LiveSafe Mobile App Now Available at East Stroudsburg University

Posted by: Elizabeth Richardson on October 12, 2016, No Comments

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Andrew Kissling, ESU student body president, Doreen Tobin, Ph.D. vice president for student affairs and William Parrish, chief of police introduce a new mobile app, LiveSafe.

In an effort to increase safety on campus, East Stroudsburg University will debut its latest safety feature during a press conference on Thursday, October 13 at 1 p.m. in the University Center. While campus is buzzing with Homecoming festivities this week, ESU campus police will introduce LiveSafe.

LiveSafe is a mobile application designed to help make college campuses a safer place by preventing crime and enabling better incident response. The LiveSafe technology includes an app for smartphone users that is connected to a cloud-based dashboard. This dashboard is monitored by officials within the ESU Police Department.

The app will enhance students’ access to campus police. If they are in a situation where they cannot speak on the phone or see something suspicious they can text information, along with a photo or video, and submit it to the police through the app. Other features of the LiveSafe app include fast access to emergency phone numbers that initiate location tracking when called, live chat with safety officials, a comprehensive safety map that pinpoints incidents on or near campus, and a peer-to-peer tool called SafeWalk that allows friends to watch out for each other through location monitoring and group chat.

“With the app, students can report an array of incidents such as accidents, thefts, vandalism, suspicious activity and assaults,” explained ESU Chief of Police, William Parrish. “They can choose to report tips anonymously, which we hope will make some students more comfortable.”

The text messaging feature will be monitored seven days a week between 8:00 a.m. and 3:00 a.m. Access to emergency phone numbers and SafeWalk are available 24 hours a day. “This is a great tool for students walking home late at night,” said Vice President of Student Affairs, Doreen Tobin, Ph.D. “If a student leaves the library and has to walk across campus to their dorm room, a friend can track them until they are home safe.”

Thursday’s press event will detail exactly how members of ESU’s campus community can launch the app and hear directly from some students about its safety capabilities.