Metropolis, DCPS publicizes partnership with company specializing in security doorways, glass

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

The college district employed a New York company named Armoured One, which focuses on doors and glass and claims it might probably decelerate or stop a shooter from getting right into a classroom.

Those are essential elements after police in Texas decided the door accessed by the gunman at Robb Elementary College in Uvalde was closed but not locked. Initially, state police said a instructor left the door propped open. Investigators concluded the instructor actually closed the door, but it surely didn’t lock automatically prefer it was supposed to. The gunman shot and killed 19 college students and two academics before he was killed by legislation enforcement.

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

Advert

“We'll first work collaboratively to determine the place Armoured One assets can greatest compliment the coaching already provided, adding their resources to the training tools and resources the district already makes use of,” Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry said Wednesday afternoon at a information conference at City Hall to announce the partnership.

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

The safety glass and movie that Armoured One invented can withstand several hits -- whether or not that’s bullets, someone ramming into the glass or using different objects or weapons -- without breaking, which might sluggish an attacker. The doors it uses have steel framing, latch bolts and deadbolts.

Armoured One can also be known for offering energetic shooter training and assessments. The company issues individual reports for each building and recommends the very best equipment to make use of for each facility it’s working with.

Advert

Curry stated he plans to find the funding for that coaching but additionally work with the company to perform college safety assessments. Armoured One CEO Tom Czyz said his crew knows what to search for when it assesses a faculty’s vulnerability.

“They’re ways to decelerate an attacker and speed up police response,” Czyz mentioned. “How can we sluggish him down -- after which velocity up the response that would cease him.”

Duval County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Diana Greene and Duval County School Police Division Chief Greg Burton say security and safety are high of thoughts every single day.

What I wish to be frequent is that our households know that we're prepared each and every day. And that’s what we work in the direction of being a better college district as it pertains to security and security,” Green mentioned.

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

Greene said that the district’s finest defense is its students and employees. She stated she continues to encourage the varsity neighborhood to report something they see that’s suspicious.

Ad

As far as the fee, it’s unclear right now, because the partnership is still being worked out.

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

Right now, 74 initiatives are within the design phase and 15 are beneath building.

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

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

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

Ad

The next list of security measures is revealed on the school district’s web site:

Each faculty has a safety plan and emergency response group.

All school lecture rooms are locked when occupied by students.

College plans are reviewed with workers every semester.

The district has a extremely skilled faculty police department, giving all colleges direct entry to highschool resource officers.

The district utilizes numerous major safety monitoring strategies together with digicam surveillance and monitored managed entry systems.

All faculties and district offices have a District Emergency Communications Network 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 colleges conduct common emergency and lockdown (“code red” and “code yellow”) drills.

Copyright 2022 by WJXT News4JAX - All rights reserved.