City, DCPS pronounces partnership with firm specializing in safety doorways, glass

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Town of Jacksonville and Duval County faculty district on Wednesday introduced a new plan to maintain kids protected within the classroom.

The varsity district hired a New York company named Armoured One, which focuses on doorways and glass and claims it may well slow down or forestall a shooter from getting right into a classroom.

These are essential factors after police in Texas decided the door accessed by the gunman at Robb Elementary Faculty in Uvalde was closed but not locked. Originally, state police mentioned a trainer left the door propped open. Investigators concluded the teacher truly closed the door, however it didn’t lock routinely prefer it was alleged to. The gunman shot and killed 19 students and two academics earlier than he was killed by legislation enforcement.

Armoured One, which was based after the Sandy Hook Elementary School capturing, is made up of former navy and legislation enforcement agents who research mass capturing assaults and seek the advice of on school safety measures.

Advert

“We'll first work collaboratively to establish where Armoured One sources can greatest praise the training already offered, adding their assets to the coaching tools and sources the district already uses,” Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry said Wednesday afternoon at a news conference at City Hall to announce the partnership.

Press the play button straight under to observe all the information conference.

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

Armoured One can be known for offering lively shooter coaching and assessments. The corporate points particular person stories for every building and recommends the very best equipment to make use of for every facility it’s working with.

Ad

Curry mentioned he plans to seek out the funding for that coaching but in addition work with the company to perform college safety assessments. Armoured One CEO Tom Czyz stated his team knows what to search for when it assesses a school’s vulnerability.

“They’re methods to decelerate an attacker and speed up police response,” Czyz mentioned. “How do we sluggish him down -- after which speed up the response that may cease him.”

Duval County Public Faculties Superintendent Dr. Diana Greene and Duval County College Police Division Chief Greg Burton say security and safety are top of mind on daily basis.

What I need to be widespread is that our families know that we are prepared every day. And that’s what we work in the direction of being a better faculty district as it relates to safety and security,” Green mentioned.

Burton said, “I'd say the one word that summarizes every part 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 varsity group to report anything they see that’s suspicious.

Advert

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

Duval County voters accepted a half-cent sales tax in November 2020 with the specific goal of changing aging faculties, repairing a large backlog of maintenance points, and bolstering faculty security.

Proper now, 74 tasks are within the design part and 15 are underneath construction.

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

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

Extra information about how that cash is planned to be spent in individual schools will be found on the school district’s half-cent sales tax info dashboard.

Ad

The following list of security measures is revealed on the school district’s website:

Each faculty has a security plan and emergency response workforce.

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

Faculty plans are reviewed with employees every semester.

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

The district utilizes numerous main safety monitoring methods together with digital camera surveillance and monitored managed access techniques.

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

All colleges conduct regular evacuation drills (fireplace drills).

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

Copyright 2022 by WJXT News4JAX - All rights reserved.