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

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

The varsity district hired a New York firm named Armoured One, which makes a speciality of doors and glass and claims it might probably decelerate or forestall a shooter from getting into a classroom.

Those are essential elements after police in Texas determined the door accessed by the gunman at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde was closed however not locked. Originally, state police said a teacher left the door propped open. Investigators concluded the trainer actually closed the door, nevertheless it didn’t lock routinely prefer it was supposed 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 Faculty taking pictures, is made up of former military and regulation enforcement brokers who examine mass taking pictures assaults and consult on faculty safety measures.

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“We are going to first work collaboratively to determine the place Armoured One assets can best compliment the coaching already offered, adding their assets to the coaching tools and assets the district already uses,” Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry said Wednesday afternoon at a news conference at Metropolis Corridor to announce the partnership.

Press the play button directly under to observe your complete news conference.

The safety glass and film that Armoured One invented can face up to several hits -- whether that’s bullets, somebody ramming into the glass or utilizing different objects or weapons -- with out breaking, which may gradual an attacker. The doors it makes use of have metallic framing, latch bolts and deadbolts.

Armoured One is also identified for offering energetic shooter training and assessments. The company points individual experiences 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 search out the funding for that coaching but in addition work with the corporate to perform school safety assessments. Armoured One CEO Tom Czyz stated his staff knows what to look for when it assesses a school’s vulnerability.

“They’re taking a look at methods to slow down an attacker and pace up police response,” Czyz stated. “How do we sluggish him down -- after which speed up the response that will stop him.”

Duval County Public Faculties Superintendent Dr. Diana Greene and Duval County School Police Division Chief Greg Burton say safety and security are prime of thoughts on daily basis.

What I wish to be frequent is that our families know that we are ready each and every day. And that’s what we work in direction of being a better faculty district as it pertains to safety and safety,” Inexperienced stated.

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

Greene mentioned that the district’s finest defense is its students and workers. She said she continues to encourage the school group to report something they see that’s suspicious.

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

Duval County voters accredited a half-cent gross sales tax in November 2020 with the particular goal of changing growing older schools, repairing an enormous backlog of upkeep issues, and bolstering faculty security.

Right now, 74 projects are within the design phase and 15 are below development.

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

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

Extra details about how that cash is planned to be spent in individual colleges might be found on the college district’s half-cent sales tax information dashboard.

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The next record of security measures is published on the school district’s website:

Each school has a safety plan and emergency response crew.

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

Faculty plans are reviewed with staff every semester.

The district has a highly trained college police department, giving all faculties direct access to school resource officers.

The district makes use of various major safety monitoring methods together with digicam surveillance and monitored managed access techniques.

All faculties and district places of work have a District Emergency Communications Network radio with direct entry to high school police and district management. School Police have direct entry to JSO.

All faculties conduct common evacuation drills (fireplace drills).

All colleges conduct regular emergency and lockdown (“code purple” and “code yellow”) drills.

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