City, DCPS proclaims partnership with firm specializing in safety doors, glass

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

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

These are crucial elements after police in Texas determined the door accessed by the gunman at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde was closed however not locked. Initially, state police said a instructor left the door propped open. Investigators concluded the instructor really closed the door, nevertheless it didn’t lock automatically like it was presupposed to. The gunman shot and killed 19 college students and two teachers before he was killed by regulation enforcement.

Armoured One, which was founded after the Sandy Hook Elementary College shooting, is made up of former army and legislation enforcement agents who study mass shooting attacks and seek the advice of on college safety measures.

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“We will first work collaboratively to identify the place Armoured One sources can greatest praise the coaching already supplied, including their sources to the coaching tools and assets the district already uses,” Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry said Wednesday afternoon at a information convention at City Hall to announce the partnership.

Press the play button immediately beneath to watch the entire news convention.

The security glass and movie that Armoured One invented can stand up to a number of hits -- whether that’s bullets, somebody ramming into the glass or utilizing different objects or weapons -- without breaking, which could gradual an attacker. The doors it makes use of have metal framing, latch bolts and deadbolts.

Armoured One can be known for providing active shooter coaching and assessments. The company points particular person stories for every building and recommends the most effective equipment to use for each facility it’s working with.

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

“They’re taking a look at methods to decelerate an attacker and pace up police response,” Czyz mentioned. “How can we sluggish him down -- and then speed up the response that may cease him.”

Duval County Public Colleges Superintendent Dr. Diana Greene and Duval County College Police Department Chief Greg Burton say safety and security are prime of thoughts on daily basis.

What I need to be widespread is that our families know that we're prepared every day. And that’s what we work in the direction of being a better college district as it pertains to safety and security,” Green mentioned.

Burton mentioned, “I'd say the one word that summarizes the whole lot that we do is vigilance.”

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

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As far as the associated fee, it’s unclear proper now, as the partnership continues to be being worked out.

Duval County voters authorised a half-cent gross sales tax in November 2020 with the precise purpose of replacing growing old faculties, repairing an enormous backlog of maintenance points, and bolstering faculty safety.

Right now, 74 initiatives are in the design section and 15 are underneath development.

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

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

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

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

Every college has a safety plan and emergency response staff.

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

School plans are reviewed with workers each semester.

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

The district utilizes varied major safety monitoring methods including digital camera surveillance and monitored managed entry methods.

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

All faculties conduct common evacuation drills (fireplace drills).

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

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