Metropolis, DCPS publicizes partnership with company specializing in security doorways, glass

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The town of Jacksonville and Duval County faculty district on Wednesday introduced a brand new plan to keep youngsters secure within the classroom.

The college district hired a New York firm named Armoured One, which focuses on doorways and glass and claims it may well slow down or stop a shooter from getting right into a classroom.

Those are crucial components after police in Texas determined the door accessed by the gunman at Robb Elementary College in Uvalde was closed however not locked. Originally, state police said a teacher left the door propped open. Investigators concluded the instructor truly closed the door, however it didn’t lock automatically prefer it was speculated to. The gunman shot and killed 19 college students and two academics before he was killed by legislation enforcement.

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

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“We'll first work collaboratively to identify the place Armoured One resources can best praise the coaching already offered, adding their sources to the coaching instruments and resources the district already uses,” Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry said Wednesday afternoon at a news convention at City Corridor to announce the partnership.

Press the play button directly beneath to look at the complete news conference.

The safety glass and movie that Armoured One invented can face up to a number of hits -- whether that’s bullets, someone ramming into the glass or utilizing different objects or weapons -- with out breaking, which could slow an attacker. The doorways it uses have steel framing, latch bolts and deadbolts.

Armoured One can be recognized for providing lively shooter training and assessments. The corporate points particular person studies for each constructing and recommends the perfect tools to make use of for each facility it’s working with.

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Curry stated he plans to seek out the funding for that training but also work with the corporate to perform faculty safety assessments. Armoured One CEO Tom Czyz said his crew knows what to search for when it assesses a faculty’s vulnerability.

“They’re methods to decelerate an attacker and velocity up police response,” Czyz said. “How do we slow him down -- and then pace up the response that may cease him.”

Duval County Public Colleges Superintendent Dr. Diana Greene and Duval County Faculty Police Department Chief Greg Burton say safety and security are top of mind day by day.

What I wish to be frequent is that our households know that we're ready each day. And that’s what we work towards being a greater school district because it pertains to security and security,” Inexperienced mentioned.

Burton mentioned, “I might say the one word that summarizes every thing that we do is vigilance.”

Greene stated that the district’s greatest protection is its college students and employees. She stated she continues to encourage the varsity community to report anything they see that’s suspicious.

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So far as the associated fee, it’s unclear right now, because the partnership remains to be being labored out.

Duval County voters approved a half-cent gross sales tax in November 2020 with the specific objective of changing ageing colleges, repairing a massive backlog of maintenance issues, and bolstering college security.

Right now, 74 projects are in the design section and 15 are beneath development.

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

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

Extra information about how that money is planned to be spent in particular person colleges might be discovered on the varsity district’s half-cent sales tax info dashboard.

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The next listing of safety measures is revealed on the varsity district’s website:

Each school has a safety 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 extremely skilled school police department, giving all schools direct entry to high school resource officers.

The district utilizes varied major safety monitoring strategies including digital camera surveillance and monitored controlled access programs.

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

All schools conduct common evacuation drills (fireplace drills).

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

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