City, DCPS announces partnership with firm specializing in safety doorways, glass

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Town of Jacksonville and Duval County school district on Wednesday announced a brand new plan to keep kids secure within the classroom.

The college district hired a New York company named Armoured One, which specializes in doors and glass and claims it might decelerate or stop a shooter from getting 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 but not locked. Originally, state police stated a trainer left the door propped open. Investigators concluded the trainer truly closed the door, but it didn’t lock automatically like it was speculated to. The gunman shot and killed 19 college students and two lecturers earlier than he was killed by regulation enforcement.

Armoured One, which was founded after the Sandy Hook Elementary Faculty capturing, is made up of former army and legislation enforcement brokers who research mass taking pictures attacks and seek the advice of on college security measures.

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“We will first work collaboratively to identify where Armoured One assets can greatest compliment the coaching already supplied, adding their resources to the coaching instruments and assets the district already uses,” Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry stated Wednesday afternoon at a information convention at Metropolis Hall to announce the partnership.

Press the play button directly beneath to observe the entire information convention.

The safety glass and movie that Armoured One invented can face up to a number of hits -- whether that’s bullets, somebody ramming into the glass or using other objects or weapons -- with out breaking, which might gradual an attacker. The doors it makes use of have metal framing, latch bolts and deadbolts.

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

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Curry stated he plans to search out the funding for that training but also work with the company to carry out college security assessments. Armoured One CEO Tom Czyz mentioned his team is aware of what to look for when it assesses a faculty’s vulnerability.

“They’re taking a look at methods to slow down an attacker and velocity up police response,” Czyz said. “How will we gradual him down -- and then speed up the response that may stop him.”

Duval County Public Faculties Superintendent Dr. Diana Greene and Duval County Faculty Police Division Chief Greg Burton say security and safety are top of thoughts day by day.

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

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

Greene stated that the district’s greatest defense is its college students and staff. She mentioned she continues to encourage the varsity neighborhood to report anything they see that’s suspicious.

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As far as the fee, it’s unclear proper now, as the partnership remains to be being worked out.

Duval County voters approved a half-cent sales tax in November 2020 with the particular function of changing growing old schools, repairing a massive backlog of maintenance issues, and bolstering college security.

Right now, 74 initiatives are in the design phase and 15 are below building.

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

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

More information about how that cash is planned to be spent in individual colleges will be discovered on the school district’s half-cent sales tax info dashboard.

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The following list of safety measures is printed on the varsity district’s web site:

Every college has a security plan and emergency response crew.

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

School plans are reviewed with workers each semester.

The district has a extremely skilled college police division, giving all schools direct entry to high school resource officers.

The district utilizes numerous main security monitoring strategies including camera surveillance and monitored managed access methods.

All schools and district workplaces have a District Emergency Communications Network radio with direct access to high school police and district management. School Police have direct access to JSO.

All faculties conduct common evacuation drills (fireplace drills).

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

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