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

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Town of Jacksonville and Duval County school district on Wednesday announced a brand new plan to maintain kids secure within the classroom.

The varsity district employed a New York company named Armoured One, which specializes in doors and glass and claims it could possibly decelerate or stop a shooter from getting into a classroom.

Those are essential factors after police in Texas determined the door accessed by the gunman at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde was closed however not locked. Originally, state police said a instructor left the door propped open. Investigators concluded the teacher truly closed the door, but it surely didn’t lock routinely prefer it was purported to. The gunman shot and killed 19 students and two academics earlier than he was killed by law enforcement.

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

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“We'll first work collaboratively to establish where Armoured One sources can best praise the coaching already provided, including their resources to the coaching instruments and sources the district already uses,” Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry said Wednesday afternoon at a information conference at City Corridor to announce the partnership.

Press the play button directly below to watch all the information conference.

The security glass and movie that Armoured One invented can face up to a number of hits -- whether or not that’s bullets, somebody ramming into the glass or using other objects or weapons -- with out breaking, which might slow an attacker. The doorways it uses have metallic framing, latch bolts and deadbolts.

Armoured One can be known for offering lively shooter coaching and assessments. The company points individual stories for every constructing and recommends the perfect gear to use for each facility it’s working with.

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Curry stated he plans to search out the funding for that coaching but in addition work with the corporate to carry out college safety assessments. Armoured One CEO Tom Czyz said his team knows what to search for when it assesses a school’s vulnerability.

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

Duval County Public Faculties Superintendent Dr. Diana Greene and Duval County School Police Department Chief Greg Burton say safety and security are high of thoughts daily.

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

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

Greene stated that the district’s best protection is its students and employees. She said she continues to encourage the varsity community to report something they see that’s suspicious.

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As far as the price, it’s unclear right now, because the partnership continues to be being worked out.

Duval County voters accredited a half-cent sales tax in November 2020 with the precise purpose of replacing aging schools, repairing a large backlog of maintenance issues, and bolstering school security.

Proper now, 74 initiatives are within the design phase and 15 are under construction.

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

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

More information about how that money is deliberate to be spent in particular person schools may be found on the varsity district’s half-cent gross sales tax information dashboard.

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The next list of safety measures is printed on the college district’s website:

Every college has a security plan and emergency response group.

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

Faculty plans are reviewed with workers every semester.

The district has a extremely educated school police department, giving all faculties direct entry to highschool resource officers.

The district utilizes numerous major security monitoring methods including digicam surveillance and monitored managed access systems.

All colleges and district offices have a District Emergency Communications Network radio with direct access to school police and district management. College Police have direct access to JSO.

All colleges conduct regular evacuation drills (fire drills).

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

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