City, DCPS declares partnership with firm specializing in safety doorways, glass

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

The college district hired a New York company named Armoured One, which makes a speciality of doorways and glass and claims it might probably slow down or forestall a shooter from getting right into a classroom.

Those are crucial elements after police in Texas determined the door accessed by the gunman at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde was closed but not locked. Originally, state police said a teacher left the door propped open. Investigators concluded the teacher really closed the door, nevertheless it didn’t lock robotically like it was purported to. The gunman shot and killed 19 college students and two lecturers earlier than he was killed by law enforcement.

Armoured One, which was founded after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, is made up of former army and law enforcement agents who study mass capturing attacks and consult on college security measures.

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“We will first work collaboratively to determine where Armoured One sources can finest compliment the coaching already provided, including their resources to the coaching instruments and assets the district already uses,” Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry mentioned Wednesday afternoon at a news convention at City Hall to announce the partnership.

Press the play button instantly below to watch all the information conference.

The security glass and movie that Armoured One invented can stand up to a number of hits -- whether that’s bullets, someone ramming into the glass or utilizing other objects or weapons -- with out breaking, which might slow an attacker. The doors it makes use of have metallic framing, latch bolts and deadbolts.

Armoured One is also known for offering energetic shooter training and assessments. The corporate issues particular person stories for every constructing and recommends the very best equipment 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 perform college security assessments. Armoured One CEO Tom Czyz said his team knows what to look for when it assesses a faculty’s vulnerability.

“They’re looking at methods to decelerate an attacker and speed up police response,” Czyz stated. “How can we gradual him down -- after which speed up the response that may cease him.”

Duval County Public Colleges Superintendent Dr. Diana Greene and Duval County College Police Department Chief Greg Burton say safety and security are prime of thoughts day-after-day.

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

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

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

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

Duval County voters authorised a half-cent gross sales tax in November 2020 with the precise goal of changing getting old faculties, repairing a massive backlog of maintenance issues, and bolstering school security.

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

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

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

More details about how that cash is deliberate to be spent in particular person faculties may be found on the varsity district’s half-cent gross sales tax info dashboard.

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The following record of safety measures is revealed on the varsity district’s web site:

Each school has a security plan and emergency response team.

All faculty classrooms are locked when occupied by college students.

School plans are reviewed with employees each semester.

The district has a extremely educated college police division, giving all schools direct entry to highschool resource officers.

The district utilizes numerous main safety monitoring methods including digital camera surveillance and monitored controlled access techniques.

All schools and district offices have a District Emergency Communications Network radio with direct access to high school police and district leadership. School Police have direct entry to JSO.

All schools conduct common evacuation drills (fireplace drills).

All schools conduct regular emergency and lockdown (“code crimson” and “code yellow”) drills.

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