Metropolis, DCPS announces partnership with firm specializing in security doors, glass

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The town of Jacksonville and Duval County school district on Wednesday announced a new plan to maintain youngsters secure in the classroom.

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

Those are essential elements 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 teacher actually closed the door, but it didn’t lock mechanically like it was purported to. The gunman shot and killed 19 college students and two academics earlier than he was killed by regulation enforcement.

Armoured One, which was based after the Sandy Hook Elementary College taking pictures, is made up of former military and law enforcement agents who examine mass capturing assaults and seek the advice of on faculty safety measures.

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“We'll first work collaboratively to identify the place Armoured One assets can best praise the training already provided, adding their sources to the training instruments and sources the district already makes use of,” Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry mentioned Wednesday afternoon at a news convention at City Corridor to announce the partnership.

Press the play button directly beneath to watch the entire information conference.

The safety glass and movie that Armoured One invented can face up to several hits -- whether or not that’s bullets, someone ramming into the glass or utilizing other objects or weapons -- with out breaking, which might sluggish an attacker. The doors it makes use of have metal framing, latch bolts and deadbolts.

Armoured One can be known for providing lively shooter coaching and assessments. The company points individual reviews for every constructing and recommends the perfect tools 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 in addition work with the corporate to perform college security assessments. Armoured One CEO Tom Czyz mentioned his group knows what to search for when it assesses a college’s vulnerability.

“They’re taking a look at methods to slow down an attacker and speed up police response,” Czyz mentioned. “How do we gradual him down -- and then speed up the response that will stop him.”

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

What I need to be widespread is that our families know that we are ready each day. And that’s what we work towards being a better college district as it relates to safety and security,” Green stated.

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

Greene said that the district’s best defense is its students and staff. She stated she continues to encourage the college neighborhood to report anything they see that’s suspicious.

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

Duval County voters authorised a half-cent gross sales tax in November 2020 with the specific purpose of replacing ageing schools, repairing a massive backlog of maintenance issues, and bolstering faculty security.

Right now, 74 projects are in the design part and 15 are below development.

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

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

Extra information about how that money is deliberate to be spent in individual colleges could be discovered on the school district’s half-cent sales tax information dashboard.

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The next listing of safety measures is published on the college district’s website:

Each faculty has a security plan and emergency response team.

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

Faculty plans are reviewed with employees each semester.

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

The district makes use of varied major security monitoring strategies together with camera 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. School Police have direct entry to JSO.

All schools conduct regular evacuation drills (fire drills).

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

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