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

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Town of Jacksonville and Duval County school district on Wednesday introduced a new plan to maintain youngsters protected in the classroom.

The college district employed a New York firm named Armoured One, which specializes in doors and glass and claims it may decelerate or prevent a shooter from getting into a classroom.

Those are essential components after police in Texas determined the door accessed by the gunman at Robb Elementary Faculty in Uvalde was closed but not locked. Originally, state police stated a trainer left the door propped open. Investigators concluded the instructor really closed the door, but it didn’t lock robotically prefer it was alleged to. The gunman shot and killed 19 college students and two lecturers earlier than he was killed by legislation enforcement.

Armoured One, which was based after the Sandy Hook Elementary School taking pictures, is made up of former army and regulation enforcement agents who research mass capturing attacks and consult on faculty security measures.

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“We'll first work collaboratively to determine where Armoured One assets can best compliment the training already supplied, adding their assets to the training tools and assets the district already makes use of,” Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry stated Wednesday afternoon at a news convention at Metropolis Corridor to announce the partnership.

Press the play button instantly under to look at your complete information conference.

The security glass and film that Armoured One invented can withstand several hits -- whether or not that’s bullets, somebody ramming into the glass or using different objects or weapons -- with out breaking, which may sluggish an attacker. The doorways it makes use of have steel framing, latch bolts and deadbolts.

Armoured One can also be identified for providing energetic shooter coaching and assessments. The corporate issues particular person studies 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 also work with the company to carry out college safety assessments. Armoured One CEO Tom Czyz stated his group knows what to look for when it assesses a faculty’s vulnerability.

“They’re taking a look at methods to decelerate an attacker and velocity up police response,” Czyz stated. “How do we sluggish him down -- after which velocity up the response that may cease him.”

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

What I wish to be common is that our families know that we're prepared each day. And that’s what we work towards being a greater college district as it pertains to security and safety,” Inexperienced said.

Burton said, “I'd say the one phrase that summarizes every little thing 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 college group to report something they see that’s suspicious.

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As far as the associated fee, it’s unclear right now, as the partnership continues to be being labored out.

Duval County voters authorised a half-cent gross sales tax in November 2020 with the specific goal of changing growing old faculties, repairing a large backlog of upkeep issues, and bolstering faculty security.

Right now, 74 initiatives are within the design section and 15 are below construction.

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

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

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

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The following listing of security measures is published on the college district’s web site:

Every college has a security plan and emergency response team.

All school classrooms are locked when occupied by students.

Faculty plans are reviewed with staff each semester.

The district has a highly skilled school police division, giving all schools direct access to highschool useful resource officers.

The district utilizes varied major security monitoring strategies including digicam surveillance and monitored managed entry techniques.

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

All faculties conduct common evacuation drills (hearth drills).

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

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