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

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

The varsity district hired a New York company named Armoured One, which focuses on doors and glass and claims it can slow down or prevent a shooter from getting right into a classroom.

Those are crucial factors after police in Texas determined the door accessed by the gunman at Robb Elementary College in Uvalde was closed but not locked. Originally, state police stated a instructor left the door propped open. Investigators concluded the instructor really closed the door, however it didn’t lock robotically prefer it was presupposed to. The gunman shot and killed 19 students and two academics before he was killed by legislation enforcement.

Armoured One, which was founded after the Sandy Hook Elementary Faculty shooting, is made up of former navy and regulation enforcement agents who research mass shooting attacks and seek the advice of on college security measures.

Ad

“We'll first work collaboratively to establish the place Armoured One resources can best praise the coaching already offered, adding their assets to the training instruments and assets the district already makes use of,” Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry mentioned Wednesday afternoon at a news conference at Metropolis Corridor to announce the partnership.

Press the play button instantly below to look at all the information conference.

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

Armoured One is also recognized for providing energetic shooter training and assessments. The corporate points individual studies for each building and recommends the very best tools to make use of for each facility it’s working with.

Ad

Curry mentioned he plans to seek out the funding for that training but in addition work with the company to perform college security assessments. Armoured One CEO Tom Czyz stated his team knows what to search for when it assesses a college’s vulnerability.

“They’re looking at ways to decelerate an attacker and speed up police response,” Czyz said. “How will we sluggish him down -- and then pace up the response that may stop him.”

Duval County Public Faculties Superintendent Dr. Diana Greene and Duval County College Police Division Chief Greg Burton say security and safety are top of mind on daily basis.

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

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

Greene said that the district’s greatest protection is its students and staff. She mentioned she continues to encourage the school neighborhood to report anything they see that’s suspicious.

Ad

So far as the cost, it’s unclear right now, because the partnership continues to be being labored out.

Duval County voters authorized a half-cent gross sales tax in November 2020 with the particular objective of changing ageing colleges, repairing a massive backlog of maintenance issues, and bolstering school security.

Proper now, 74 projects are in the design part and 15 are below construction.

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

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

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

Advert

The following listing of safety measures is revealed on the school district’s web site:

Every school has a security plan and emergency response group.

All faculty classrooms are locked when occupied by students.

College plans are reviewed with staff each semester.

The district has a extremely educated faculty 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 access techniques.

All faculties and district offices have a District Emergency Communications Community radio with direct access to high school police and district management. College Police have direct access to JSO.

All colleges conduct common evacuation drills (fireplace drills).

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

Copyright 2022 by WJXT News4JAX - All rights reserved.