City, DCPS publicizes partnership with firm specializing in security doors, glass

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

The college district employed a New York firm named Armoured One, which makes a speciality of doorways and glass and claims it could actually decelerate or stop 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 Faculty in Uvalde was closed however not locked. Originally, state police mentioned a teacher left the door propped open. Investigators concluded the teacher truly closed the door, but it didn’t lock automatically like it was alleged to. The gunman shot and killed 19 students and two academics before he was killed by legislation enforcement.

Armoured One, which was based after the Sandy Hook Elementary School taking pictures, is made up of former military and legislation enforcement brokers who research mass capturing assaults and seek the advice of on college safety measures.

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

Press the play button directly under to look at all the information convention.

The safety glass and film that Armoured One invented can face up to several hits -- whether that’s bullets, someone ramming into the glass or utilizing other objects or weapons -- with out breaking, which could sluggish an attacker. The doorways it uses have metal framing, latch bolts and deadbolts.

Armoured One can also be identified for offering lively shooter training and assessments. The corporate issues particular person stories for every constructing and recommends the most effective equipment to use for each facility it’s working with.

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Curry said he plans to find the funding for that training but additionally work with the company to carry out faculty safety assessments. Armoured One CEO Tom Czyz stated his group is aware of what to search for when it assesses a faculty’s vulnerability.

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

Duval County Public Faculties Superintendent Dr. Diana Greene and Duval County School Police Department Chief Greg Burton say security and safety are top of thoughts on daily basis.

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

Burton mentioned, “I would say the one word that summarizes all the things that we do is vigilance.”

Greene stated that the district’s finest protection is its college students and workers. She said she continues to encourage the varsity group to report anything they see that’s suspicious.

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

Duval County voters accepted a half-cent gross sales tax in November 2020 with the particular objective of replacing ageing schools, repairing a large backlog of maintenance points, and bolstering school safety.

Right now, 74 tasks are in the design section and 15 are below construction.

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 below development.

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

More information about how that cash is deliberate to be spent in individual faculties could be discovered on the school district’s half-cent sales tax data dashboard.

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The next listing of security 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.

Faculty plans are reviewed with staff each semester.

The district has a extremely skilled faculty police department, giving all faculties direct entry to school resource officers.

The district makes use of numerous main security monitoring strategies together with camera surveillance and monitored managed entry programs.

All faculties and district workplaces have a District Emergency Communications Network radio with direct entry to school police and district management. Faculty Police have direct entry to JSO.

All colleges conduct common evacuation drills (fireplace drills).

All schools conduct common emergency and lockdown (“code crimson” and “code yellow”) drills.

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