The University of Iowa Department of Public Safety is giving students, faculty, and staff another layer of protection with the help of a mobile application called Hawk Watch.

The campus safety app Rave Guardian allows users to invite friends, family, or UI DPS to act as a virtual safety escort, or “guardian,” when they travel from one location to another.

To activate the “guardian” feature, users are prompted to enter an estimated travel time and destination into the app and select a guardian. If the user does not check in or deactivate the safety timer upon arrival at their final destination, the app notifies their guardian and shares their GPS location so the guardian can check on them.

Should a user run in to trouble during their trip, Rave Guardian also includes a panic button feature that gives the user direct access to 9-1-1 or the UI Department of Public Safety depending on their location and proximity to campus.

For more information about the app, visit the website.