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

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

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

Those are crucial factors 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 said a trainer left the door propped open. Investigators concluded the teacher really closed the door, nevertheless it didn’t lock routinely like it was speculated to. The gunman shot and killed 19 students and two academics earlier than he was killed by regulation enforcement.

Armoured One, which was founded after the Sandy Hook Elementary School capturing, is made up of former army and law enforcement agents who study mass taking pictures attacks and consult on school security measures.

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“We are going to first work collaboratively to identify the place Armoured One assets can finest compliment the coaching already supplied, adding their assets to the coaching tools and assets the district already uses,” Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry stated Wednesday afternoon at a news convention at Metropolis Hall to announce the partnership.

Press the play button instantly below to watch the entire information conference.

The security glass and movie that Armoured One invented can withstand several hits -- whether that’s bullets, someone ramming into the glass or using different objects or weapons -- without breaking, which may sluggish an attacker. The doorways it uses have steel framing, latch bolts and deadbolts.

Armoured One is also known for providing active shooter training and assessments. The company points individual experiences for each building and recommends the very best tools to use for each facility it’s working with.

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

“They’re looking at methods to slow down an attacker and speed up police response,” Czyz stated. “How do we gradual him down -- and then pace up the response that might stop 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 thoughts every day.

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

Burton mentioned, “I would say the one word that summarizes all the things that we do is vigilance.”

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

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

Duval County voters accepted a half-cent gross sales tax in November 2020 with the specific goal of changing ageing colleges, repairing a large backlog of upkeep issues, and bolstering college security.

Proper now, 74 tasks are in the design phase 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 initiatives underneath development.

Over its 15-year life, the gross sales tax is projected to generate $64.9 million for the precise goal of upgrading faculty security in DCPS schools.

More details about how that cash is deliberate to be spent in individual faculties can be discovered on the college district’s half-cent gross sales tax data dashboard.

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The next listing of safety measures is printed on the school district’s web site:

Each faculty has a safety plan and emergency response workforce.

All faculty school rooms are locked when occupied by college students.

School plans are reviewed with staff each semester.

The district has a highly trained faculty police division, giving all schools direct entry to highschool resource officers.

The district utilizes numerous major security monitoring strategies together with camera surveillance and monitored controlled access techniques.

All faculties and district offices have a District Emergency Communications Community radio with direct access to highschool police and district leadership. School Police have direct entry to JSO.

All schools conduct common evacuation drills (hearth drills).

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

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