City, DCPS pronounces partnership with firm specializing in safety doors, glass

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Town of Jacksonville and Duval County school district on Wednesday announced a brand new plan to maintain youngsters protected in the classroom.

The school district hired a New York company named Armoured One, which makes a speciality of doorways and glass and claims it can slow down or stop a shooter from getting into a classroom.

These 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. Originally, state police said a teacher left the door propped open. Investigators concluded the trainer truly closed the door, however it didn’t lock mechanically like it was presupposed to. The gunman shot and killed 19 college students and two teachers before he was killed by legislation enforcement.

Armoured One, which was based after the Sandy Hook Elementary Faculty capturing, is made up of former military and legislation enforcement agents who study mass taking pictures attacks and seek the advice of on faculty security measures.

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“We are going to first work collaboratively to establish the place Armoured One sources can greatest praise the coaching already offered, including their assets to the coaching tools and assets the district already uses,” Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry said Wednesday afternoon at a news convention at City Hall to announce the partnership.

Press the play button straight below to watch all the information convention.

The safety glass and movie that Armoured One invented can withstand several hits -- whether that’s bullets, someone ramming into the glass or using other objects or weapons -- without breaking, which might gradual an attacker. The doorways it makes use of have steel framing, latch bolts and deadbolts.

Armoured One is also identified for providing active shooter training and assessments. The company issues particular person reports for every constructing and recommends the most effective gear to use for every facility it’s working with.

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Curry said he plans to search out the funding for that training but in addition work with the company to carry out college safety assessments. Armoured One CEO Tom Czyz mentioned his group knows what to look for when it assesses a school’s vulnerability.

“They’re looking at methods to decelerate an attacker and pace up police response,” Czyz stated. “How will we slow him down -- and then velocity up the response that may stop him.”

Duval County Public Colleges Superintendent Dr. Diana Greene and Duval County College Police Division Chief Greg Burton say safety and security are top of mind on daily basis.

What I wish to be frequent is that our families know that we're prepared each day. And that’s what we work towards being a better school district because it pertains to safety and safety,” Green stated.

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

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

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So far as the cost, it’s unclear right now, as the partnership is still being labored out.

Duval County voters authorized a half-cent sales tax in November 2020 with the specific objective of replacing growing old faculties, repairing a massive backlog of upkeep points, and bolstering school security.

Proper now, 74 initiatives are in the design part and 15 are underneath 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 initiatives beneath construction.

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

More information about how that money is planned to be spent in individual colleges might be found on the varsity district’s half-cent gross sales tax data dashboard.

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The following checklist of safety measures is published on the college district’s website:

Every college has a security plan and emergency response group.

All school lecture rooms are locked when occupied by students.

Faculty plans are reviewed with employees each semester.

The district has a highly skilled college police division, giving all schools direct access to school resource officers.

The district makes use of varied major safety monitoring methods including digicam surveillance and monitored managed access programs.

All schools and district places of work have a District Emergency Communications Community radio with direct access to school police and district management. School Police have direct access to JSO.

All schools conduct regular evacuation drills (fire drills).

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

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