Metropolis, DCPS declares partnership with company specializing in security doors, glass

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

The school district employed a New York company named Armoured One, which makes a speciality of doors and glass and claims it might slow down or forestall a shooter from getting into a classroom.

Those are essential elements after police in Texas determined the door accessed by the gunman at Robb Elementary College in Uvalde was closed however not locked. Initially, state police stated a trainer left the door propped open. Investigators concluded the teacher actually closed the door, nevertheless it didn’t lock mechanically like it was imagined to. The gunman shot and killed 19 college students and two lecturers before he was killed by legislation enforcement.

Armoured One, which was founded after the Sandy Hook Elementary College taking pictures, is made up of former army and regulation enforcement brokers who research mass shooting attacks and consult on school security measures.

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“We'll first work collaboratively to identify where Armoured One sources can finest compliment the coaching already offered, including their resources to the training tools and sources the district already uses,” Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry mentioned Wednesday afternoon at a news convention at Metropolis Hall to announce the partnership.

Press the play button instantly beneath to observe your entire information conference.

The security glass and movie that Armoured One invented can stand up to several hits -- whether or not that’s bullets, somebody ramming into the glass or utilizing other objects or weapons -- with out breaking, which may gradual an attacker. The doorways it makes use of have metal framing, latch bolts and deadbolts.

Armoured One can also be recognized for offering active shooter training and assessments. The company issues individual stories for each constructing and recommends the best gear to make use of for every facility it’s working with.

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

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

Duval County Public Faculties Superintendent Dr. Diana Greene and Duval County College Police Department Chief Greg Burton say safety and security are prime of thoughts day-after-day.

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

Burton stated, “I'd say the one word that summarizes all the pieces that we do is vigilance.”

Greene mentioned that the district’s best defense is its college students and workers. She said she continues to encourage the varsity neighborhood to report anything they see that’s suspicious.

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So far as the price, it’s unclear proper now, because the partnership remains to be being labored out.

Duval County voters permitted a half-cent sales tax in November 2020 with the specific goal of changing ageing faculties, repairing an enormous backlog of maintenance points, and bolstering faculty safety.

Proper now, 74 tasks are within the design section and 15 are beneath building.

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

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

More information about how that cash is deliberate to be spent in particular person faculties might be discovered on the varsity district’s half-cent gross sales tax info dashboard.

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The following list of safety measures is printed on the school district’s website:

Each school has a safety plan and emergency response team.

All faculty lecture rooms are locked when occupied by students.

School plans are reviewed with employees each semester.

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

The district utilizes varied major safety monitoring strategies together with digital camera surveillance and monitored managed entry systems.

All colleges and district offices have a District Emergency Communications Community radio with direct entry to high school police and district management. School Police have direct access to JSO.

All schools conduct common evacuation drills (fireplace drills).

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

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