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

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The town of Jacksonville and Duval County faculty district on Wednesday introduced a brand new plan to maintain youngsters secure in the classroom.

The college district hired a New York company named Armoured One, which makes a speciality of doors and glass and claims it may well slow down or prevent a shooter from getting right into a classroom.

Those are crucial components after police in Texas decided the door accessed by the gunman at Robb Elementary Faculty in Uvalde was closed but not locked. Initially, state police mentioned a trainer left the door propped open. Investigators concluded the teacher truly closed the door, but it didn’t lock mechanically prefer it was presupposed 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 Faculty taking pictures, is made up of former navy and law enforcement agents who research mass capturing attacks and seek the advice of on school security measures.

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

Press the play button directly below to watch your complete news conference.

The security glass and movie that Armoured One invented can withstand a number of hits -- whether that’s bullets, somebody ramming into the glass or using other objects or weapons -- without breaking, which could gradual an attacker. The doorways it uses have steel framing, latch bolts and deadbolts.

Armoured One can also be recognized for offering energetic shooter coaching and assessments. The corporate issues individual experiences for each building and recommends the very best equipment to use for each facility it’s working with.

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

“They’re ways to slow down an attacker and pace up police response,” Czyz said. “How can we slow him down -- after which speed up the response that will stop 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 mind each day.

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

Burton said, “I'd say the one word that summarizes all the things that we do is vigilance.”

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

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So far as the cost, it’s unclear right now, as the partnership is still being labored out.

Duval County voters authorized a half-cent gross sales tax in November 2020 with the precise function of replacing growing old faculties, repairing a large backlog of maintenance points, and bolstering college security.

Proper now, 74 initiatives are within the design part and 15 are under building.

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

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

Extra information about how that cash is planned to be spent in particular person faculties will be found on the varsity district’s half-cent sales tax data dashboard.

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

Each school has a safety plan and emergency response team.

All college lecture rooms are locked when occupied by students.

College plans are reviewed with workers each semester.

The district has a highly trained school police division, giving all colleges direct entry to school useful resource officers.

The district makes use of numerous main security monitoring methods together with digital camera surveillance and monitored controlled entry systems.

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

All schools conduct common evacuation drills (hearth drills).

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

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