VILLAGE C WEST — Following a spate of robberies in the West Georgetown area, DPS has released its new mobile app, LiveSafe, which promises to “bypass the middleman and connect users directly to MPD.”
Among the app’s many features are the highly touted “Call Actual 911” button and the “Help! I Need Real Police!” menu.
According to Georgetown Chief of Police Jay Gruber, the idea for the app arose after DPS rebranded itself as GUPD last year. “All of a sudden students started to assume we could protect them,” he said. “It was a big leap from just checking their GOCards in Lau so we knew we had to take action to make them feel safe.”
UIS programmer Sig Folt explained that the app was designed primarily for students. “We want to help our undergrads reach the right resources for their problems, so we added a visual navigation menu. Click the picture of a laptop and you’ll be routed to GUPD to report a stolen computer. But click the picture of a gun and you’ll be connected to The Metropolitan Police Department right away. It’s really so simple even the DPS officers had no trouble using it.”
Georgetown spokesperson Stacy Kerr told The Heckler that despite its $10 million price tag, the University believed the app – which effectively just dials 911 – was a great investment. She said, “About a year ago, students started calling the Facilities emergency number looking for the police. We tried to discourage this practice by letting the phone ring about six times before anyone picked up, but even that didn’t work. So obviously we had to look into alternative options.”
Student reaction to the app has been generally favorable. Luke McCollum (MSB ’16) said, “It’s really helpful to figure out who I’m supposed to contact in an emergency. It even asks if the problem can be resolved by an Executive Master’s student with a flashlight and a radio, and if I hit no, I can talk to the actual cops.”
While the app is completely functional, said Kerr, the University intends to add even more features in the coming months, such as a “Contact A Trained Electrician” link and a “Call a Real Plumber” button. “In the end, our goal is to increase student satisfaction,” she said, “by connecting students to professional resources. Just because Facilities is supposed to fix your hot water doesn’t mean they actually can.”