August 9, 2024 – For Duval County School Police, the call to safety never ends — even when students are out during the summer.
“We continue to police our schools during the summer break, but we also use this time to train our officers. It is a time when we can partner with JSO and others to ensure we are ready to respond to anything that might occur during the school year,” shares Duval County School Police Chief Jackson Short.
Year-round training is just one aspect of the police force’s multi-layered approach to ensuring safety and security on our campuses. Team Duval News recently spoke with Chief Short to learn more about measures being implemented across the district, as well as new changes coming this school year.
Officers at every school
Florida statute requires all schools have at least one armed safe-school officer on campus. Duval County Public Schools accomplishes this by:
- Placing at least one Duval County School police officer at all middle and high schools.
- Using a combination of local law enforcement agencies, contracted armed security, and school guardians at elementary schools.
All Duval School Police officers are certified and receive year-round training. School guardians and contracted security must complete a 144-hour training program with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.
Chief Short assures Team Duval families, “The guardians and security personnel at the school are well trained and well equipped to keep the students safe. The firearms training they receive is on par with what a sworn officer receives.”
On-campus safety and security
At the school level, Duval County uses a variety of tools and strategies to maintain safe environments.
- School hardening. Thanks to funding through the half-penny sales tax, all schools have received significant security upgrades and updates. This includes identification-controlled door access systems, radio access, improved fencing and lighting, and camera surveillance.
- Weapons detection systems. Walk-through EVOLV weapons detector systems are installed at each of our high schools and are being installed in middle schools. Traditional walk-through and hand-held metal detectors are also used in schools.
- Emergency alert system. All district employees and contracted employees have access to CENTEGIX, an emergency alert system. This system gives employees the ability to call school lockdowns or alert law enforcement by pressing a button on wearable badges.
- K9 officers. School police recently expanded its K9 unit with the addition of Penny, a dog trained to detect illegal narcotics including fentanyl. Penny joins K9 Maverick, a canine trained to detect firearms.
- Regular emergency drills and training. Florida law requires students and staff to perform regular emergency drills throughout the school year, often with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. This includes lockdown drills and active shooter protocol.
Game day protocols
For major athletic events that take place, Duval County School Police leadership establishes a Tactical Action Plan. School police leadership works closely with school administration and other law enforcement agencies in intelligence gathering, preparation, and implementation of security plans.
Safety and security changes this school year
With the passage of House Bill 1473, all school classroom doors must remain locked while students are inside –– a measure that is not new to Duval County Public Schools. What will be new is a requirement to staff any unlocked classroom doors while students are inside.
The new law also states that all instructional spaces must have clearly marked safe for sheltering spaces for students (also known as hard corners), and students must be made aware of these spaces within the first 10 days of the school year.
Other notable updates Team Duval families can expect this year:
- Surveillance camera updates. Cameras will be updated to interface with the City of Jacksonville. This means members of the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office will be able to connect to and view live district camera footage in their communications center.
- Game day tickets. Duval County Public Schools will continue to sell e-tickets to athletic events through the GoFan app. However, attendees will also receive an electronic list of rules and regulations (for instance, no weapons, firearms, or backpacks) in addition to their ticket. Fans attending games will be expected to be in the stands watching the game and not hanging out in the parking lot or other common areas.
Involving the community in district safety
Even with the many safety and security measures in place across the district, Chief Short is quick to emphasize, “it takes everyone.” He says parents must remain involved in their child’s safety. This includes paying attention to students’ social media, friends, and asking tough questions.
“(This) will keep their students safe and get ahead of an issue before it’s a major problem,” says Chief Short.
Chief Short also reiterates that parents – along with students, staff, and community members – must adhere to the “See Something, Say Something” protocol. He says everyone has a role in reporting potential threats or issues, which can be done through school staff, school police, local law enforcement, or via the FortifyFL reporting site or app.
“Parents should share information that they have. If it’s concerning to them, then it’s concerning to us,” he shares. “What may seem trivial to a parent could be the one missing piece of the puzzle to the investigators that helps tie everything together.”
