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

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Town of Jacksonville and Duval County college district on Wednesday announced a new plan to keep youngsters secure in the classroom.

The school district hired a New York company named Armoured One, which specializes in doorways and glass and claims it could possibly decelerate or stop a shooter from getting into a classroom.

These are essential components after police in Texas determined the door accessed by the gunman at Robb Elementary College in Uvalde was closed however not locked. Initially, state police said a teacher left the door propped open. Investigators concluded the instructor actually closed the door, but it didn’t lock automatically like it was alleged to. The gunman shot and killed 19 students and two teachers before he was killed by legislation enforcement.

Armoured One, which was based after the Sandy Hook Elementary Faculty capturing, is made up of former navy and regulation enforcement brokers who research mass shooting assaults and seek the advice of on school safety measures.

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“We are going to first work collaboratively to determine the place Armoured One sources can finest praise the training already offered, adding their sources to the training instruments and assets the district already makes use of,” Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry said Wednesday afternoon at a news conference at Metropolis Hall to announce the partnership.

Press the play button immediately below to observe all the information conference.

The safety glass and movie that Armoured One invented can stand up to several hits -- whether or not that’s bullets, somebody ramming into the glass or utilizing different objects or weapons -- without breaking, which could slow an attacker. The doors it uses have metallic framing, latch bolts and deadbolts.

Armoured One can be identified for offering lively shooter training and assessments. The company issues particular person stories for each constructing and recommends the most effective tools to use for each facility it’s working with.

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Curry mentioned he plans to seek out the funding for that training but additionally work with the company to carry out faculty safety assessments. Armoured One CEO Tom Czyz mentioned his group knows what to search for when it assesses a school’s vulnerability.

“They’re taking a look at methods to slow down an attacker and velocity up police response,” Czyz stated. “How can we sluggish him down -- after which velocity up the response that will stop him.”

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

What I wish to be widespread is that our families know that we are prepared every day. And that’s what we work towards being a better school district because it pertains to safety and security,” Inexperienced stated.

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

Greene said that the district’s finest defense is its students and employees. She mentioned 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 right now, as the partnership continues to be being labored out.

Duval County voters accepted a half-cent sales tax in November 2020 with the specific purpose of changing growing older faculties, repairing a massive backlog of maintenance issues, and bolstering school safety.

Right now, 74 tasks are within the design section 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 allocated to initiatives below building.

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

Extra details about how that cash is planned to be spent in particular person colleges might be found on the college district’s half-cent gross sales tax data dashboard.

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The following record of security measures is printed on the varsity district’s web site:

Each school has a security plan and emergency response workforce.

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

College plans are reviewed with workers every semester.

The district has a extremely educated school police division, giving all colleges direct access to school useful resource officers.

The district makes use of varied major security monitoring methods including digital camera surveillance and monitored controlled entry systems.

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

All schools conduct regular evacuation drills (fire drills).

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

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