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

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The city of Jacksonville and Duval County faculty district on Wednesday announced a brand new plan to keep youngsters safe 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.

These are essential factors after police in Texas determined the door accessed by the gunman at Robb Elementary Faculty in Uvalde was closed however not locked. Initially, state police stated a teacher left the door propped open. Investigators concluded the trainer truly closed the door, however it didn’t lock automatically like it was presupposed to. The gunman shot and killed 19 college students and two academics before he was killed by legislation enforcement.

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

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“We are going to first work collaboratively to determine where Armoured One sources can greatest praise the training already provided, adding their sources to the coaching instruments and assets the district already uses,” Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry stated Wednesday afternoon at a information conference at Metropolis Corridor to announce the partnership.

Press the play button straight below to look at your complete news conference.

The security glass and movie that Armoured One invented can withstand several hits -- whether or not that’s bullets, somebody ramming into the glass or using other objects or weapons -- with out breaking, which may slow an attacker. The doorways it makes use of have metal framing, latch bolts and deadbolts.

Armoured One can also be identified for offering lively shooter training and assessments. The corporate points particular person reports for every constructing and recommends the best gear to make use of for each facility it’s working with.

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Curry stated he plans to find the funding for that training but also work with the company to perform faculty safety assessments. Armoured One CEO Tom Czyz mentioned his staff knows what to look for when it assesses a college’s vulnerability.

“They’re methods to decelerate an attacker and speed up police response,” Czyz mentioned. “How do we sluggish him down -- after which speed up the response that would stop him.”

Duval County Public Faculties Superintendent Dr. Diana Greene and Duval County School Police Division Chief Greg Burton say security and safety are high of thoughts daily.

What I wish to be frequent is that our households know that we are ready each day. And that’s what we work towards being a greater college district as it pertains to security and security,” Green stated.

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

Greene said that the district’s finest protection is its students and employees. She said she continues to encourage the varsity group to report anything they see that’s suspicious.

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

Duval County voters approved a half-cent sales tax in November 2020 with the particular function of changing ageing faculties, repairing a large backlog of maintenance points, and bolstering school security.

Right now, 74 tasks are in the design part and 15 are underneath construction.

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

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

Extra details about how that money is deliberate to be spent in individual schools might be discovered on the college district’s half-cent sales tax info dashboard.

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The next list of safety measures is printed on the college district’s web site:

Each faculty has a safety plan and emergency response staff.

All college classrooms are locked when occupied by college students.

College plans are reviewed with staff every semester.

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

The district utilizes varied main safety monitoring strategies including digital camera surveillance and monitored controlled access methods.

All colleges and district places of work have a District Emergency Communications Network radio with direct entry to highschool police and district leadership. Faculty Police have direct entry to JSO.

All faculties conduct regular evacuation drills (hearth drills).

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

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