New Mt. Pleasant app to help citizens fight crime, stay informed

Mount Pleasant police introduced a new smart phone app Wednesday designed to allow citizens to help boost safety and awareness in their community.

The VizSAFE app, available for iPhone and Android devices, allows users to post community safety issues and support first responders by sharing visual safety content including images and videos, according to Inspector Chip Googe.

The app will allow users to:

• Anonymously capture and post photos & videos with descriptions
• Upload previously captured media from the camera roll
• Geolocate and map incident reports for others to see through the App or website
• Receive notifications from family, friends and neighbors when new reports are posted
• Subscribe to channels (categories) of interest to receive real-time alerts
• Share posts or other user’s posts through their Twitter or Facebook accounts

Any photo or video captured using VizSAFE is instantly shared with other citizens and when appropriate with local law enforcement and other public safety agencies, Googe said.

The app also geolocates information and categorizes it based on the source and can then provide nearby citizens a better view of active incidents ranging from fires, accidents, downed power lines and even reports of a lost child.

"The citizens of Mount Pleasant are our greatest asset in keeping the community safe," Mount Pleasant Police Chief Carl Ritchie said.

The timing of the app's introduction will also allow people to report anything suspicious they see during July 4th celebrations at Patriot's Point, police say.

"Anyone attending a major event within the Town of Mount Pleasant, from the Cooper River Bridge Run to the Christmas Parade, can play an important role in the safety of their community by providing real time information concerning questionable activity," Googe said.

The department says it is also creating a business connection, in which critical information about shopliftings, thefts and crime prevention efforts effecting businesses will be distributed through the app.

The free VizSAFE mobile App can be downloaded in iTunes and on Google Play or at www.vizsafe.com.

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