Capt. Janet Samuel of JSU’s Department of Public Safety said the new app “will help us save precious time because, typically, it could take 10 minutes for police to arrive at a crime scene. Unfortunately, by then, the perpetrator may have fled already.”(Photo by Charles A.
Smith/JSU)JSU’s Department of Public Safety is preparing to launch its new “JSU SAFE” app, which delivers real-time alerts about inclement weather, simple activities and crime and helps puts safety in the hands of students, faculty and staff with just a simple tap of their mobile phones.Public Safety sees the app as a game-changer as JSU seeks to assure the campus community and its stakeholders that safety really is a top priority of officers and the administration. The app is available via the App Store and Google Play.Capt. Janet Samuel said, “Students, along with everyone else, should take advantage of this new app because information is shared to our dispatch in real time, allowing us to respond to emergencies in just seconds.
This will help us save precious time because, typically, it could take 10 minutes for police to arrive at a crime scene. Unfortunately, by then, the perpetrator may have fled already.”Eliminating hassles and sign-in stepsAdded Samuels, “Students already have their phones in their hands. This app makes it so easy because it breaks everything down for them by eliminating hassles and sign-in steps that can be so time-consuming.
This is a great safety tool for faculty and staff as well. It comes with emergency plans and instructs them on what to do in the event of a crime.”Among the features:Friend Walk: Users can share their real-time location to a friend so he or she can watch as the friend walks to a particular destination. The app allows a friend to trigger a call to emergency services, if necessary.Virtual Walkhome: This function allows individuals to Inform campus police where they’re traveling so officers can keep an eye on them, if necessary.
As well, this selection uses location services on the mobile phone and can activate a 911 call on the cell phone, too.Mobile BlueLight: Much like Walkhome, the BlueLight feature lets users send their location to campus police so they can be monitored on their walk. Simply tap the button, and the information goes straight to campus police.
