City, DCPS proclaims partnership with company specializing in safety doorways, glass

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

The school district hired a New York firm named Armoured One, which focuses on doors and glass and claims it can decelerate or forestall a shooter from getting into a classroom.

Those 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. Originally, state police stated a instructor left the door propped open. Investigators concluded the trainer truly closed the door, however it didn’t lock robotically prefer it was alleged to. The gunman shot and killed 19 students and two academics before he was killed by law enforcement.

Armoured One, which was based after the Sandy Hook Elementary College shooting, is made up of former military and law enforcement agents who research mass taking pictures assaults and seek the advice of on school safety measures.

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“We will first work collaboratively to identify where Armoured One assets can greatest compliment the coaching already offered, including their sources to the training tools and resources the district already makes use of,” Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry mentioned Wednesday afternoon at a information conference at Metropolis Hall to announce the partnership.

Press the play button directly below to look at the whole news convention.

The security glass and film that Armoured One invented can withstand a number of hits -- whether or not that’s bullets, someone ramming into the glass or using different objects or weapons -- without breaking, which may gradual an attacker. The doors it makes use of have metallic framing, latch bolts and deadbolts.

Armoured One can also be identified for offering energetic shooter training and assessments. The company issues individual studies for each constructing and recommends the very best tools to use for each facility it’s working with.

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Curry stated he plans to search out the funding for that coaching but additionally work with the company to perform faculty safety assessments. Armoured One CEO Tom Czyz stated his crew is aware of what to look for when it assesses a faculty’s vulnerability.

“They’re ways to slow down an attacker and velocity up police response,” Czyz mentioned. “How will we slow him down -- and then velocity up the response that may cease him.”

Duval County Public Faculties Superintendent Dr. Diana Greene and Duval County School Police Department Chief Greg Burton say safety and security are high of mind on daily basis.

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

Burton mentioned, “I would say the one word that summarizes all the things that we do is vigilance.”

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

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As far as the cost, it’s unclear proper now, because the partnership is still being labored out.

Duval County voters authorized a half-cent sales tax in November 2020 with the particular objective of replacing getting older faculties, repairing an enormous backlog of upkeep issues, and bolstering school safety.

Proper now, 74 initiatives 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 allotted to tasks underneath building.

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

Extra information about how that cash is planned to be spent in particular person faculties may be discovered on the college district’s half-cent gross sales tax information dashboard.

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The following record of safety measures is printed on the varsity district’s website:

Each school has a safety plan and emergency response group.

All school school rooms are locked when occupied by students.

School plans are reviewed with workers each semester.

The district has a extremely skilled college police division, giving all colleges direct entry to high school useful resource officers.

The district utilizes various main security monitoring strategies including digicam surveillance and monitored controlled entry systems.

All schools and district offices have a District Emergency Communications Network radio with direct entry to school police and district leadership. Faculty Police have direct entry to JSO.

All faculties conduct regular evacuation drills (fireplace drills).

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

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