City, DCPS proclaims partnership with firm specializing in security doorways, glass

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

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

These are essential factors 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 trainer left the door propped open. Investigators concluded the instructor truly closed the door, however it didn’t lock robotically like it was alleged to. The gunman shot and killed 19 college students and two academics before he was killed by legislation enforcement.

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

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“We will first work collaboratively to identify where Armoured One sources can greatest compliment the training already provided, including their resources to the coaching tools and sources the district already makes use of,” Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry mentioned Wednesday afternoon at a news convention at Metropolis Hall to announce the partnership.

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

The safety glass and movie that Armoured One invented can stand up to several hits -- whether or not that’s bullets, someone ramming into the glass or utilizing other objects or weapons -- with out breaking, which might sluggish an attacker. The doors it makes use of have metallic framing, latch bolts and deadbolts.

Armoured One is also known for providing lively shooter coaching and assessments. The corporate issues individual stories for every constructing and recommends the perfect 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 training but in addition work with the company to carry out college safety assessments. Armoured One CEO Tom Czyz said his team is aware of what to look for when it assesses a school’s vulnerability.

“They’re looking at ways to slow down an attacker and velocity up police response,” Czyz mentioned. “How can we slow him down -- after which pace up the response that may stop him.”

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

What I want to be widespread is that our households know that we're prepared every day. And that’s what we work in the direction of being a greater college district because it pertains to security and security,” Green stated.

Burton stated, “I might say the one word that summarizes every little thing that we do is vigilance.”

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

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As far as the cost, it’s unclear proper now, as the partnership remains to be being labored out.

Duval County voters accredited a half-cent sales tax in November 2020 with the specific goal of replacing growing older colleges, repairing a massive backlog of upkeep points, and bolstering college safety.

Proper now, 74 tasks are within the design phase and 15 are underneath construction.

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

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

Extra details about how that money is planned to be spent in individual faculties might be discovered on the college district’s half-cent sales tax info dashboard.

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The next listing of safety measures is printed on the varsity district’s web site:

Each college has a safety plan and emergency response group.

All faculty school rooms are locked when occupied by students.

School plans are reviewed with workers each semester.

The district has a extremely skilled school police department, giving all faculties direct access to high school resource officers.

The district utilizes varied main security monitoring strategies including camera surveillance and monitored controlled entry systems.

All colleges and district offices have a District Emergency Communications Network radio with direct entry to highschool police and district management. Faculty Police have direct access to JSO.

All colleges conduct common evacuation drills (fireplace drills).

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

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