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4 things you didn’t know the Guardian app could do

Sep 4, 2019
Hand holding a cellphone
The Guardian safety app is available in the Apple Store and on Google Play.Photo by Getty Images

Staff, faculty and students at Indiana University can now use the Guardian safety app to access personal safety resources and to reach police more easily.

The free app is available in the Apple Store and on Google Play by searching for “Rave Guardian.” You must have a cellphone number listed in IU-Notify to log in.

Here are four features you probably didn’t know the app offers:

Safe walk timer

Here’s how it works: Send your friend a message that you’re taking a 20-minute walk. (Your preferred person doesn’t need to have the app installed – it can pull the information from your cellphone contacts.) When the time is up, you get a reminder to let the friend know you’ve arrived safely, and they get an alert that you should’ve arrived at your destination.

Only your chosen social guardians know your location when you are using the safe walk timer.

Quick access to nonemergency numbers and websites

The app gives you access to important nonemergency numbers, such as the IU Police Department and various campus wellness contacts. The app isn’t intended to replace emergency contacts – staff, faculty and students should call 911 in case of emergency. The app does have buttons to call 911 and the IU Police Department directly.

Ability to send anonymous tips to police

You can choose whether to send a tip anonymously each time you send in a text or photo tip. To send text or photo tips anonymously, tap the “IUPD – Tips Via Text” button and slide the button to “Go Anonymous,” which will cause your screen to go to a dark background.

If you choose to send a tip anonymously, the IU Police Department will not be able to see your location, name, phone number or any other identifying information about you. If you do not slide the “Go Anonymous” button, your location (if you have location services turned on), name, phone number and profile information are displayed on a map from the IU Police Department when you send a tip.

An inbox for IU-Notify emergency alerts, crime notices and public safety advisories

Because the Guardian app is intended to be another means of reaching people during an emergency, IU-Notify emergency alerts are sent directly to the app as a push notification.

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