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

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The town of Jacksonville and Duval County faculty district on Wednesday announced a brand new plan to maintain youngsters safe in the classroom.

The varsity district employed a New York company named Armoured One, which focuses on doorways and glass and claims it could slow down or forestall a shooter from getting right into a classroom.

These are crucial factors after police in Texas determined the door accessed by the gunman at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde was closed however not locked. Originally, state police mentioned a trainer left the door propped open. Investigators concluded the instructor truly closed the door, however it didn’t lock mechanically prefer it was speculated to. The gunman shot and killed 19 students and two lecturers earlier than he was killed by legislation enforcement.

Armoured One, which was founded after the Sandy Hook Elementary College shooting, is made up of former army and regulation enforcement agents who study mass taking pictures assaults and seek the advice of on college security measures.

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“We are going to first work collaboratively to identify the place Armoured One assets can finest praise the coaching already supplied, including their sources to the coaching instruments and sources the district already makes use of,” Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry mentioned Wednesday afternoon at a information conference at Metropolis Corridor to announce the partnership.

Press the play button instantly under to watch the entire information convention.

The security glass and film that Armoured One invented can withstand several hits -- whether that’s bullets, somebody ramming into the glass or utilizing different objects or weapons -- with out breaking, which may sluggish an attacker. The doors it makes use of have metal framing, latch bolts and deadbolts.

Armoured One can also be known for providing energetic shooter coaching and assessments. The company points individual reviews for each constructing and recommends the best tools to make use of for each facility it’s working with.

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Curry mentioned he plans to find the funding for that coaching but in addition work with the corporate to carry out school security assessments. Armoured One CEO Tom Czyz said his staff knows what to search for when it assesses a college’s vulnerability.

“They’re taking a look at methods to slow down an attacker and speed up police response,” Czyz said. “How do we sluggish him down -- after which velocity up the response that would stop him.”

Duval County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Diana Greene and Duval County Faculty Police Department Chief Greg Burton say safety and security are high of mind every day.

What I wish to be frequent is that our households know that we are prepared each day. And that’s what we work in direction of being a better college district as it relates to security and safety,” Inexperienced stated.

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

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

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

Duval County voters authorised a half-cent sales tax in November 2020 with the specific goal of replacing aging colleges, repairing a massive backlog of maintenance issues, and bolstering school safety.

Proper now, 74 initiatives are in the design phase and 15 are beneath development.

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

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

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

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

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 workers each semester.

The district has a extremely educated school police department, giving all colleges direct entry to high school resource officers.

The district utilizes numerous main safety monitoring strategies together with digicam surveillance and monitored controlled access systems.

All schools and district offices have a District Emergency Communications Network radio with direct entry to high school police and district leadership. College Police have direct access to JSO.

All colleges conduct common evacuation drills (hearth drills).

All colleges conduct regular emergency and lockdown (“code pink” and “code yellow”) drills.

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