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

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Town of Jacksonville and Duval County faculty district on Wednesday announced a brand new plan to keep kids protected in the classroom.

The varsity district employed a New York company named Armoured One, which focuses on doors and glass and claims it will probably slow down or forestall a shooter from getting into a classroom.

These are essential factors after police in Texas determined the door accessed by the gunman at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde was closed however not locked. Initially, state police stated a teacher left the door propped open. Investigators concluded the trainer actually closed the door, nevertheless it didn’t lock robotically prefer it was presupposed to. The gunman shot and killed 19 students and two teachers earlier than he was killed by legislation enforcement.

Armoured One, which was based after the Sandy Hook Elementary Faculty shooting, is made up of former military and law enforcement agents who examine mass taking pictures attacks and consult on faculty safety measures.

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“We'll first work collaboratively to establish the place Armoured One sources can finest praise the training already offered, including their assets to the training instruments and sources the district already uses,” Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry mentioned Wednesday afternoon at a news convention at City Corridor to announce the partnership.

Press the play button instantly beneath to look at the whole information convention.

The security glass and movie that Armoured One invented can face up to several hits -- whether or not that’s bullets, someone ramming into the glass or utilizing different objects or weapons -- with out breaking, which might gradual an attacker. The doors it uses have metal framing, latch bolts and deadbolts.

Armoured One is also identified for offering active shooter coaching and assessments. The corporate issues particular person stories for every building and recommends the most effective tools to use for each facility it’s working with.

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Curry said he plans to search out the funding for that training but also work with the company to perform school safety assessments. Armoured One CEO Tom Czyz mentioned his staff is aware of what to search for when it assesses a school’s vulnerability.

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

Duval County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Diana Greene and Duval County College Police Division Chief Greg Burton say security and safety are top of thoughts day by day.

What I wish to be frequent is that our households know that we are ready every day. And that’s what we work in the direction of being a greater faculty district as it pertains to security and safety,” Green mentioned.

Burton said, “I might say the one word that summarizes everything that we do is vigilance.”

Greene mentioned that the district’s finest defense is its college students and workers. 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 price, it’s unclear proper now, because the partnership is still being labored out.

Duval County voters authorised a half-cent gross sales tax in November 2020 with the precise goal of replacing ageing schools, repairing a large backlog of upkeep issues, and bolstering college safety.

Proper now, 74 projects are within the design phase and 15 are under development.

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

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 faculties.

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

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

Each college has a safety plan and emergency response team.

All school lecture rooms are locked when occupied by students.

College plans are reviewed with workers each semester.

The district has a extremely educated college police division, giving all schools direct access to high school useful resource officers.

The district makes use of numerous major safety monitoring strategies including digicam surveillance and monitored managed entry methods.

All schools and district offices have a District Emergency Communications Community radio with direct access to highschool police and district leadership. College Police have direct entry to JSO.

All schools conduct common evacuation drills (fireplace drills).

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

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