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

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The city of Jacksonville and Duval County faculty district on Wednesday announced a brand new plan to keep kids safe within the classroom.

The varsity district hired a New York firm named Armoured One, which focuses on doors and glass and claims it may well slow down or stop a shooter from getting into a classroom.

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

Armoured One, which was founded after the Sandy Hook Elementary College shooting, is made up of former navy and regulation enforcement brokers who study mass capturing attacks and consult on school security measures.

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“We are going to first work collaboratively to identify the place Armoured One assets can finest praise the training already provided, adding their sources to the training tools and resources the district already uses,” Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry mentioned Wednesday afternoon at a information conference at Metropolis Corridor to announce the partnership.

Press the play button immediately under to observe the complete information conference.

The safety glass and movie that Armoured One invented can withstand a number of hits -- whether or not that’s bullets, somebody ramming into the glass or utilizing different objects or weapons -- with out breaking, which might slow an attacker. The doors it makes use of have metal framing, latch bolts and deadbolts.

Armoured One is also recognized for providing lively shooter training and assessments. The company issues particular person stories for every constructing and recommends the best tools to use for every facility it’s working with.

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Curry mentioned he plans to seek out the funding for that coaching but in addition work with the company to carry out faculty security assessments. Armoured One CEO Tom Czyz mentioned his staff knows what to look for when it assesses a faculty’s vulnerability.

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

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

What I need to be common 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 relates to safety and safety,” Green said.

Burton mentioned, “I'd say the one phrase that summarizes the whole lot that we do is vigilance.”

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

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

Duval County voters approved a half-cent gross sales tax in November 2020 with the particular goal of changing growing old faculties, repairing a massive backlog of upkeep points, and bolstering school safety.

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

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

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

Extra information about how that money is planned to be spent in individual colleges might be found on the college district’s half-cent gross sales tax information dashboard.

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The next record of security measures is revealed on the college district’s website:

Every faculty has a security plan and emergency response workforce.

All college lecture rooms are locked when occupied by students.

Faculty plans are reviewed with staff every semester.

The district has a extremely skilled school police division, giving all schools direct entry to school resource officers.

The district utilizes varied major safety monitoring methods together with camera surveillance and monitored controlled entry techniques.

All schools and district workplaces have a District Emergency Communications Community radio with direct access to highschool police and district management. College Police have direct entry to JSO.

All faculties conduct common evacuation drills (fireplace drills).

All colleges conduct common emergency and lockdown (“code crimson” and “code yellow”) drills.

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