City, DCPS broadcasts partnership with company specializing in security doorways, glass

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

The college district employed a New York firm named Armoured One, which makes a speciality of doorways and glass and claims it could slow down or stop a shooter from getting right into a classroom.

Those 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 instructor actually closed the door, however it didn’t lock mechanically prefer it was speculated to. The gunman shot and killed 19 students and two academics earlier than he was killed by regulation enforcement.

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

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“We'll first work collaboratively to determine where Armoured One assets can finest praise the coaching already offered, adding their resources to the coaching instruments and sources the district already makes use of,” Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry said Wednesday afternoon at a information conference at Metropolis Corridor to announce the partnership.

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The security glass and movie that Armoured One invented can withstand several hits -- whether or not that’s bullets, someone ramming into the glass or utilizing other objects or weapons -- without breaking, which might gradual an attacker. The doorways it makes use of have metal framing, latch bolts and deadbolts.

Armoured One can also be known for offering active shooter coaching and assessments. The corporate issues particular person experiences for each building and recommends the most effective tools to use for each facility it’s working with.

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

“They’re looking at methods to decelerate an attacker and pace up police response,” Czyz stated. “How can we sluggish him down -- after which velocity up the response that would cease him.”

Duval County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Diana Greene and Duval County Faculty Police Division Chief Greg Burton say security and safety are high of mind daily.

What I need to be frequent is that our households know that we are prepared each day. And that’s what we work towards being a better school district as it pertains to security and safety,” Inexperienced said.

Burton stated, “I would say the one phrase that summarizes the whole lot that we do is vigilance.”

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

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So far as the cost, it’s unclear right now, because the partnership remains to be being labored out.

Duval County voters accredited a half-cent sales tax in November 2020 with the particular goal of changing growing old colleges, repairing an enormous backlog of upkeep points, and bolstering college security.

Right now, 74 projects are in the design phase and 15 are underneath building.

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

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

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

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The following record of security measures is published on the school district’s web site:

Every faculty has a safety plan and emergency response workforce.

All faculty classrooms are locked when occupied by students.

Faculty plans are reviewed with staff each semester.

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

The district utilizes various main security monitoring strategies together with camera surveillance and monitored controlled entry techniques.

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

All faculties conduct common evacuation drills (hearth drills).

All schools conduct common emergency and lockdown (“code purple” and “code yellow”) drills.

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