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

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

The varsity district employed a New York firm named Armoured One, which focuses on doorways and glass and claims it can decelerate or prevent a shooter from getting right into a classroom.

Those are crucial factors after police in Texas determined the door accessed by the gunman at Robb Elementary College in Uvalde was closed but not locked. Originally, state police mentioned a trainer left the door propped open. Investigators concluded the instructor truly closed the door, but it didn’t lock routinely like it was speculated to. The gunman shot and killed 19 college students and two lecturers before he was killed by regulation enforcement.

Armoured One, which was founded after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, is made up of former navy and regulation enforcement agents who research mass capturing attacks and seek the advice of on school safety measures.

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“We'll first work collaboratively to establish where Armoured One resources can finest praise the training already offered, including their assets 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 directly below to observe your entire news conference.

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

Armoured One can also be known for providing lively shooter coaching and assessments. The corporate issues particular person reports for each constructing and recommends the very best tools to use for every 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 perform faculty security assessments. Armoured One CEO Tom Czyz said his staff is aware of what to search for when it assesses a school’s vulnerability.

“They’re ways to slow down an attacker and pace up police response,” Czyz mentioned. “How do we slow him down -- after which velocity up the response that would cease him.”

Duval County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Diana Greene and Duval County School Police Division Chief Greg Burton say security and safety are top of thoughts every day.

What I wish to be widespread is that our families know that we're ready every day. And that’s what we work towards being a better faculty district as it pertains to security and security,” Green stated.

Burton stated, “I'd say the one word that summarizes every little thing that we do is vigilance.”

Greene mentioned that the district’s greatest defense is its students and employees. She said she continues to encourage the school group to report something they see that’s suspicious.

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So far as the cost, it’s unclear right now, because the partnership remains to be being worked out.

Duval County voters approved a half-cent gross sales tax in November 2020 with the particular purpose of replacing growing old faculties, repairing a large backlog of upkeep points, and bolstering school security.

Right now, 74 initiatives are within the design section and 15 are underneath building.

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

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

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

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The following record of safety measures is published on the school district’s website:

Each faculty has a safety plan and emergency response staff.

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

College plans are reviewed with employees each semester.

The district has a extremely trained college police department, giving all schools direct access to school useful resource officers.

The district makes use of various main security monitoring methods together with digital camera surveillance and monitored controlled access techniques.

All colleges and district workplaces have a District Emergency Communications Community radio with direct entry to highschool police and district leadership. College Police have direct entry to JSO.

All colleges conduct regular evacuation drills (fire drills).

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

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