Kean University has partnered with ELERTS See Say applications to develop a system of mobile campus alerts.
Campus Police and the Office of Computer and Information Services (OCIS) have come together to create a new campus alert system. The new campus alert is accessible through a simple app on any smart phone.
Screenshot of the home screen from the app
Photo courtesy of Elerts See Say
“This app is not designed to replace the old campus alert system,” said Lieutenant Vincent Kearney.
ELERTS See Say is a quick and simple way to report security and safety concerns via smartphones or tablets. ELERTS allows people of the Kean University campus to call Campus Police at 908-737-4800 or to report a problem.
“We want to make a safe campus even safer,” said Janice Murray-Laury, Vice President of Student Affairs.
To download the app, open Apple’s App Store or the Google Play Store and search, “ELERTS See Say.” After installation, the app will prompt users for their information; this is where Kean University will be entered as one’s location. Make sure to provide a @kean.edu email address when asked.
Students must include their cellphone numbers in case Campus Police has to get in contact with them. It is also encouraged that students add a photo to their account to make it easier on the police officers to know who they have to locate, if they need to locate a student.
To report a crime a student will simply click the red “Report a Problem” button. Once they click the button they will be asked to take a picture, select a report type and fill in what the report was about. Report options consist of crime in progress, facilities issues, other, outdoor lighting issue, parking complaint, security or safety issue, suspicious activity, or run a test.
Screenshot from the app of the ‘Report A Problem’ screen
Photo courtesy of Elerts See Say
A unique feature of this app is the reporting of a concern by snapping a picture. Taking a photo on the device will automatically mute the shutter sound and turn off the flash. This is a safety precaution in case a student is in a situation where they do not want a suspicious person to be aware they have just taken a picture of them.
The app also provides users a “Virtual Escort” which is monitored in real time by the Department of Public Safety and in the case of an emergency, will dispatch the Kean University Police to one’s location via global positioning system (GPA) signals. Kean University Police currently runs an escort service for anyone that feels unsafe walking on campus but many students opt not to use it because they don’t want to bother a police officer. “We are very hopeful that students will use this,” said Kearney.
To access an escort, a student will press “EscortMe” on the app. They then will hold their finger on the screen the whole time as they walk to their destination; they may also insert their headphones in the head jack. To send a distress signal, simply release the screen or pulls out the headphones; that will cause the app to count down. Each second the app counts down the phone will vibrate (on the screen a message of I am safe or I am endanger will pop up to click as well). Once the app finishes the countdown Campus Police will call the phone and send an officer to the location noted from the GPS signals. To resume back to the escort just simply hold the screen.
Screenshot from the app of the EscortMe system
Photo courtesy of Elerts See Say
Kean University ELERTS is only to be used by students, staff and faculty of the school. If a visitor is in need of a virtual escort while on campus, they are advised to request a Safety Escort by calling the Police Desk at 908-737-4800.
“We are very excited to release this to the campus…we are trying to create a safe environment,” said Kearney.
A full list of rules and regulations for the app can be found here.
