Timothy Chapman
Campus Shield is a mobile application students can download in order to have quicker access to University Police for features such as an emergency button, anonymous reports, campus resources and other services.
Community Engagement Officer Marco Huerta said the app is available on Android and iOS. It is completely free and to sign up, students just need to register with their name, UTRGV email and phone number.
He said one of the most-used features on both campuses is the safe-walk option, which is commonly used by students when they feel uncomfortable or unsafe walking across campus by themselves.
In the event there are not enough officers available at any given moment, Huerta advises students to wait in a safe, well-lit area until an officer arrives to assist them.
According to Huerta, the app not only works on university grounds. He said a staff member’s child once accidentally pressed the emergency button on the app and within minutes, local police were at her doorstep.
Assistant Chief of Police Van Slusser said the University Police tracks the number of users on the app each month. Slusser said the number is low compared to the total number of students.
Slusser said the app features may be helpful to students.
For information about the Campus Shield app, visit utrgv.edu/campusshield.
This is Timothy Chapman for Vaquero Radio.