In an effort to use the latest technology to reinforce personal safety on campus, Oklahoma City Community College (OCCC) has introduced OCCC Shield, a free safety app that enables students to reach OCCC Campus Police almost immediately from their smart phones.
The app, developed by 911 Cellular, not only connects the user to the campus police department, but also provides the user’s location through an internal positioning system or geographic locator.
“Although OCCC is a very safe campus, we want to be sure to provide students with every comfort of security possible,” says OCCC Police Chief Daniel Piazza. “It’s important for our students to know that their safety is our top priority. We strive to create a safe environment for our students to learn and grow.”
Once the app is opened, the user hits the “Get Help” button, and if they take no further action within three seconds, the app will summon help. The dispatcher will then forward the user’s location and information to first responders.
The app also has several other safety features:
• Courtesy Services
• iReport
• Emergency Procedures
• Personal Profile
• Friend Watch
• EMBARK
The Courtesy Services feature allows the user to contact OCCC Campus Police to request additional services offered such as vehicle unlock, vehicle jumpstart, officer escort to and from the building and air for vehicle and bicycle tires.
The iReport feature allows users to send texts, photos and videos directly to OCCC Campus Police and these reports can be made anonymously.
The Emergency Procedures feature directs you to the college’s Campus Alert Notification System (CAN) information page where you can access the college’s safety and security procedures.
Each user must also create a personal profile with important medical information that will automatically be available if an emergency call is activated.
Friend Watch is a peer-to-peer safety check. It allows users to designate a group of friends to receive notifications if the user fails to check in after a certain period of time designated by the user.
Users can also access the EMBARK bus schedule from the home page of the app.
The app is available through the Apple App Store and Google Play. For more information, visit /can.
OCCC enrolls more than 20,000 students and has more than 90,000 participants in its various community programs annually. OCCC offers a full range of associate degree programs that prepare students to transfer to baccalaureate institutions while other degree and certificate programs prepare students for immediate employment. At OCCC, students receive a quality education with small class sizes, dedicated professors and leadership opportunities. Students can choose from more than 80 major fields of study and participate in any of the 40+ clubs and organizations. For more information about OCCC, visit www.occc.edu.
