City, DCPS publicizes partnership with company specializing in safety doorways, glass

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Town of Jacksonville and Duval County college district on Wednesday introduced a new plan to maintain youngsters protected in the classroom.

The school district employed a New York firm named Armoured One, which specializes in doorways and glass and claims it can decelerate or prevent a shooter from getting into a classroom.

These are essential factors after police in Texas determined the door accessed by the gunman at Robb Elementary Faculty 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, but it didn’t lock mechanically like it was imagined 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 Faculty shooting, is made up of former army and law enforcement brokers who research mass capturing attacks and consult on college safety measures.

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“We will first work collaboratively to identify where Armoured One sources can greatest praise the training already provided, adding their sources to the coaching tools and resources the district already makes use of,” Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry stated Wednesday afternoon at a information convention at Metropolis Hall to announce the partnership.

Press the play button directly beneath to look at the whole news convention.

The security glass and film that Armoured One invented can face up to a number of hits -- whether that’s bullets, somebody ramming into the glass or using other objects or weapons -- without breaking, which might sluggish an attacker. The doorways it makes use of have metallic framing, latch bolts and deadbolts.

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

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Curry mentioned he plans to search out the funding for that coaching but also work with the corporate to perform college security assessments. Armoured One CEO Tom Czyz said his team is aware of what to search for when it assesses a college’s vulnerability.

“They’re looking at methods to decelerate an attacker and pace up police response,” Czyz stated. “How can we gradual him down -- after which velocity up the response that might stop him.”

Duval County Public Colleges Superintendent Dr. Diana Greene and Duval County College Police Department Chief Greg Burton say security and safety are prime of thoughts on daily basis.

What I need to be frequent is that our households know that we are ready each day. And that’s what we work towards being a greater college district as it relates to safety and security,” Inexperienced said.

Burton stated, “I would say the one word that summarizes the whole lot that we do is vigilance.”

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

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So far as the fee, it’s unclear proper now, because the partnership continues to be being worked out.

Duval County voters accepted a half-cent gross sales tax in November 2020 with the particular function of replacing getting old schools, repairing a large backlog of upkeep issues, and bolstering faculty safety.

Right now, 74 initiatives are in the design part 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 underneath construction.

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

More information about how that money is planned to be spent in individual schools could be discovered on the school district’s half-cent sales tax information dashboard.

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The next record of safety measures is published on the college district’s website:

Every faculty has a safety plan and emergency response staff.

All faculty classrooms are locked when occupied by college students.

School plans are reviewed with employees each semester.

The district has a extremely trained faculty police division, giving all colleges direct entry to high school resource officers.

The district utilizes numerous main safety monitoring methods together with digicam surveillance and monitored managed entry systems.

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

All colleges conduct regular evacuation drills (fireplace drills).

All faculties conduct common emergency and lockdown (“code pink” and “code yellow”) drills.

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