City, DCPS pronounces partnership with company specializing in security doors, glass

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The city of Jacksonville and Duval County school district on Wednesday introduced a new plan to keep youngsters secure in the classroom.

The school district hired a New York company named Armoured One, which focuses on doors and glass and claims it could possibly slow down or forestall a shooter from getting right into a classroom.

Those are essential components 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 instructor truly closed the door, nevertheless it didn’t lock routinely like it was alleged to. The gunman shot and killed 19 college students and two lecturers before he was killed by law enforcement.

Armoured One, which was based after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, is made up of former army and legislation enforcement agents who research mass shooting attacks and consult on faculty safety measures.

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“We will first work collaboratively to establish where Armoured One resources can greatest compliment the training already offered, adding their sources to the training instruments and resources the district already makes use of,” Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry stated Wednesday afternoon at a news convention at City Corridor to announce the partnership.

Press the play button directly under to watch all the news convention.

The safety glass and film 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 -- without breaking, which may gradual an attacker. The doors it makes use of have metal framing, latch bolts and deadbolts.

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

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Curry said he plans to find the funding for that coaching but in addition work with the corporate to carry out school safety assessments. Armoured One CEO Tom Czyz stated his workforce 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 can we gradual him down -- after which pace up the response that might stop him.”

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

What I need to be widespread is that our households know that we are ready every day. And that’s what we work in direction of being a greater school district as it pertains to security and security,” Green stated.

Burton said, “I'd say the one phrase that summarizes everything that we do is vigilance.”

Greene stated that the district’s greatest defense is its students and staff. She mentioned she continues to encourage the varsity 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 is still being worked out.

Duval County voters approved a half-cent sales tax in November 2020 with the particular objective of replacing growing old schools, repairing a large backlog of maintenance issues, and bolstering college safety.

Right now, 74 projects are in the design part and 15 are below development.

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

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

Extra information about how that cash is planned to be spent in individual colleges may be found on the college district’s half-cent sales tax information dashboard.

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

Every college has a security plan and emergency response crew.

All school school rooms are locked when occupied by students.

School plans are reviewed with workers each semester.

The district has a highly educated faculty police division, giving all faculties direct entry to school resource officers.

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

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

All colleges conduct regular evacuation drills (hearth drills).

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

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