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

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Town of Jacksonville and Duval County school district on Wednesday announced a new plan to maintain youngsters secure in the classroom.

The school district employed a New York firm named Armoured One, which specializes in doors and glass and claims it could possibly decelerate or forestall a shooter from getting into a classroom.

Those are essential factors 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 stated a trainer left the door propped open. Investigators concluded the trainer really closed the door, however it didn’t lock automatically prefer it was presupposed to. The gunman shot and killed 19 college students and two teachers earlier than he was killed by regulation enforcement.

Armoured One, which was based after the Sandy Hook Elementary Faculty capturing, is made up of former navy and regulation enforcement brokers who research mass shooting assaults and consult on faculty safety measures.

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“We will first work collaboratively to determine the place Armoured One assets can finest praise the training already offered, adding their assets to the coaching tools and assets the district already makes use of,” Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry said Wednesday afternoon at a news conference at Metropolis Hall to announce the partnership.

Press the play button straight below to watch your entire news conference.

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

Armoured One can be identified for offering active shooter training and assessments. The corporate points individual reports for each constructing and recommends one of the best gear to use for each facility it’s working with.

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

“They’re looking at methods to slow down an attacker and pace up police response,” Czyz stated. “How can we gradual him down -- after which pace up the response that may stop him.”

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

What I wish to be frequent is that our families know that we are prepared every day. And that’s what we work towards being a better faculty district as it relates to security and safety,” Green mentioned.

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

Greene stated that the district’s best defense is its college students and employees. She said she continues to encourage the college group to report anything they see that’s suspicious.

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

Duval County voters permitted a half-cent gross sales tax in November 2020 with the precise goal of changing getting older faculties, repairing a large backlog of maintenance points, and bolstering faculty security.

Proper now, 74 projects are within the design phase and 15 are below building.

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

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

More details about how that cash is planned to be spent in particular person faculties can be discovered on the school district’s half-cent gross sales tax info dashboard.

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

Every faculty has a security plan and emergency response staff.

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

Faculty plans are reviewed with workers each semester.

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

The district makes use of various major safety monitoring strategies including camera surveillance and monitored controlled access systems.

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

All colleges conduct common evacuation drills (fireplace drills).

All faculties conduct common emergency and lockdown (“code red” and “code yellow”) drills.

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