The new ULM Safe app is the latest addition to the University of Louisiana Monroe’s commitment to campus safety.
The app launched Monday, June 3, timed to be available to the first group of incoming freshmen who arrive this week for PREP.
“We want the freshmen, their parents and the Warhawk family on and off campus to download the ULM Safe app as soon as they can,” said Lt. Jeremy Kent of the University Police Department. “We’ve been developing the app for several months. We want new students to become familiar with the app while they are becoming familiar with campus.”
The app is free from the App Store and Google Play. The download takes less than a minute to set up. Parents and visitors to campus are welcome to download ULM Safe. A short YouTube video gives an overview of the app.
When the top Emergency button is pressed, UPD is instantly contacted with an emergency notification and the location of the smartphone with the ULM Safe app. The smartphone's location function must be turned on. If the Emergency button is activated off campus, the message is routed to 911.
With the Anonymous Tip button a text, photo or video is sent to UPD. Tips can include safety concerns, suspicious activity and other non-emergencies. The user can communicate with UPD and their identity will not be revealed.
The FriendWatch is a unique peer-to-peer feature which lets friends know if a user is not where they are supposed to be after a set number of minutes. This works well when the user is out at night.
“If someone isn’t where they are supposed to be or doesn’t reach their destination, ULM Safe lets trusted friends know so they can contact authorities,” Kent said.
With ULM Safe a user can request a security escort and access a safety map. The Safety Resources button provides links to informational pages on ulm.edu such as Campus Counseling and a ULM Parking Map. There is also a link to the ULM Student Handbook.
“ULM Safe is another way for the campus community to contact us,” said UPD Chief Tom Torregrossa. “The app is the best safety technology available and we want everyone who comes to campus to utilize it.”
ULM Safe will replace the existing emergency messaging system, Warhawk Alert, which will be deactivated on June 30.