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

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

The college district hired a New York company named Armoured One, which focuses on doorways and glass and claims it could actually decelerate or prevent a shooter from getting right into a classroom.

These 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 trainer left the door propped open. Investigators concluded the trainer really closed the door, but it didn’t lock robotically prefer it was supposed to. The gunman shot and killed 19 students and two academics earlier than he was killed by law enforcement.

Armoured One, which was founded after the Sandy Hook Elementary Faculty taking pictures, is made up of former navy and legislation enforcement agents who research mass shooting attacks and consult on faculty safety measures.

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“We will first work collaboratively to establish where Armoured One resources can finest compliment the training already offered, adding their assets to the coaching tools and resources the district already makes use of,” Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry stated Wednesday afternoon at a information conference at City Corridor to announce the partnership.

Press the play button directly under to watch the entire news conference.

The safety glass and film that Armoured One invented can withstand a number of hits -- whether that’s bullets, somebody ramming into the glass or using different objects or weapons -- with out breaking, which might slow an attacker. The doorways it makes use of have metallic framing, latch bolts and deadbolts.

Armoured One can also be identified for providing energetic shooter training and assessments. The corporate issues individual reports for every constructing and recommends the best tools to use for every facility it’s working with.

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Curry said he plans to find the funding for that coaching but in addition work with the corporate to perform faculty security assessments. Armoured One CEO Tom Czyz mentioned his group knows what to search for when it assesses a school’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 may stop him.”

Duval County Public Faculties 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 need to be widespread is that our families know that we are prepared each and every day. And that’s what we work in the direction of being a better faculty district because it relates to safety and security,” Inexperienced stated.

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

Greene said that the district’s greatest defense is its students and staff. She said she continues to encourage the varsity group to report anything they see that’s suspicious.

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As far as the cost, it’s unclear proper now, as the partnership remains to be being worked out.

Duval County voters authorized a half-cent sales tax in November 2020 with the particular purpose of replacing ageing faculties, repairing an enormous backlog of upkeep issues, and bolstering college safety.

Proper now, 74 initiatives are within the design part and 15 are below 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 tasks under development.

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

Extra details about how that cash is planned to be spent in particular person schools can be found on the varsity district’s half-cent sales tax data dashboard.

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The next record of safety measures is revealed on the school district’s web site:

Every school has a safety plan and emergency response group.

All faculty classrooms are locked when occupied by students.

College plans are reviewed with employees every semester.

The district has a highly educated college police department, giving all colleges direct entry to high school useful resource officers.

The district makes use of varied main security monitoring strategies including digital camera surveillance and monitored controlled entry systems.

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

All colleges conduct common evacuation drills (hearth drills).

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

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