Metropolis, DCPS pronounces partnership with firm specializing in safety doorways, glass

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

The college district employed a New York firm named Armoured One, which makes a speciality of doorways and glass and claims it may well decelerate or forestall a shooter from getting right into a classroom.

Those are crucial elements after police in Texas decided 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 instructor really closed the door, nevertheless it didn’t lock robotically like it was alleged to. The gunman shot and killed 19 college students and two academics before he was killed by regulation enforcement.

Armoured One, which was based after the Sandy Hook Elementary School capturing, is made up of former army and regulation enforcement agents who examine mass shooting attacks and seek the advice of on faculty safety measures.

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“We will first work collaboratively to establish the place Armoured One sources can greatest compliment the coaching already supplied, including their assets to the coaching instruments and resources the district already makes use of,” Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry mentioned Wednesday afternoon at a information convention at City Hall to announce the partnership.

Press the play button immediately below to look at all the information conference.

The safety glass and movie that Armoured One invented can face up to several hits -- whether that’s bullets, someone ramming into the glass or utilizing different objects or weapons -- with out breaking, which could gradual an attacker. The doors it uses have steel framing, latch bolts and deadbolts.

Armoured One can be known for offering lively shooter coaching and assessments. The company points particular person experiences for every constructing and recommends one of the best gear to use for each facility it’s working with.

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Curry mentioned he plans to find the funding for that coaching but also work with the corporate to perform faculty safety assessments. Armoured One CEO Tom Czyz stated his group is aware of what to search for when it assesses a college’s vulnerability.

“They’re looking at methods to decelerate an attacker and speed up police response,” Czyz said. “How do we slow him down -- and then velocity up the response that would stop him.”

Duval County Public Colleges Superintendent Dr. Diana Greene and Duval County School Police Division Chief Greg Burton say safety and security are high of mind each day.

What I wish to be frequent is that our households know that we are prepared each and every day. And that’s what we work in direction of being a better school district because it pertains to safety and safety,” Green stated.

Burton mentioned, “I might say the one phrase that summarizes every part that we do is vigilance.”

Greene said that the district’s finest defense is its students and staff. She stated she continues to encourage the varsity group to report anything they see that’s suspicious.

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

Duval County voters authorized a half-cent gross sales tax in November 2020 with the specific function of changing getting old schools, repairing a large backlog of upkeep points, and bolstering school safety.

Right now, 74 projects are within the design phase and 15 are beneath construction.

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

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

Extra details about how that cash is planned to be spent in individual schools will be found on the varsity district’s half-cent gross sales tax info dashboard.

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The next list of security measures is printed on the varsity district’s web site:

Each faculty has a security plan and emergency response staff.

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

Faculty plans are reviewed with staff every semester.

The district has a extremely skilled faculty police department, giving all colleges direct entry to highschool resource officers.

The district makes use of varied major security monitoring strategies together with camera surveillance and monitored managed access programs.

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

All colleges conduct regular evacuation drills (hearth drills).

All schools conduct regular emergency and lockdown (“code crimson” and “code yellow”) drills.

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