Metropolis, DCPS pronounces partnership with firm specializing in safety doorways, glass

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The town of Jacksonville and Duval County faculty district on Wednesday announced a new plan to maintain kids protected within the classroom.

The school district employed a New York firm named Armoured One, which specializes in doors and glass and claims it will possibly decelerate or prevent a shooter from getting right into a classroom.

These are essential elements after police in Texas determined the door accessed by the gunman at Robb Elementary Faculty in Uvalde was closed but not locked. Initially, state police said a instructor left the door propped open. Investigators concluded the instructor truly closed the door, but it surely didn’t lock automatically like 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 based after the Sandy Hook Elementary Faculty taking pictures, is made up of former navy and regulation enforcement brokers who study mass taking pictures assaults and seek the advice of on faculty safety measures.

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“We'll first work collaboratively to establish where Armoured One resources can best praise the training already offered, adding their assets to the training tools and sources 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 immediately under to observe your complete information convention.

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 could slow an attacker. The doorways it uses have metallic framing, latch bolts and deadbolts.

Armoured One can also be identified for providing lively shooter training and assessments. The company points particular person stories for every building and recommends the best tools to make use of for every facility it’s working with.

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Curry mentioned he plans to search out the funding for that coaching but additionally work with the company to carry out college security assessments. Armoured One CEO Tom Czyz mentioned his workforce is aware of what to look for when it assesses a college’s vulnerability.

“They’re methods to slow down an attacker and speed up police response,” Czyz said. “How can we gradual him down -- and then speed up the response that might stop him.”

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

What I want to be common is that our households know that we're prepared every day. And that’s what we work in the direction of being a greater school district because it relates to safety and safety,” Inexperienced said.

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

Greene mentioned that the district’s finest protection is its students and employees. She said 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 right now, because the partnership is still being worked out.

Duval County voters permitted a half-cent sales tax in November 2020 with the specific goal of replacing aging schools, repairing a large backlog of upkeep issues, and bolstering school safety.

Proper now, 74 initiatives are in the design part and 15 are beneath development.

As of January 2022, the tax has generated greater than $118 million dollars, with greater than $5.7 million already spent or allocated to tasks underneath building.

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

More details about how that cash is deliberate to be spent in particular person colleges can be discovered on the school district’s half-cent sales tax info dashboard.

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The next checklist of security measures is printed on the college district’s web site:

Every school has a security plan and emergency response team.

All school classrooms are locked when occupied by college students.

Faculty plans are reviewed with workers each semester.

The district has a extremely trained college police division, giving all colleges direct entry to school resource officers.

The district utilizes various major safety monitoring strategies together with digicam surveillance and monitored controlled access programs.

All colleges and district offices have a District Emergency Communications Community radio with direct entry to highschool police and district leadership. School Police have direct entry to JSO.

All schools conduct regular evacuation drills (hearth drills).

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

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