MERCED, Calif. (KFSN) — On campus, law enforcement is there to keep you safe.
Blue light emergency phones can quickly connect you to help and now, more resources are becoming available to enhance safety at UC Merced.
“I’m excited, and I think it’ll be one of those things that will take off like wildfire,” UC Merced Police Chief Chou Her said.
Her says the Bobcat Safety Resource app is available to download right now on your smartphone.
It’s formally launching at the start of the school year.
“It’s a place for students, faculty, staff and employees to come in and provide resources on safety,” Her said.
You must have a UC Merced email address to access it, but after you sign in the first time, you never have to sign in again.
The app allows users to quickly find safety information, including campus maps and phone numbers to the campus police department, Merced Police Department or the sheriff’s office.
It also provides a virtual blue light emergency phone.
“It’s an instant touch — you actually ring into dispatch, and it shows us where you’re at,” Her said.
Users can anonymously report crimes to police.
There’s also a “Friend Walk” feature, which is a self-escort service.
You can click the button, send it to a friend and they can track you as you make your way to your destination.
“This nice thing about this app is if you stop for an extended period of time, it’ll ask you, ‘Is everything ok?'” Her said.
Chief Her says he hopes every student on campus downloads the free app and takes advantage of the new features.
“Our goal is to fill this up with all of the services that our students want,” Her said.
As students and staff start using this app this fall, the department says they’ll depend on feedback.
That way, they can make changes or additions to make the app more resourceful.
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