New escorts on campus

By Celeste Simmons | Published Dec. 10, 2015

After the racially charged threats that took place on the night of Nov 17, campus security has been a major topic at Kean. The Elert See Say app may help students feel safer on campus.

The escort service on the app works by pressing down on a little circle until you have reached your destination. If you let go of the circle, the KUPD is notified of your current location and will come to assist you.

“The Kean University Police Department sees this as a supplement to the more traditional walking escort service we provide on campus.” said Lieutenant Vincent Kearney of the Kean University Police Department “It is an extra layer of security and virtually connects people on campus with the KUPD.”

The app was created in 2012 by ELERTS and recently came to Kean this year. It has many functions besides providing an escort service. The app can call the KUPD for you. You can also report a problem on campus via text while simultaneously informing the KUPD where the issue is taking place through gps. You can send them a picture of what is going on.

The app also has a function called skywriter that shows your current location and gives you the option of informing the KUPD of your location and let them know if you are okay or alert them if you need help.

“The app is very effective at the two tasks it is designed to handle: Text based reports to the police and GPS based virtual escorts,” said Lieutenant Kearny.

Senior Manisha Howard, who is an early childhood education major, said that she feels unsafe on campus after 10pm so she downloaded the app. She says it is very helpful and she started using the app this semester.

You can download the app on any Android or iPhone. All you need is a valid Kean University email address. The KUPD reports that there have been around 300 downloads of the app to date.

“We hope to see more downloads over time with more publicity for the app,” said Lieutenant Kearny . “We also encourage people to call for the in-person escorts as well.”

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