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

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The town of Jacksonville and Duval County faculty district on Wednesday announced a new plan to keep children protected in the classroom.

The varsity district hired a New York company named Armoured One, which makes a speciality of doorways and glass and claims it may possibly slow down or prevent a shooter from getting into a classroom.

These are essential factors after police in Texas decided the door accessed by the gunman at Robb Elementary Faculty in Uvalde was closed but not locked. Originally, state police stated a instructor left the door propped open. Investigators concluded the trainer truly closed the door, but it didn’t lock robotically like it was alleged to. The gunman shot and killed 19 students and two academics earlier than he was killed by law enforcement.

Armoured One, which was founded after the Sandy Hook Elementary Faculty taking pictures, is made up of former navy and law enforcement agents who study mass shooting attacks and consult on faculty security measures.

Ad

“We will first work collaboratively to identify where Armoured One resources can finest praise the coaching already provided, including their assets to the coaching tools and sources the district already uses,” Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry stated Wednesday afternoon at a information conference at City Hall to announce the partnership.

Press the play button instantly beneath to observe your entire news conference.

The safety glass and movie that Armoured One invented can withstand a number of hits -- whether or not that’s bullets, somebody ramming into the glass or utilizing other objects or weapons -- with out breaking, which may slow an attacker. The doorways it makes use of have steel framing, latch bolts and deadbolts.

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

Ad

Curry said he plans to find the funding for that training but also work with the company to carry out college security assessments. Armoured One CEO Tom Czyz mentioned his crew knows what to look for when it assesses a school’s vulnerability.

“They’re looking at ways to decelerate an attacker and pace up police response,” Czyz said. “How can we slow him down -- after which pace up the response that will stop him.”

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

What I want to be frequent is that our households know that we're ready each and every day. And that’s what we work in the direction of being a better faculty district as it relates to safety and security,” Inexperienced stated.

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

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

Advert

As far as the associated fee, it’s unclear right 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 getting older schools, repairing an enormous backlog of maintenance issues, and bolstering college security.

Right now, 74 tasks are in the design part and 15 are beneath 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 initiatives underneath building.

Over its 15-year life, the sales tax is projected to generate $64.9 million for the precise objective of upgrading college safety in DCPS faculties.

More details about how that money is deliberate to be spent in particular person faculties can be discovered on the college district’s half-cent gross sales tax data dashboard.

Advert

The following record of safety measures is printed on the college district’s web site:

Each college has a safety plan and emergency response workforce.

All school classrooms are locked when occupied by students.

Faculty plans are reviewed with employees every semester.

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

The district utilizes varied major safety monitoring methods together with digicam surveillance and monitored controlled entry systems.

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

All schools conduct common evacuation drills (hearth drills).

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

Copyright 2022 by WJXT News4JAX - All rights reserved.