Metropolis, DCPS publicizes partnership with company specializing in safety doorways, glass

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The town of Jacksonville and Duval County college district on Wednesday introduced a brand new plan to maintain kids secure in the classroom.

The varsity district hired a New York firm named Armoured One, which makes a speciality of doorways and glass and claims it may slow down or forestall a shooter from getting into a classroom.

Those are essential factors after police in Texas determined the door accessed by the gunman at Robb Elementary Faculty in Uvalde was closed however not locked. Initially, state police said a teacher left the door propped open. Investigators concluded the trainer really closed the door, but it didn’t lock robotically like it was speculated to. The gunman shot and killed 19 college students and two lecturers earlier than he was killed by law enforcement.

Armoured One, which was based after the Sandy Hook Elementary School capturing, is made up of former navy and regulation enforcement brokers who examine mass capturing assaults and seek the advice of on college security measures.

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“We will first work collaboratively to establish the place Armoured One resources can finest compliment the training already offered, including their resources to the coaching instruments and resources the district already makes use of,” Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry said Wednesday afternoon at a news conference at City Corridor to announce the partnership.

Press the play button straight under to observe the complete news convention.

The safety 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 other objects or weapons -- without breaking, which may gradual an attacker. The doors it makes use of have metal framing, latch bolts and deadbolts.

Armoured One can also be recognized for offering active shooter training and assessments. The company points individual reports for every constructing and recommends the very best gear 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 also work with the company to perform college security 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 methods to slow down an attacker and velocity up police response,” Czyz stated. “How do we gradual him down -- after which speed up the response that may stop him.”

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

What I want to be common is that our families know that we're prepared every day. And that’s what we work in direction of being a better school district because it pertains to security and safety,” Green said.

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

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

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

Duval County voters permitted a half-cent sales tax in November 2020 with the specific purpose of changing growing old colleges, repairing an enormous backlog of upkeep points, and bolstering faculty security.

Proper now, 74 initiatives are in the design section and 15 are beneath building.

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

Over its 15-year life, the sales tax is projected to generate $64.9 million for the specific objective of upgrading faculty safety in DCPS faculties.

More details about how that money is planned to be spent in particular person faculties can be discovered on the school district’s half-cent gross sales tax data dashboard.

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The next record of safety measures is published on the varsity district’s web site:

Each school has a safety plan and emergency response staff.

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

School plans are reviewed with workers each semester.

The district has a extremely skilled school police department, giving all schools direct access to high school useful resource officers.

The district makes use of various main safety monitoring strategies together with digicam surveillance and monitored controlled entry systems.

All faculties and district workplaces have a District Emergency Communications Community radio with direct entry to highschool police and district management. College Police have direct entry to JSO.

All schools conduct regular evacuation drills (fireplace drills).

All faculties conduct common emergency and lockdown (“code pink” and “code yellow”) drills.

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