City, DCPS declares partnership with company specializing in security doors, glass

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The city of Jacksonville and Duval County college district on Wednesday introduced a brand new plan to keep kids safe within 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 stop a shooter from getting into a classroom.

These are essential factors after police in Texas determined the door accessed by the gunman at Robb Elementary College in Uvalde was closed however not locked. Originally, state police mentioned a teacher left the door propped open. Investigators concluded the instructor actually closed the door, however it didn’t lock automatically like it was supposed to. The gunman shot and killed 19 students and two academics earlier than he was killed by regulation enforcement.

Armoured One, which was founded after the Sandy Hook Elementary Faculty capturing, is made up of former navy and regulation enforcement brokers who research mass shooting attacks and consult on college safety measures.

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“We will first work collaboratively to establish where Armoured One sources can finest compliment the coaching already offered, including their assets to the training instruments and sources the district already makes use of,” Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry said Wednesday afternoon at a news convention at Metropolis Corridor to announce the partnership.

Press the play button instantly below to watch the whole news conference.

The safety glass and film that Armoured One invented can withstand several hits -- whether or not that’s bullets, somebody ramming into the glass or using other objects or weapons -- with out breaking, which might sluggish an attacker. The doors it makes use of have steel framing, latch bolts and deadbolts.

Armoured One can also be recognized for offering active shooter coaching and assessments. The corporate points particular person studies for each building and recommends the perfect tools to use for every facility it’s working with.

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Curry stated he plans to seek out the funding for that coaching but in addition work with the company to perform faculty security assessments. Armoured One CEO Tom Czyz mentioned his team is aware of what to search for when it assesses a college’s vulnerability.

“They’re looking at ways to decelerate an attacker and speed up police response,” Czyz stated. “How do we slow him down -- after which speed up the response that will cease him.”

Duval County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Diana Greene and Duval County Faculty Police Department Chief Greg Burton say safety and security are prime of thoughts day by day.

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 better faculty district because it relates to security and security,” Green mentioned.

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

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

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So far as the cost, it’s unclear right now, because the partnership is still being labored out.

Duval County voters approved a half-cent gross sales tax in November 2020 with the precise objective of changing getting older schools, repairing a massive backlog of maintenance points, and bolstering college security.

Proper now, 74 tasks are within the design part and 15 are beneath construction.

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

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

More information about how that cash is deliberate to be spent in particular person schools can be discovered on the college district’s half-cent sales tax information dashboard.

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

Every faculty has a security plan and emergency response crew.

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

College plans are reviewed with staff each semester.

The district has a highly educated school police division, giving all schools direct access to high school resource officers.

The district makes use of varied major security monitoring methods together with digicam surveillance and monitored controlled access systems.

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

All schools conduct regular evacuation drills (hearth drills).

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

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