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

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The city of Jacksonville and Duval County faculty district on Wednesday introduced a new plan to keep youngsters secure within the classroom.

The school district employed a New York firm named Armoured One, which focuses on doors and glass and claims it might probably decelerate or stop a shooter from getting into a classroom.

Those are crucial elements after police in Texas decided the door accessed by the gunman at Robb Elementary College in Uvalde was closed however not locked. Initially, state police said a teacher left the door propped open. Investigators concluded the teacher really closed the door, nevertheless it didn’t lock robotically like it was imagined to. The gunman shot and killed 19 college students and two academics before he was killed by law enforcement.

Armoured One, which was founded after the Sandy Hook Elementary School capturing, is made up of former military and regulation enforcement agents who study mass taking pictures assaults and seek the advice of on college security measures.

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“We will first work collaboratively to identify where Armoured One resources can best compliment the coaching already supplied, adding their sources to the training instruments and assets the district already makes use of,” Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry stated Wednesday afternoon at a information conference at Metropolis Hall to announce the partnership.

Press the play button immediately beneath to look at the whole information convention.

The security glass and film that Armoured One invented can withstand a number of hits -- whether or not that’s bullets, somebody ramming into the glass or utilizing other 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 known for providing active shooter coaching and assessments. The company issues individual stories for every building and recommends the best tools to make use of for every facility it’s working with.

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Curry mentioned he plans to find the funding for that training but additionally work with the company to perform faculty security assessments. Armoured One CEO Tom Czyz mentioned his group knows what to look for when it assesses a school’s vulnerability.

“They’re looking at ways to slow down an attacker and velocity up police response,” Czyz mentioned. “How will we slow him down -- after which speed up the response that would stop him.”

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

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

Burton said, “I might say the one phrase that summarizes every thing that we do is vigilance.”

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

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So far as the cost, it’s unclear right now, as the partnership is still being labored out.

Duval County voters approved a half-cent gross sales tax in November 2020 with the particular purpose of changing getting old schools, repairing an enormous backlog of upkeep issues, and bolstering faculty safety.

Right now, 74 tasks are in the design section and 15 are beneath building.

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

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

More details about how that money is deliberate to be spent in particular person schools will be found on the college district’s half-cent sales tax info dashboard.

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The following listing of safety measures is revealed on the varsity district’s web site:

Every college has a security plan and emergency response workforce.

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

School plans are reviewed with employees every semester.

The district has a extremely skilled school police department, giving all colleges direct access to highschool resource officers.

The district utilizes varied main safety monitoring methods together with digital camera surveillance and monitored managed entry programs.

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

All schools conduct common evacuation drills (fireplace drills).

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

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