City, DCPS announces partnership with company specializing in security doorways, glass

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

The varsity district hired a New York firm named Armoured One, which makes a speciality of doorways and glass and claims it may possibly slow down or stop a shooter from getting right into a classroom.

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

Armoured One, which was founded after the Sandy Hook Elementary College capturing, is made up of former military and regulation enforcement agents who research mass taking pictures attacks and seek the advice of on college safety measures.

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“We'll first work collaboratively to determine where Armoured One sources can greatest praise the coaching already supplied, including their resources to the coaching instruments and sources the district already makes use of,” Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry mentioned Wednesday afternoon at a information conference at Metropolis Corridor to announce the partnership.

Press the play button immediately below to watch the entire information convention.

The safety glass and film that Armoured One invented can face up to several hits -- whether or not that’s bullets, somebody ramming into the glass or utilizing different objects or weapons -- with out breaking, which might gradual an attacker. The doors it makes use of have metal framing, latch bolts and deadbolts.

Armoured One is also identified for offering lively shooter coaching and assessments. The company issues particular person stories for every building and recommends the most effective equipment to make use of for every facility it’s working with.

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

“They’re ways to slow down an attacker and pace up police response,” Czyz mentioned. “How can we gradual him down -- and then pace up the response that will stop him.”

Duval County Public Colleges Superintendent Dr. Diana Greene and Duval County Faculty Police Department Chief Greg Burton say security and safety are high of thoughts every day.

What I need to be common is that our households know that we are prepared each day. And that’s what we work in direction of being a better college district because it relates to security and security,” Inexperienced mentioned.

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

Greene stated that the district’s best defense is its students and staff. She said she continues to encourage the college group to report anything they see that’s suspicious.

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As far as the fee, it’s unclear right now, as the partnership continues to be being worked out.

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

Proper now, 74 projects are in the design phase and 15 are below building.

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

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

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

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The next record of security measures is published on the college district’s web site:

Each faculty has a security plan and emergency response staff.

All faculty classrooms are locked when occupied by students.

Faculty plans are reviewed with workers each semester.

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

The district makes use of various main security monitoring strategies including digital camera surveillance and monitored managed entry systems.

All colleges and district places of work have a District Emergency Communications Community radio with direct access to highschool police and district leadership. College Police have direct access to JSO.

All faculties conduct common evacuation drills (fireplace drills).

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

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