City, DCPS broadcasts partnership with firm specializing in security doors, glass

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Town of Jacksonville and Duval County faculty district on Wednesday introduced a new plan to keep kids secure within the classroom.

The varsity district hired 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.

These are crucial factors after police in Texas determined the door accessed by the gunman at Robb Elementary Faculty in Uvalde was closed but not locked. Initially, state police mentioned a trainer left the door propped open. Investigators concluded the teacher really closed the door, but it surely didn’t lock routinely prefer it was speculated to. The gunman shot and killed 19 students and two academics before he was killed by legislation enforcement.

Armoured One, which was based after the Sandy Hook Elementary College shooting, is made up of former army and legislation enforcement agents who research mass capturing attacks and seek the advice of on faculty security measures.

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“We are going to first work collaboratively to determine where Armoured One resources can best praise the coaching already offered, adding their sources to the training instruments and assets the district already uses,” Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry said Wednesday afternoon at a news conference at City Hall to announce the partnership.

Press the play button straight below to observe the whole information convention.

The security glass and movie that Armoured One invented can withstand several hits -- whether or not that’s bullets, someone ramming into the glass or using other objects or weapons -- without breaking, which might sluggish an attacker. The doors it makes use of have steel framing, latch bolts and deadbolts.

Armoured One can also be identified for providing active shooter training and assessments. The corporate issues individual stories for each constructing and recommends the best gear to make use of for each facility it’s working with.

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Curry said he plans to seek out the funding for that training but in addition work with the corporate to perform college safety assessments. Armoured One CEO Tom Czyz stated his staff is aware of what to search for when it assesses a college’s vulnerability.

“They’re ways to slow down an attacker and speed up police response,” Czyz stated. “How can we gradual him down -- and then speed up the response that will stop him.”

Duval County Public Colleges Superintendent Dr. Diana Greene and Duval County School Police Department Chief Greg Burton say security and safety are prime of mind every day.

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

Burton stated, “I would say the one phrase that summarizes every little thing that we do is vigilance.”

Greene said that the district’s best protection is its college students and employees. She mentioned she continues to encourage the school neighborhood to report anything they see that’s suspicious.

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As far as the cost, it’s unclear proper now, as the partnership remains to be being worked out.

Duval County voters accredited a half-cent gross sales tax in November 2020 with the particular purpose of changing growing old schools, repairing a large backlog of upkeep points, and bolstering faculty safety.

Right now, 74 projects are in the design part and 15 are under 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 under development.

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

More information about how that cash is deliberate to be spent in individual faculties will be discovered on the varsity district’s half-cent gross sales tax information dashboard.

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The following checklist of safety measures is published on the school district’s website:

Each school has a safety plan and emergency response workforce.

All faculty classrooms are locked when occupied by students.

College plans are reviewed with employees every semester.

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

The district utilizes various major safety monitoring strategies together with digicam surveillance and monitored managed access programs.

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

All faculties conduct regular evacuation drills (fire drills).

All colleges conduct common emergency and lockdown (“code red” and “code yellow”) drills.

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