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

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

The school district employed a New York firm named Armoured One, which specializes in doorways and glass and claims it may well slow down or stop a shooter from getting into a classroom.

These are crucial components after police in Texas determined the door accessed by the gunman at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde was closed however not locked. Originally, state police said a trainer left the door propped open. Investigators concluded the teacher truly closed the door, nevertheless it didn’t lock robotically prefer it was speculated to. The gunman shot and killed 19 students and two lecturers before he was killed by legislation enforcement.

Armoured One, which was based after the Sandy Hook Elementary School capturing, is made up of former military and law enforcement agents who examine mass taking pictures attacks and consult on faculty security measures.

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“We'll first work collaboratively to establish where Armoured One sources can greatest compliment the coaching already supplied, including their resources to the training tools and resources the district already uses,” Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry stated Wednesday afternoon at a news conference at Metropolis Hall to announce the partnership.

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

Armoured One can also be recognized for offering lively shooter coaching and assessments. The corporate issues individual experiences for each constructing and recommends the perfect equipment to use for every facility it’s working with.

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

“They’re looking at ways to decelerate an attacker and velocity up police response,” Czyz mentioned. “How do we sluggish him down -- and then velocity up the response that would stop him.”

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

What I need to be common is that our households know that we're ready each and every day. And that’s what we work towards being a better school district because it relates to security and safety,” Inexperienced mentioned.

Burton stated, “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 college students and employees. She mentioned she continues to encourage the school neighborhood to report anything they see that’s suspicious.

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

Duval County voters permitted a half-cent sales tax in November 2020 with the precise objective of changing aging faculties, repairing an enormous backlog of upkeep points, and bolstering college safety.

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

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

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

Extra information about how that cash is planned to be spent in individual faculties may be discovered on the school district’s half-cent sales tax data dashboard.

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The next checklist of security measures is published on the college district’s website:

Every school has a safety plan and emergency response crew.

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

College plans are reviewed with staff every semester.

The district has a highly trained college police division, giving all faculties direct entry to highschool useful resource officers.

The district utilizes numerous main security monitoring methods including camera surveillance and monitored controlled access methods.

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

All schools conduct common evacuation drills (hearth drills).

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

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