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

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

The varsity district hired a New York company named Armoured One, which focuses on doors and glass and claims it may well decelerate or forestall a shooter from getting right into a classroom.

Those are essential components after police in Texas determined the door accessed by the gunman at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde was closed but not locked. Initially, state police mentioned a trainer left the door propped open. Investigators concluded the trainer really closed the door, however it didn’t lock routinely like it was supposed to. The gunman shot and killed 19 students and two academics earlier than he was killed by legislation enforcement.

Armoured One, which was founded after the Sandy Hook Elementary College taking pictures, is made up of former military and legislation enforcement brokers who examine mass capturing attacks and consult on faculty safety measures.

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“We'll first work collaboratively to determine the place Armoured One assets can best compliment the coaching already supplied, adding their assets to the coaching instruments and sources the district already makes use of,” Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry mentioned Wednesday afternoon at a information convention at City Corridor to announce the partnership.

Press the play button straight beneath to watch the entire information conference.

The safety glass and movie that Armoured One invented can withstand several hits -- whether or not that’s bullets, somebody ramming into the glass or using different objects or weapons -- with out breaking, which may gradual an attacker. The doorways it uses have steel framing, latch bolts and deadbolts.

Armoured One can also be recognized for providing active shooter coaching and assessments. The corporate issues particular person stories for each building and recommends one of the best equipment to make use of for every 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 corporate to carry out faculty safety assessments. Armoured One CEO Tom Czyz said his team knows what to look for when it assesses a college’s vulnerability.

“They’re looking at ways to slow down an attacker and velocity up police response,” Czyz mentioned. “How will we slow him down -- and then velocity up the response that might stop him.”

Duval County Public Colleges Superintendent Dr. Diana Greene and Duval County School Police Department Chief Greg Burton say security and safety are top of mind day by day.

What I need to be frequent is that our families know that we're ready each day. And that’s what we work in the direction of being a better faculty district as it relates to security and security,” Green said.

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

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

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

Duval County voters permitted a half-cent gross sales tax in November 2020 with the particular objective of replacing aging faculties, repairing an enormous backlog of upkeep points, and bolstering college safety.

Right now, 74 tasks are in the design part and 15 are under building.

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

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

More details about how that money is planned to be spent in particular person colleges will be discovered on the college district’s half-cent sales tax information dashboard.

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The following checklist of security measures is published on the varsity district’s website:

Every faculty has a security plan and emergency response crew.

All school lecture rooms are locked when occupied by students.

School plans are reviewed with employees every semester.

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

The district makes use of numerous main security monitoring strategies including digital camera surveillance and monitored controlled entry programs.

All colleges and district offices 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 (fireplace drills).

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

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