Metropolis, DCPS pronounces partnership with firm specializing in safety doorways, glass

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

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

These are crucial components after police in Texas determined the door accessed by the gunman at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde was closed but not locked. Initially, state police stated a teacher left the door propped open. Investigators concluded the teacher truly closed the door, but it surely didn’t lock routinely prefer it was alleged to. The gunman shot and killed 19 students and two teachers earlier than he was killed by law enforcement.

Armoured One, which was based after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, is made up of former navy and legislation enforcement brokers who examine mass taking pictures attacks and seek the advice of on school safety measures.

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“We are going to first work collaboratively to identify where Armoured One sources can greatest praise the coaching already supplied, adding their assets to the training instruments and resources the district already uses,” Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry said Wednesday afternoon at a news conference at Metropolis Hall to announce the partnership.

Press the play button directly below to look at the complete information conference.

The security glass and film that Armoured One invented can withstand several hits -- whether that’s bullets, somebody ramming into the glass or utilizing other objects or weapons -- without breaking, which may slow an attacker. The doors it makes use of have steel framing, latch bolts and deadbolts.

Armoured One can also be identified for providing active shooter coaching and assessments. The corporate points particular person stories for every constructing and recommends the perfect tools to use for every facility it’s working with.

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

“They’re taking a look at ways to decelerate an attacker and pace up police response,” Czyz said. “How do we sluggish him down -- after which velocity up the response that would stop him.”

Duval County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Diana Greene and Duval County College Police Department Chief Greg Burton say security and safety are high of mind every single day.

What I need to be frequent is that our households know that we are ready each day. And that’s what we work in direction of being a better school district as it pertains to safety and security,” Inexperienced said.

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

Greene mentioned that the district’s finest defense is its students and staff. She stated she continues to encourage the varsity neighborhood to report anything they see that’s suspicious.

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As far as the fee, it’s unclear proper now, because the partnership is still being labored out.

Duval County voters permitted a half-cent sales tax in November 2020 with the precise purpose of changing aging schools, repairing a massive backlog of maintenance issues, and bolstering college security.

Right now, 74 projects are within the design phase and 15 are underneath development.

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

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

Extra information about how that money is deliberate to be spent in individual schools can be found on the school district’s half-cent gross sales tax data dashboard.

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The next checklist of safety measures is printed on the varsity district’s web site:

Each school has a safety plan and emergency response crew.

All college classrooms are locked when occupied by college students.

Faculty plans are reviewed with staff every semester.

The district has a extremely educated school police division, giving all colleges direct entry to highschool useful resource officers.

The district makes use of varied major security monitoring strategies together with digicam surveillance and monitored controlled entry programs.

All faculties and district places of work have a District Emergency Communications Network radio with direct access to school police and district leadership. Faculty Police have direct entry to JSO.

All colleges conduct regular evacuation drills (fireplace drills).

All faculties conduct regular emergency and lockdown (“code crimson” and “code yellow”) drills.

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