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

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The city of Jacksonville and Duval County college district on Wednesday introduced a brand new plan to maintain children secure in the classroom.

The varsity district employed a New York firm named Armoured One, which focuses on doorways and glass and claims it will probably slow down or forestall a shooter from getting into a classroom.

These are essential elements after police in Texas decided the door accessed by the gunman at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde was closed but not locked. Originally, state police mentioned a instructor left the door propped open. Investigators concluded the instructor really closed the door, but it surely didn’t lock robotically prefer it was alleged to. The gunman shot and killed 19 students and two lecturers before 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 legislation enforcement brokers who study mass capturing assaults and seek the advice of on college safety measures.

Ad

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

Press the play button directly under to look at your entire information convention.

The safety glass and movie that Armoured One invented can stand up to a number of hits -- whether or not that’s bullets, someone ramming into the glass or utilizing other objects or weapons -- with out breaking, which could slow an attacker. The doorways it uses have metal framing, latch bolts and deadbolts.

Armoured One is also known for offering energetic shooter coaching and assessments. The corporate points individual reviews for each constructing and recommends the perfect equipment to use for each facility it’s working with.

Ad

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

“They’re looking at methods to slow down an attacker and velocity up police response,” Czyz stated. “How do we sluggish him down -- and then pace up the response that will cease him.”

Duval County Public Colleges Superintendent Dr. Diana Greene and Duval County School Police Division Chief Greg Burton say safety and security are prime of thoughts 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 in the direction of being a better school district because it pertains to safety and safety,” Green mentioned.

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

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

Ad

As far as the price, it’s unclear proper now, as the partnership is still being worked out.

Duval County voters authorized a half-cent gross sales tax in November 2020 with the particular purpose of replacing growing old colleges, repairing an enormous backlog of upkeep points, and bolstering faculty security.

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

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

Extra information about how that money is deliberate to be spent in particular person colleges may be discovered on the school district’s half-cent sales tax info dashboard.

Ad

The following list of safety measures is published on the varsity district’s website:

Each faculty has a security plan and emergency response group.

All faculty school rooms are locked when occupied by students.

School plans are reviewed with employees each semester.

The district has a highly trained college police department, giving all faculties direct entry to high school resource officers.

The district makes use of numerous main safety monitoring strategies together with camera surveillance and monitored managed access methods.

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

All schools conduct common evacuation drills (fire drills).

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

Copyright 2022 by WJXT News4JAX - All rights reserved.