Metropolis, DCPS declares partnership with firm specializing in security doorways, glass

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

The school district hired a New York company named Armoured One, which specializes in doors and glass and claims it will probably slow down or forestall a shooter from getting into a classroom.

These are crucial components after police in Texas decided the door accessed by the gunman at Robb Elementary College in Uvalde was closed but not locked. Originally, state police stated a trainer left the door propped open. Investigators concluded the instructor really closed the door, but it surely didn’t lock robotically prefer 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 College shooting, is made up of former army and law enforcement brokers who research mass capturing assaults and consult on school safety measures.

Advert

“We are going to first work collaboratively to establish the place Armoured One sources can finest compliment the coaching already provided, including their resources to the training instruments and resources the district already uses,” Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry said Wednesday afternoon at a information convention at Metropolis Corridor to announce the partnership.

Press the play button immediately beneath to watch your entire information convention.

The security glass and film that Armoured One invented can stand up to a number of hits -- whether or not that’s bullets, somebody ramming into the glass or utilizing different objects or weapons -- without breaking, which might sluggish an attacker. The doors it makes use of have metal framing, latch bolts and deadbolts.

Armoured One can be recognized for providing lively shooter coaching and assessments. The corporate issues individual reports for every constructing and recommends the best gear to make use of for each facility it’s working with.

Advert

Curry said he plans to search out the funding for that coaching but in addition work with the corporate to perform college safety assessments. Armoured One CEO Tom Czyz said his crew is aware of what to look for when it assesses a faculty’s vulnerability.

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

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

What I need to be common is that our households know that we are ready each day. And that’s what we work towards being a better college district as it relates to safety and security,” Green mentioned.

Burton said, “I would say the one phrase that summarizes every thing that we do is vigilance.”

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

Ad

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

Duval County voters approved a half-cent gross sales tax in November 2020 with the particular purpose of replacing ageing colleges, repairing a large backlog of maintenance issues, and bolstering faculty security.

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

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

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

More details about how that money is deliberate to be spent in individual colleges may be discovered on the school district’s half-cent sales tax info dashboard.

Advert

The next listing of security measures is printed on the college district’s website:

Each college has a safety plan and emergency response team.

All college school rooms are locked when occupied by college students.

College plans are reviewed with staff each semester.

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

The district utilizes numerous main security monitoring methods including digital camera surveillance and monitored managed entry systems.

All faculties and district places of work have a District Emergency Communications Community radio with direct entry to high school police and district leadership. College Police have direct access to JSO.

All faculties conduct regular evacuation drills (hearth drills).

All schools conduct common emergency and lockdown (“code red” and “code yellow”) drills.

Copyright 2022 by WJXT News4JAX - All rights reserved.