City, DCPS pronounces partnership with company specializing in security doors, glass

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

The varsity district hired a New York firm named Armoured One, which focuses on doorways and glass and claims it will possibly decelerate or forestall a shooter from getting into a classroom.

These are crucial factors after police in Texas decided the door accessed by the gunman at Robb Elementary College in Uvalde was closed however not locked. Initially, state police stated a teacher left the door propped open. Investigators concluded the trainer actually closed the door, nevertheless it didn’t lock robotically like it was purported to. The gunman shot and killed 19 students and two lecturers earlier than he was killed by legislation enforcement.

Armoured One, which was based after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, is made up of former military and law enforcement brokers who examine mass taking pictures attacks and consult on college safety measures.

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“We'll first work collaboratively to determine the place Armoured One sources can greatest praise the coaching already provided, including their sources to the training tools and assets the district already makes use of,” Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry stated Wednesday afternoon at a news conference at Metropolis Hall to announce the partnership.

Press the play button instantly beneath to watch the whole news convention.

The safety glass and film that Armoured One invented can withstand several hits -- whether or not that’s bullets, somebody ramming into the glass or utilizing different objects or weapons -- without breaking, which may sluggish an attacker. The doors it uses have metal framing, latch bolts and deadbolts.

Armoured One can be recognized for providing active shooter coaching and assessments. The company points individual experiences for every building and recommends the very best tools to use for each facility it’s working with.

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

“They’re looking at methods to decelerate an attacker and speed up police response,” Czyz said. “How can we sluggish him down -- and then 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 mind daily.

What I wish to be frequent is that our families know that we're ready every day. And that’s what we work in the direction of being a better faculty district because it relates to safety and safety,” Green mentioned.

Burton mentioned, “I would say the one phrase that summarizes the whole lot that we do is vigilance.”

Greene stated that the district’s finest defense is its students and staff. 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 associated fee, it’s unclear proper now, because the partnership is still being labored out.

Duval County voters authorized a half-cent sales tax in November 2020 with the particular function of replacing growing older colleges, repairing a large backlog of maintenance points, and bolstering college safety.

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

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

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

Extra details about how that money is planned to be spent in individual schools could be found on the varsity district’s half-cent gross sales tax information dashboard.

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The next list of safety measures is published on the school district’s web site:

Each school has a security plan and emergency response group.

All faculty classrooms are locked when occupied by college students.

Faculty plans are reviewed with workers every semester.

The district has a extremely skilled college police department, giving all faculties direct access to high school useful resource officers.

The district makes use of numerous main safety monitoring strategies including digicam surveillance and monitored controlled access systems.

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

All faculties conduct regular evacuation drills (fire drills).

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

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