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UT Tyler Office of Marketing and Communications
UT Tyler to Launch Campus Safety App
Follow @UTTylerTweetJune 10, 2014
Media Contact: Hannah Buchanan
Editor/Writer–Strategic Communications & Media Relations
Marketing and Communications
The University of Texas at Tyler
903.539.7196 (cell)
June 10, 2014
Editor's note: Friends and family not affiliated with UT Tyler may also download the app in order to serve as a 'personal guardian.' We want to stress to friends and family of UT Tyler students that the app is free for everyone. To download, search "Rave Guardian" in the respective store.
The University of Texas at Tyler Police Department will launch a free mobile safety app for students and the university community beginning this summer, Mike Medders, police chief, announced.
The university purchased the app through RAVE Mobile Safety, a company that has worked in the public safety market for more than 10 years.
With the Patriot Guardian Campus Safety app, users have convenient access – via iPhone and Android smart phones – to the campus police department and 911 call services. Users can make a panic call to the police or report a crime in progress/suspicious activity by voice call or text.
They may also use the app as a virtual ‘guardian’ by creating a Personal Guardian Network. They can identify friends, roommates and family as ‘guardians’ along with the UT Tyler campus police. The app will alert the personal guardians and police if the user has not made it to their destination and deactivated the safety timer.
“We wanted to provide our students and the campus community with a useful and secure mobile security app using the most current technology available,” Medders said. “They can conveniently and easily access the UT Tyler campus police from their phones, all while creating a virtual safety network of friends and family. Implementing this mobile application enhances our safety measures already put in place here on campus, as campus safety and security is our highest priority.”
During a Guardian Timer Session, if the timer is not deactivated before it expires, campus police are automatically provided with the user’s profile to identify and check-in on the individual.
An emergency call button also allows direct and immediate connection to campus police with GPS location and user profile information.
Whenever students, faculty or staff connect with the department from their mobile phone, the app automatically delivers a complete caller profile – including current location, medical conditions, addresses, photo and other critical data. Users can provide as much or as little information as they choose on their profile, and the data is not shared with police until activation occurs – either by call, text or expired safety timer.
“While we always advise the campus community to take personal responsibility for their safety utilizing good, common sense safety measures, we also encourage the community to take advantage of the safety and security services provided by UT Tyler, including the Patriot Guardian app,” Medders added. “We are very excited about this new addition to our overall safety plan and encourage every campus community member to take advantage of this service, which transforms your smart phone into a personal safety device.”
Android and iPhone users with either a uttyler.edu or a patriots.uttyler.edu email may download the free RAVE Guardian app from their respective app store. After downloading, the app will appear on the phone as Patriot Guardian. Friends and family not affiliated with UT Tyler may also download the app in order to serve as a ‘personal guardian.’
For additional information about the Patriot Guardian app, visit the RAVE website. To download, search "Rave Guardian.''
For more information, call Medders, 903.566.7393.
One of the 15 campuses of the UT System, UT Tyler features excellence in teaching, research, artistic performance and community service. More than 80 undergraduate and graduate degrees are available at UT Tyler, which has an enrollment of more than 7,500 high-ability students. UT Tyler offers courses at its campuses in Tyler, Longview and Palestine as well as a location in Houston.