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

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

Right now, 74 projects are in the design part 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 allotted to tasks underneath building.

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

More details about how that money is planned to be spent in particular person colleges can be discovered on the college district’s half-cent sales tax information dashboard.

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The following checklist of safety measures is printed on the varsity district’s website:

Each school has a security plan and emergency response staff.

All school school rooms are locked when occupied by students.

College plans are reviewed with staff each semester.

The district has a extremely educated college police division, giving all colleges direct access to highschool resource officers.

The district utilizes varied main safety monitoring strategies together with camera surveillance and monitored controlled entry systems.

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

All faculties conduct regular evacuation drills (fire drills).

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

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