New mobile apps put safety into hands of college students
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (WTVD) -- UNC-Chapel Hill's Department of Public Safety is rolling out a new mobile app designed to empower students and put personal safety into their hands. The app is called Rave Guardian and is free for both iPhone and Android.
Students can download the app and assign friends, roommates or even parents as Guardians. Students can then set a safety timer to let those people and DPS know when they're en route from one point on campus to another.
"If we do not see the timer deactivated when they arrive at their destination we'll try to reach them by that cell phone and if we're unable to reach them, then we'll dispatch an officer immediately," explained Randy Young, UNC Dept. of Public Safety spokesperson.
Students can also send pictures to campus police when they see something suspicious.
"I really like that it said you can text tips," said Natalia Gonzalez, UNC Senior. "Just cause sometimes I feel like if I see something I'm not as inclined to call if I don't really think it's super important."
Duke University is also stepping up security through its mobile app.
New this school year, students can text directly with campus police.
"It by no means replaces 911 but it allows an individual when they may not be in a position to actually make a phone call to use the two-way texting," said Kyle Cavanaugh, Duke University VP of Administration.
Duke University spokesperson Paul Grantham said the two-way text function was incorporated into the school's existing mobile app. In the last year, there have been 2,500 downloads of the Duke mobile app.
UNC administrators say it's too soon to tell if the Rave Guardian app will be a success. They believe it is a great tool they hope will help UNC's nearly 60 sworn officers who are attending to some 44,000 students, faculty and staff on a daily basis.
"For us to believe that we can be the eyes and ears of the campus would be presumptuous," said Young. "We want to partner with the university community. If they see suspicious activity out there, let us know."
