City, DCPS declares partnership with company specializing in security doorways, glass

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

The school district employed a New York firm named Armoured One, which focuses on doors and glass and claims it might probably slow down or prevent a shooter from getting right into a classroom.

Those 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. Originally, state police mentioned a instructor left the door propped open. Investigators concluded the trainer actually closed the door, nevertheless it didn’t lock mechanically like it was alleged to. The gunman shot and killed 19 students and two academics earlier than he was killed by regulation enforcement.

Armoured One, which was based after the Sandy Hook Elementary Faculty taking pictures, is made up of former army and law enforcement brokers who study mass capturing attacks and consult on faculty safety measures.

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“We'll first work collaboratively to determine where Armoured One resources can greatest compliment the coaching already provided, including their assets to the coaching instruments and resources the district already makes use of,” Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry said Wednesday afternoon at a news convention at City Corridor to announce the partnership.

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

The security glass and film that Armoured One invented can stand up to several hits -- whether or not that’s bullets, somebody ramming into the glass or utilizing other objects or weapons -- with out breaking, which could sluggish an attacker. The doors it uses have metallic framing, latch bolts and deadbolts.

Armoured One can be known for providing energetic shooter training and assessments. The corporate points individual studies for every building and recommends the most effective tools to use for every facility it’s working with.

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

“They’re looking at methods to decelerate an attacker and pace up police response,” Czyz said. “How will we gradual him down -- after which velocity 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 top of thoughts daily.

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

Burton said, “I'd say the one phrase that summarizes everything that we do is vigilance.”

Greene stated that the district’s best defense is its students and staff. 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 proper now, as the partnership continues to be being labored out.

Duval County voters authorised a half-cent gross sales tax in November 2020 with the particular function of replacing growing old faculties, repairing a massive backlog of maintenance points, and bolstering faculty safety.

Right now, 74 initiatives are in the design section and 15 are below construction.

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

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

More information about how that money is planned to be spent in individual faculties could be discovered on the college district’s half-cent gross sales tax information dashboard.

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The next record of security measures is revealed on the college district’s website:

Each school has a safety plan and emergency response workforce.

All college classrooms are locked when occupied by college students.

Faculty plans are reviewed with employees each semester.

The district has a extremely trained college police division, giving all faculties direct entry to school resource officers.

The district utilizes numerous major safety monitoring methods together with digital camera surveillance and monitored managed access systems.

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

All colleges conduct common evacuation drills (hearth drills).

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

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