THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:The City Police are planning a massive campaign to popularise ‘iSafe’, the women safety app launched by it early this month. The decision follows the low number of emergency calls against a whopping 4,000-odd downloads.
City Police Commissioner H Venkatesh, the mastermind of the initiative, said the campaign aims to allay the apprehensions of women over seeking support through the app.
“We are happy that over 4,000 persons downloaded the app since its launch on March 6. Now, we want them to use the service in times of emergencies,” he said.
The campaign will include exhibition of a one-minute promotional video in public places like theatres, posters and social media drives.
The ‘iSafe’ helps women to send instant alerts to the police control room by using the “Panic Button” or by a long press of volume rocker (down) key of their mobile phone.
The police control room receives the alert along with information of the caller’s location, subscriber ID and the IMEI number of the mobile. They will then send a nearest CRV (Control Room Vehicle) or a normal police party to the distress location.
The app developed by UST Global is currently available for Android phones and will be available on other platforms shortly.
Venkatesh said that women can use the facility when they face any type of difficulty, be it eve-teasing, harassment or robbery. “We need women’s cooperation to ensure their safety. This facility helps them to get immediate assistance without coming to a police station,” he said.
The official said the app would also turn a boon for the cops as they get instant information on a crime. “Besides sending a police party, the control room personnel can also send alerts to patrol teams and stations to prevent the accused from escaping,” he said.