Metropolis, DCPS broadcasts partnership with company specializing in safety doorways, glass

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Town of Jacksonville and Duval County faculty district on Wednesday introduced a new plan to maintain kids safe in the classroom.

The college district hired a New York company named Armoured One, which focuses on doorways and glass and claims it could actually slow down or stop a shooter from getting right into a classroom.

These are crucial elements 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 said a trainer left the door propped open. Investigators concluded the trainer truly closed the door, but it surely didn’t lock automatically prefer it was speculated to. The gunman shot and killed 19 students and two teachers before he was killed by regulation enforcement.

Armoured One, which was founded after the Sandy Hook Elementary College shooting, is made up of former military and regulation enforcement agents who examine mass shooting attacks and seek the advice of on college security measures.

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“We'll first work collaboratively to identify where Armoured One sources can finest compliment the training already supplied, adding their assets to the coaching tools and sources the district already makes use of,” Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry mentioned Wednesday afternoon at a information convention at Metropolis Hall to announce the partnership.

Press the play button immediately below to watch all the news convention.

The safety glass and film that Armoured One invented can stand up to several hits -- whether or not that’s bullets, someone ramming into the glass or utilizing different objects or weapons -- without breaking, which may gradual an attacker. The doors it uses have metallic framing, latch bolts and deadbolts.

Armoured One can be identified for offering active shooter training and assessments. The company issues particular person reviews for each constructing and recommends one of the best gear to make use of for each facility it’s working with.

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Curry said he plans to seek out the funding for that training but also work with the company to perform faculty security assessments. Armoured One CEO Tom Czyz stated his workforce knows what to look for when it assesses a school’s vulnerability.

“They’re looking at methods to slow down an attacker and velocity up police response,” Czyz mentioned. “How will we gradual him down -- after which velocity up the response that may stop him.”

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

What I wish to be frequent is that our households know that we are ready each and every day. And that’s what we work in the direction of being a greater faculty district because it pertains to security and safety,” Inexperienced said.

Burton said, “I would say the one word that summarizes everything that we do is vigilance.”

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

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

Duval County voters approved a half-cent sales tax in November 2020 with the particular function of replacing getting old schools, repairing an enormous backlog of upkeep points, and bolstering faculty safety.

Proper now, 74 initiatives are in the design section and 15 are below development.

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

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

Extra information about how that cash is deliberate to be spent in individual faculties could be discovered on the varsity district’s half-cent sales tax information dashboard.

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The next listing of safety measures is printed on the college district’s website:

Every school has a safety plan and emergency response staff.

All school classrooms are locked when occupied by college students.

School plans are reviewed with workers each semester.

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

The district makes use of numerous major security monitoring methods including digital camera surveillance and monitored managed entry methods.

All colleges and district offices have a District Emergency Communications Network radio with direct entry to high school police and district management. School Police have direct entry to JSO.

All faculties conduct common evacuation drills (hearth drills).

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

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