Metropolis, DCPS declares partnership with firm specializing in security doorways, glass

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

The school district employed a New York firm named Armoured One, which specializes in doors and glass and claims it will possibly decelerate or stop a shooter from getting into a classroom.

These are essential components after police in Texas determined the door accessed by the gunman at Robb Elementary Faculty in Uvalde was closed however not locked. Originally, state police said a trainer left the door propped open. Investigators concluded the instructor really closed the door, but it surely didn’t lock routinely prefer it was speculated to. The gunman shot and killed 19 students and two lecturers before he was killed by regulation enforcement.

Armoured One, which was based after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, is made up of former army and legislation enforcement agents who research mass shooting attacks and consult on college safety measures.

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“We will first work collaboratively to identify the place Armoured One sources can finest compliment the coaching already supplied, adding their resources to the training tools and sources the district already uses,” Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry stated Wednesday afternoon at a information convention at Metropolis Hall to announce the partnership.

Press the play button directly under to watch the complete news conference.

The safety glass and film that Armoured One invented can stand up to a number of hits -- whether or not that’s bullets, someone ramming into the glass or using other objects or weapons -- with out breaking, which could sluggish an attacker. The doorways it uses have metal framing, latch bolts and deadbolts.

Armoured One can also be identified for providing lively shooter training and assessments. The corporate points particular person experiences for each constructing and recommends the very best equipment to use for every facility it’s working with.

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Curry stated he plans to find the funding for that coaching but in addition work with the company to carry out school safety assessments. Armoured One CEO Tom Czyz mentioned his workforce knows what to search for when it assesses a college’s vulnerability.

“They’re taking a look at ways to decelerate an attacker and velocity up police response,” Czyz said. “How can we gradual him down -- and then velocity up the response that may cease him.”

Duval County Public Faculties Superintendent Dr. Diana Greene and Duval County Faculty Police Department Chief Greg Burton say safety and security are top of thoughts each day.

What I want to be common is that our households know that we're ready each and every day. And that’s what we work in the direction of being a greater school district as it relates to security and security,” Green stated.

Burton stated, “I would say the one word that summarizes the whole lot that we do is vigilance.”

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

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So far as the price, it’s unclear proper now, because the partnership remains to be being worked out.

Duval County voters approved a half-cent sales tax in November 2020 with the specific goal of changing getting old colleges, repairing a massive backlog of upkeep issues, and bolstering faculty safety.

Proper now, 74 initiatives are in the design phase and 15 are below development.

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

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

Extra details about how that cash is planned to be spent in particular person schools can be found on the varsity district’s half-cent sales tax data dashboard.

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The following listing of security measures is revealed on the school district’s website:

Each college has a safety plan and emergency response workforce.

All school school rooms are locked when occupied by students.

School plans are reviewed with workers each semester.

The district has a extremely trained faculty police division, giving all colleges direct access to highschool resource officers.

The district utilizes various main security monitoring strategies including digicam surveillance and monitored managed entry methods.

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

All faculties conduct common evacuation drills (hearth drills).

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

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