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

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The city of Jacksonville and Duval County college district on Wednesday introduced a new plan to keep kids protected in the classroom.

The college district employed a New York company named Armoured One, which focuses on doorways and glass and claims it might decelerate or stop a shooter from getting into a classroom.

These are essential elements 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 mentioned a trainer left the door propped open. Investigators concluded the teacher really closed the door, however it didn’t lock robotically prefer it was supposed to. The gunman shot and killed 19 students and two lecturers earlier than he was killed by regulation enforcement.

Armoured One, which was founded after the Sandy Hook Elementary School capturing, is made up of former navy and regulation enforcement brokers who research mass shooting attacks and seek the advice of on college security measures.

Ad

“We'll first work collaboratively to identify where Armoured One sources can finest praise the training already supplied, adding their sources to the coaching instruments and assets the district already uses,” Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry mentioned Wednesday afternoon at a news conference at Metropolis Hall to announce the partnership.

Press the play button directly beneath to observe your complete information conference.

The security glass and movie that Armoured One invented can face up to a number of hits -- whether that’s bullets, somebody ramming into the glass or using different objects or weapons -- without breaking, which may slow an attacker. The doorways it makes use of have steel framing, latch bolts and deadbolts.

Armoured One is also recognized for offering energetic shooter training and assessments. The company points individual reports for each constructing and recommends the most effective tools to use for each facility it’s working with.

Ad

Curry mentioned he plans to find the funding for that training but also work with the company to perform school safety assessments. Armoured One CEO Tom Czyz said his workforce is aware of what to search for when it assesses a faculty’s vulnerability.

“They’re taking a look at methods to slow down an attacker and pace up police response,” Czyz stated. “How can we gradual him down -- after which velocity up the response that might cease 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 mind on daily basis.

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

Burton mentioned, “I'd say the one phrase that summarizes every little thing that we do is vigilance.”

Greene stated that the district’s greatest defense is its students and workers. She stated she continues to encourage the college neighborhood to report something they see that’s suspicious.

Ad

As far as the associated fee, it’s unclear proper now, as the partnership remains to be being worked out.

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

Proper now, 74 tasks are in the design section and 15 are below development.

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

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

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

Advert

The following list of security measures is printed on the school 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.

Faculty plans are reviewed with employees each semester.

The district has a highly skilled college police division, giving all faculties direct access to school resource officers.

The district utilizes various major security monitoring strategies together with camera surveillance and monitored managed access systems.

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

All faculties conduct common evacuation drills (fireplace drills).

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

Copyright 2022 by WJXT News4JAX - All rights reserved.