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

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The city of Jacksonville and Duval County school district on Wednesday introduced a new plan to maintain youngsters secure within the classroom.

The school district employed a New York company named Armoured One, which focuses on doors and glass and claims it could actually decelerate or stop a shooter from getting right into a classroom.

These are essential factors after police in Texas decided the door accessed by the gunman at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde was closed however not locked. Originally, state police said a teacher left the door propped open. Investigators concluded the instructor really closed the door, however it didn’t lock automatically like 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 founded after the Sandy Hook Elementary College capturing, is made up of former military and law enforcement brokers who examine mass taking pictures assaults and consult on faculty safety measures.

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“We will first work collaboratively to identify where Armoured One resources can best praise the training already supplied, adding their assets to the training instruments and assets the district already uses,” Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry stated Wednesday afternoon at a news conference at Metropolis Corridor to announce the partnership.

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The safety glass and movie that Armoured One invented can stand up to a number of hits -- whether that’s bullets, someone ramming into the glass or utilizing different objects or weapons -- with out breaking, which might slow an attacker. The doorways it makes use of have metal framing, latch bolts and deadbolts.

Armoured One can be known for offering lively shooter training and assessments. The corporate issues individual reports for every building and recommends the most effective equipment to make use of for every 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 safety assessments. Armoured One CEO Tom Czyz said his team knows what to look for when it assesses a school’s vulnerability.

“They’re ways to decelerate an attacker and pace up police response,” Czyz said. “How do we sluggish him down -- after which velocity up the response that would cease him.”

Duval County Public Faculties Superintendent Dr. Diana Greene and Duval County Faculty Police Department Chief Greg Burton say security and safety are prime of thoughts daily.

What I wish to be widespread is that our households know that we are ready every day. And that’s what we work in direction of being a better college district as it relates to safety and security,” Inexperienced stated.

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

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

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As far as the associated fee, it’s unclear right now, as the partnership is still being worked out.

Duval County voters authorized a half-cent gross sales tax in November 2020 with the particular objective of changing getting old colleges, repairing a large backlog of upkeep issues, and bolstering college security.

Right 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 more than $5.7 million already spent or allotted to projects below construction.

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

More details about how that cash is deliberate to be spent in particular person faculties might be found on the varsity district’s half-cent sales tax information dashboard.

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The following listing of safety measures is published on the college district’s website:

Every college has a safety plan and emergency response team.

All school school rooms are locked when occupied by students.

College plans are reviewed with employees every semester.

The district has a extremely skilled faculty police department, giving all colleges direct entry to highschool useful resource officers.

The district utilizes various main safety monitoring strategies together with digital camera surveillance and monitored managed access programs.

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

All schools conduct regular evacuation drills (fire drills).

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

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