Metropolis, DCPS proclaims partnership with company specializing in security doorways, glass

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The town of Jacksonville and Duval County college district on Wednesday introduced a brand new plan to maintain youngsters secure within the classroom.

The college district hired a New York company named Armoured One, which makes a speciality of doorways and glass and claims it may decelerate or prevent a shooter from getting right into a classroom.

These are essential components after police in Texas decided the door accessed by the gunman at Robb Elementary College in Uvalde was closed however not locked. Originally, state police stated a instructor left the door propped open. Investigators concluded the teacher really closed the door, but it didn’t lock mechanically like it was alleged 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 School shooting, is made up of former military and law enforcement agents who research mass taking pictures assaults and consult on college safety measures.

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“We'll first work collaboratively to establish the place Armoured One sources can best praise the coaching already supplied, adding their sources to the training instruments and sources the district already uses,” Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry stated Wednesday afternoon at a news convention at City Hall to announce the partnership.

Press the play button directly below to look at the entire news conference.

The safety glass and movie that Armoured One invented can stand up to a number of hits -- whether or not that’s bullets, somebody ramming into the glass or using other objects or weapons -- without breaking, which may sluggish an attacker. The doorways it uses have steel framing, latch bolts and deadbolts.

Armoured One can be recognized for offering energetic shooter training and assessments. The corporate issues individual studies for each building and recommends the most effective gear to make use of for every facility it’s working with.

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Curry stated he plans to seek out the funding for that training but also work with the corporate to perform faculty security assessments. Armoured One CEO Tom Czyz stated his group knows what to look for when it assesses a faculty’s vulnerability.

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

Duval County Public Colleges Superintendent Dr. Diana Greene and Duval County College Police Division Chief Greg Burton say security and safety are prime of thoughts day-after-day.

What I need to be common is that our families know that we are ready every day. And that’s what we work towards being a better college district as it relates to safety and safety,” Green mentioned.

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

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

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As far as the cost, it’s unclear right now, because the partnership is still being worked out.

Duval County voters authorised a half-cent gross sales tax in November 2020 with the specific purpose of changing getting old faculties, repairing a large backlog of maintenance issues, and bolstering faculty safety.

Right now, 74 projects are in the design part and 15 are beneath construction.

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

Over its 15-year life, the sales tax is projected to generate $64.9 million for the particular purpose of upgrading faculty safety in DCPS faculties.

Extra information about how that money is planned to be spent in particular person colleges will be found on the school district’s half-cent sales tax information dashboard.

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The following checklist of safety measures is published on the varsity district’s web site:

Each school has a security plan and emergency response team.

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

College plans are reviewed with workers every semester.

The district has a highly skilled faculty police division, giving all faculties direct entry to high school useful resource officers.

The district utilizes varied main security monitoring methods together with digicam surveillance and monitored controlled access techniques.

All faculties and district workplaces have a District Emergency Communications Network radio with direct entry to highschool police and district leadership. Faculty Police have direct access to JSO.

All schools conduct regular evacuation drills (fire drills).

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

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