Metropolis, DCPS announces partnership with firm specializing in safety doors, glass

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

The school district employed a New York company named Armoured One, which specializes in doorways and glass and claims it might decelerate or stop 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 stated a instructor left the door propped open. Investigators concluded the instructor actually closed the door, but it didn’t lock routinely prefer it was presupposed to. The gunman shot and killed 19 students and two lecturers 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 army and law enforcement brokers who examine mass capturing assaults and consult on school security measures.

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“We are going to first work collaboratively to identify the place Armoured One assets can best compliment the coaching already supplied, adding their resources to the coaching tools and sources the district already makes use of,” Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry stated Wednesday afternoon at a information convention at Metropolis Corridor to announce the partnership.

Press the play button immediately beneath to observe the whole information conference.

The safety glass and movie that Armoured One invented can face 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 may slow an attacker. The doorways it uses have metallic framing, latch bolts and deadbolts.

Armoured One is also identified for offering lively shooter training and assessments. The corporate issues individual stories for each building and recommends one of the best equipment to use for every facility it’s working with.

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Curry mentioned he plans to search out the funding for that training but additionally work with the corporate to perform college safety assessments. Armoured One CEO Tom Czyz said his group knows what to look for when it assesses a faculty’s vulnerability.

“They’re taking a look at methods to slow down an attacker and speed up police response,” Czyz mentioned. “How do we sluggish 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 safety and security are high of mind daily.

What I need to be common is that our families know that we are ready each day. And that’s what we work in direction of being a better college district because it pertains to safety and safety,” Inexperienced stated.

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

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

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

Duval County voters permitted a half-cent gross sales tax in November 2020 with the specific function of replacing getting old faculties, repairing a large backlog of upkeep points, and bolstering school security.

Right now, 74 initiatives are within the design phase and 15 are under construction.

As of January 2022, the tax has generated more than $118 million dollars, with greater than $5.7 million already spent or allocated to initiatives below construction.

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

Extra details about how that money is planned to be spent in particular person faculties might be found on the college district’s half-cent gross sales tax data dashboard.

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The next checklist of safety measures is revealed on the college district’s web site:

Each school has a security plan and emergency response group.

All school school rooms are locked when occupied by college students.

School plans are reviewed with staff every semester.

The district has a highly educated college police department, giving all colleges direct access to highschool useful resource officers.

The district makes use of varied major safety monitoring methods together with camera surveillance and monitored managed access methods.

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

All colleges conduct regular evacuation drills (hearth drills).

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

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