City, DCPS declares partnership with firm specializing in safety doorways, glass

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

The varsity district hired a New York company named Armoured One, which focuses on doorways and glass and claims it may well decelerate or forestall a shooter from getting right into a classroom.

These are crucial 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 instructor left the door propped open. Investigators concluded the teacher truly closed the door, nevertheless it didn’t lock automatically like it was imagined to. The gunman shot and killed 19 students and two teachers 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 agents who study mass capturing attacks and seek the advice of on college safety 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 instruments and assets the district already makes use of,” Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry stated Wednesday afternoon at a information convention at Metropolis Hall to announce the partnership.

Press the play button instantly below to watch your entire information conference.

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

Armoured One is also known for providing active shooter coaching and assessments. The corporate issues particular person stories for each constructing and recommends the most effective tools to make use of for every facility it’s working with.

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Curry mentioned he plans to find the funding for that training but also work with the corporate to perform college 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 decelerate an attacker and pace up police response,” Czyz stated. “How can we gradual him down -- and then speed up the response that would stop him.”

Duval County Public Faculties Superintendent Dr. Diana Greene and Duval County College Police Division Chief Greg Burton say security and safety are high of thoughts day by day.

What I wish to be common is that our households know that we're prepared each day. And that’s what we work in the direction of being a greater faculty district as it relates to security and safety,” Green stated.

Burton said, “I might say the one word that summarizes every thing that we do is vigilance.”

Greene mentioned that the district’s finest protection is its students and workers. She stated she continues to encourage the college group to report anything they see that’s suspicious.

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As far as the associated fee, it’s unclear right now, as the partnership continues to be being labored out.

Duval County voters accepted a half-cent gross sales tax in November 2020 with the specific goal of changing aging schools, repairing a massive backlog of upkeep issues, and bolstering college security.

Proper now, 74 tasks are within the design phase and 15 are under building.

As of January 2022, the tax has generated more than $118 million dollars, with more than $5.7 million already spent or allocated to tasks underneath development.

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

Extra details about how that money is deliberate to be spent in particular person schools will be found on the varsity district’s half-cent sales tax data dashboard.

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The following checklist of safety measures is printed on the college district’s website:

Each school has a security plan and emergency response group.

All faculty classrooms are locked when occupied by students.

Faculty plans are reviewed with workers every semester.

The district has a extremely skilled faculty police department, giving all schools direct entry to high school useful resource officers.

The district utilizes various major safety monitoring methods including digital camera surveillance and monitored managed entry techniques.

All faculties and district places of work have a District Emergency Communications Network radio with direct access to high school police and district management. School Police have direct entry to JSO.

All schools conduct regular evacuation drills (hearth drills).

All faculties conduct common emergency and lockdown (“code crimson” and “code yellow”) drills.

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