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

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The city of Jacksonville and Duval County college district on Wednesday announced a new plan to keep children protected in the classroom.

The varsity district hired a New York company named Armoured One, which focuses on doorways and glass and claims it may slow down or forestall 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 Faculty in Uvalde was closed however not locked. Originally, state police stated a teacher left the door propped open. Investigators concluded the trainer truly closed the door, but it surely 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 law enforcement.

Armoured One, which was founded after the Sandy Hook Elementary School capturing, is made up of former navy and law enforcement brokers who study mass taking pictures attacks and seek the advice of on faculty security measures.

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“We'll first work collaboratively to determine where Armoured One assets can greatest praise the training already provided, adding their sources to the coaching tools and resources the district already uses,” Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry mentioned Wednesday afternoon at a news conference at Metropolis Hall to announce the partnership.

Press the play button instantly under to watch your entire news conference.

The safety glass and film that Armoured One invented can withstand a number of hits -- whether or not that’s bullets, somebody ramming into the glass or utilizing other objects or weapons -- with out breaking, which may slow an attacker. The doorways it uses have metallic framing, latch bolts and deadbolts.

Armoured One can be recognized for offering lively shooter coaching and assessments. The company points particular person reviews for each constructing and recommends the most effective tools 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 in addition work with the company to carry out faculty safety assessments. Armoured One CEO Tom Czyz mentioned his team is aware of what to search for when it assesses a school’s vulnerability.

“They’re taking a look at ways to slow down an attacker and speed up police response,” Czyz mentioned. “How will we sluggish him down -- and then speed up the response that might cease 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 every day.

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

Burton said, “I would say the one word that summarizes everything that we do is vigilance.”

Greene mentioned that the district’s best protection is its college students and workers. She mentioned she continues to encourage the college community to report something they see that’s suspicious.

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So far as the associated fee, it’s unclear proper now, as the partnership continues to be being labored out.

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

Right now, 74 projects are within the design phase and 15 are below construction.

As of January 2022, the tax has generated more than $118 million dollars, with greater than $5.7 million already spent or allotted to projects below development.

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

More details about how that cash is planned to be spent in individual colleges could be discovered on the college district’s half-cent sales tax data dashboard.

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The following list of safety measures is revealed on the varsity district’s website:

Each faculty has a safety plan and emergency response staff.

All college lecture rooms are locked when occupied by college students.

School plans are reviewed with staff each semester.

The district has a highly skilled faculty police department, giving all faculties direct access to school useful resource officers.

The district makes use of various main security monitoring strategies including digicam surveillance and monitored managed access methods.

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

All faculties conduct regular evacuation drills (fire drills).

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

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