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

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The city of Jacksonville and Duval County faculty district on Wednesday introduced a new plan to keep youngsters safe within the classroom.

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

Those are essential factors after police in Texas decided the door accessed by the gunman at Robb Elementary College in Uvalde was closed however not locked. Originally, state police mentioned a instructor left the door propped open. Investigators concluded the trainer actually closed the door, but it didn’t lock mechanically like it was speculated to. The gunman shot and killed 19 students and two lecturers before he was killed by legislation enforcement.

Armoured One, which was based after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, is made up of former navy and regulation enforcement brokers who examine mass capturing assaults and consult on school security measures.

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“We'll first work collaboratively to establish the place Armoured One sources can finest compliment the training already provided, including their assets to the training instruments and resources the district already makes use of,” Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry said Wednesday afternoon at a information conference at Metropolis Hall to announce the partnership.

Press the play button instantly beneath to observe the complete news convention.

The security glass and film that Armoured One invented can withstand several hits -- whether or not that’s bullets, someone ramming into the glass or utilizing other objects or weapons -- without breaking, which could sluggish an attacker. The doors it uses have steel framing, latch bolts and deadbolts.

Armoured One is also known for offering active shooter coaching and assessments. The corporate issues individual experiences for each building and recommends the very best tools to make use of for every facility it’s working with.

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

“They’re ways to decelerate an attacker and pace up police response,” Czyz said. “How will we sluggish him down -- after which speed up the response that will stop him.”

Duval County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Diana Greene and Duval County College Police Division Chief Greg Burton say safety and security are top of mind each day.

What I wish to be frequent is that our families know that we are ready each and every day. And that’s what we work towards being a better school district as it relates to security and security,” Inexperienced mentioned.

Burton mentioned, “I would say the one word that summarizes all the pieces that we do is vigilance.”

Greene stated that the district’s greatest defense is its college students and workers. She mentioned she continues to encourage the varsity community to report something they see that’s suspicious.

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So far as the associated fee, it’s unclear right now, as the partnership remains to be being worked out.

Duval County voters accepted a half-cent sales tax in November 2020 with the particular goal of changing growing older faculties, repairing a massive backlog of upkeep issues, and bolstering school security.

Right now, 74 tasks are in the design phase and 15 are underneath construction.

As of January 2022, the tax has generated more than $118 million dollars, with more than $5.7 million already spent or allocated to initiatives under development.

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

Extra information about how that cash is deliberate to be spent in particular person faculties will be found on the school district’s half-cent gross sales tax information dashboard.

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

Every college has a safety plan and emergency response crew.

All college classrooms are locked when occupied by students.

College plans are reviewed with employees every semester.

The district has a highly trained college police department, giving all schools direct access to highschool resource officers.

The district makes use of numerous main security monitoring methods together with camera surveillance and monitored controlled access systems.

All schools and district workplaces have a District Emergency Communications Network radio with direct access to school police and district management. Faculty Police have direct entry to JSO.

All colleges conduct regular evacuation drills (hearth drills).

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

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