Metropolis, DCPS pronounces partnership with company specializing in safety doorways, glass

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Town of Jacksonville and Duval County college district on Wednesday introduced a new plan to maintain children secure in the classroom.

The varsity district employed a New York firm named Armoured One, which makes a speciality of doorways and glass and claims it can decelerate or forestall a shooter from getting right into a classroom.

These are crucial components after police in Texas decided the door accessed by the gunman at Robb Elementary College in Uvalde was closed but not locked. Initially, state police stated a instructor left the door propped open. Investigators concluded the teacher truly closed the door, but it didn’t lock robotically like it was presupposed to. The gunman shot and killed 19 students and two academics earlier than he was killed by regulation enforcement.

Armoured One, which was founded after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, is made up of former army and law enforcement agents who examine mass capturing assaults and seek the advice of on school safety measures.

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“We'll first work collaboratively to determine the place Armoured One assets can best praise the coaching already provided, including their sources to the training tools and resources the district already uses,” Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry mentioned Wednesday afternoon at a information convention at Metropolis Corridor to announce the partnership.

Press the play button straight below to look at the complete news convention.

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

Armoured One is also identified for offering active shooter coaching and assessments. The company points particular person stories for every building and recommends the best equipment to use for each facility it’s working with.

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Curry stated he plans to find the funding for that coaching but also work with the company to carry out college security assessments. Armoured One CEO Tom Czyz mentioned his team knows what to search for when it assesses a college’s vulnerability.

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

Duval County Public Faculties Superintendent Dr. Diana Greene and Duval County Faculty Police Department Chief Greg Burton say security and safety are high of mind day by day.

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

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

Greene mentioned that the district’s best protection is its students and workers. She said she continues to encourage the college group to report something they see that’s suspicious.

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

Duval County voters authorised a half-cent sales tax in November 2020 with the particular objective of changing aging schools, repairing an enormous backlog of upkeep issues, and bolstering college security.

Right now, 74 projects are within the design section and 15 are under development.

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

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

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

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

Each college has a security plan and emergency response team.

All faculty lecture rooms are locked when occupied by students.

School plans are reviewed with staff every semester.

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

The district makes use of varied main safety monitoring methods including digicam surveillance and monitored managed access programs.

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

All schools conduct common evacuation drills (fire drills).

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

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