By Dakota Hallaway
New safety app launched at College of Southern Nevada to ensure critical information and security options are available for students, faculty and staff.
MobileSAFETY app, which can be downloaded to any smartphone, provides quick options for people to access help including: emergency contacts that has phone numbers for security and police, safety toolbox that houses a flashlight and alarm, an option to report a tip to immediately tell campus police about something he or she saw, CSN alerts for notifications of any issues happening on campus, in addition to police services, resources, campus maps along with a buddy system called friend walk.
CSN’s Police Chief Darryl Caraballo, who helped develop this app, said the friend-walk option functions as a GPS tracker sent between friends or family to track one’s position in real time.
“It would be cool to send my location to a friend who is trying to find out where I’m at,” said Isabella Chung, CSN student. She and her friends can send their locations to each other making it easier to meet up.
Chung said, “I do feel safe on campus and this app can make me feel more comfortable. I have classes at night and when I walk to my car it is nice to know I have this on my phone.”
Vincent Spencer, CSN student, said he would recommend this app. “It would be a useful app because parents who have children who are still in high school [and attending CSN] can make sure their kids are okay or are in class.”
According to the Oct. 2015 Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act report, there were incidences of crimes reported at CSN’s main three campuses in 2012 to 2014 including the following: burglary, drug and liquor violations, motor-vehicle theft, sex offenses, aggravated assault, stalking and domestic violence.
In response to those crimes the police department in conjunction with administration worked to employ some solutions. This app is one option to help ensure safety on our college campuses.
Caraballo’s main goal with this app is to provide safety and security for everyone. “We want our college community to be aware that we have our own police and public safety services readily available for them for general assistance and emergency assistance,” Caraballo said.
“We are all very excited about deploying this mobile safety app to our college community,” Caraballo said. “It has taken many months of development but it is finally here and available for all of our students, staff, faculty and visitors to take advantage of.”
AppArmor created MobileSAFETY apps for several campuses across the nation including CSN.
“AppArmor was a great partner during the development process of this great app,” Caraballo said. “They have provided services to numerous higher-education institutions across the country and we knew our college community would be in great hands with this product.”
Students who are interested in downloading the new safety app can get it for free at the Apple Store or Google Play.
Coyote Student News at the College of Southern Nevada 