Metropolis, DCPS pronounces partnership with firm specializing in security doors, glass

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

The college district employed a New York firm named Armoured One, which specializes in doors and glass and claims it may possibly decelerate or forestall a shooter from getting into a classroom.

Those are crucial factors after police in Texas determined the door accessed by the gunman at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde was closed but not locked. Originally, state police said a teacher left the door propped open. Investigators concluded the trainer really closed the door, nevertheless it didn’t lock automatically prefer it was presupposed to. The gunman shot and killed 19 college students and two teachers earlier than he was killed by law enforcement.

Armoured One, which was founded after the Sandy Hook Elementary College capturing, is made up of former military and law enforcement agents who examine mass capturing assaults and seek the advice of on faculty safety measures.

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“We will first work collaboratively to identify the place Armoured One assets can best compliment the training already offered, including their sources to the coaching instruments and assets the district already uses,” Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry mentioned Wednesday afternoon at a news convention at City Hall to announce the partnership.

Press the play button straight beneath to observe your entire information conference.

The safety glass and film that Armoured One invented can face up to several hits -- whether that’s bullets, somebody ramming into the glass or utilizing different objects or weapons -- with out breaking, which may sluggish an attacker. The doors it makes use of have metallic framing, latch bolts and deadbolts.

Armoured One is also identified for providing active shooter coaching and assessments. The corporate points individual reviews for each building and recommends the most effective equipment to use for every facility it’s working with.

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Curry said he plans to seek out the funding for that training but in addition work with the company to carry out school safety assessments. Armoured One CEO Tom Czyz said his crew is aware of what to search for when it assesses a college’s vulnerability.

“They’re methods to decelerate an attacker and speed up police response,” Czyz stated. “How will we sluggish him down -- after which speed up the response that may cease him.”

Duval County Public Colleges Superintendent Dr. Diana Greene and Duval County School Police Division Chief Greg Burton say security and safety are top of thoughts each day.

What I wish to be widespread is that our families know that we're prepared each and every day. And that’s what we work towards being a better school district because it relates to safety and safety,” Inexperienced stated.

Burton said, “I'd say the one word that summarizes all the things that we do is vigilance.”

Greene stated that the district’s finest protection is its college students and employees. She said she continues to encourage the college community 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 remains to be being worked out.

Duval County voters authorized a half-cent gross sales tax in November 2020 with the precise goal of changing growing older colleges, repairing an enormous backlog of maintenance issues, and bolstering school security.

Proper now, 74 projects are in the design part and 15 are below 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 tasks under development.

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

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

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The next record of safety measures is published on the school district’s web site:

Every college has a security plan and emergency response staff.

All college school rooms are locked when occupied by students.

Faculty plans are reviewed with staff each semester.

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

The district utilizes various main security monitoring methods including camera surveillance and monitored controlled entry techniques.

All schools and district workplaces have a District Emergency Communications Network radio with direct entry to highschool police and district leadership. School Police have direct access to JSO.

All schools conduct regular evacuation drills (hearth drills).

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

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