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

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

The varsity district hired a New York company named Armoured One, which focuses on doorways and glass and claims it might probably decelerate or stop a shooter from getting right into a classroom.

These are crucial components after police in Texas decided the door accessed by the gunman at Robb Elementary Faculty in Uvalde was closed but not locked. Initially, state police mentioned a instructor left the door propped open. Investigators concluded the teacher actually closed the door, but it didn’t lock robotically like it was imagined to. The gunman shot and killed 19 college students and two teachers earlier than he was killed by regulation enforcement.

Armoured One, which was based after the Sandy Hook Elementary Faculty capturing, is made up of former army and regulation enforcement brokers who study mass shooting assaults and seek the advice of on college security measures.

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“We are going to first work collaboratively to determine where Armoured One assets can best praise the training already offered, including their resources to the training tools and resources the district already makes use of,” Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry stated Wednesday afternoon at a news convention at Metropolis Corridor to announce the partnership.

Press the play button instantly under to observe the whole news convention.

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

Armoured One can be known for providing lively shooter training and assessments. The company points particular person reports for each constructing and recommends the perfect equipment to use for each facility it’s working with.

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Curry stated he plans to seek out the funding for that training but also work with the company to perform faculty security assessments. Armoured One CEO Tom Czyz said his group is aware of what to search for when it assesses a school’s vulnerability.

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

Duval County Public Faculties Superintendent Dr. Diana Greene and Duval County College Police Division Chief Greg Burton say safety and security are high of thoughts each day.

What I wish to be common is that our families know that we are prepared each day. And that’s what we work in direction of being a better college district as it pertains to safety and safety,” Green said.

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

Greene mentioned that the district’s finest protection is its college students and staff. She said she continues to encourage the college neighborhood to report something they see that’s suspicious.

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As far as the associated fee, it’s unclear proper now, as the partnership is still being labored out.

Duval County voters accepted a half-cent sales tax in November 2020 with the particular function of replacing aging schools, repairing a large backlog of upkeep points, and bolstering faculty security.

Right now, 74 initiatives are in the design phase and 15 are below construction.

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 underneath development.

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

Extra information about how that cash is planned to be spent in individual faculties may be found on the college district’s half-cent sales tax information dashboard.

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The next list of security measures is published on the college district’s web site:

Every school has a security plan and emergency response team.

All school school rooms are locked when occupied by students.

School plans are reviewed with employees every semester.

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

The district makes use of varied major safety monitoring methods together with digital camera surveillance and monitored managed entry systems.

All faculties and district offices have a District Emergency Communications Community radio with direct entry to school police and district leadership. Faculty Police have direct entry to JSO.

All colleges conduct common evacuation drills (fireplace drills).

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

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