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

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The town of Jacksonville and Duval County school district on Wednesday introduced a new plan to maintain kids safe in the classroom.

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

These are crucial elements after police in Texas decided the door accessed by the gunman at Robb Elementary College in Uvalde was closed but not locked. Originally, state police mentioned a teacher left the door propped open. Investigators concluded the instructor really closed the door, but it didn’t lock robotically like it was speculated to. The gunman shot and killed 19 college students and two academics earlier than he was killed by law enforcement.

Armoured One, which was based after the Sandy Hook Elementary Faculty capturing, is made up of former navy and regulation enforcement brokers who research mass taking pictures assaults and consult on college security measures.

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“We are going to first work collaboratively to identify the place Armoured One sources can finest praise the training already offered, including their assets to the training tools and assets the district already makes use of,” Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry said Wednesday afternoon at a information convention at City Hall to announce the partnership.

Press the play button immediately under to watch your entire news convention.

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

Armoured One is also identified for providing energetic shooter training and assessments. The corporate issues individual experiences for each constructing and recommends one of the best tools to use for every facility it’s working with.

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Curry mentioned he plans to search out the funding for that coaching but additionally work with the company to carry out college security assessments. Armoured One CEO Tom Czyz mentioned his crew knows what to search for when it assesses a school’s vulnerability.

“They’re taking a look at methods to decelerate an attacker and velocity up police response,” Czyz stated. “How can we sluggish him down -- and then speed up the response that might stop him.”

Duval County Public Faculties Superintendent Dr. Diana Greene and Duval County Faculty Police Division Chief Greg Burton say security and safety are top of mind every day.

What I need to be common is that our households know that we are ready each day. And that’s what we work towards being a better faculty district because it pertains to security and safety,” Green said.

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

Greene mentioned that the district’s best protection is its students and employees. She mentioned she continues to encourage the college community to report something they see that’s suspicious.

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As far as the price, it’s unclear right now, because the partnership continues to be being labored out.

Duval County voters approved a half-cent gross sales tax in November 2020 with the specific goal of replacing ageing faculties, repairing a large backlog of maintenance issues, and bolstering college safety.

Right now, 74 initiatives are in the design part and 15 are beneath development.

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

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

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

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The following list of safety measures is revealed on the varsity district’s web site:

Every faculty has a safety plan and emergency response group.

All faculty classrooms are locked when occupied by college students.

School plans are reviewed with workers each semester.

The district has a extremely trained faculty police division, giving all faculties direct access to highschool resource officers.

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

All faculties and district offices have a District Emergency Communications Community radio with direct entry to school police and district leadership. School Police have direct entry to JSO.

All faculties conduct regular evacuation drills (hearth drills).

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

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