Text Messaging Featured Article

Former Australian police officer Steven van Aperen has developed and released a phone app called TrackerAssist, which serves several functions as an emergency alert device, personal location tracker, and crime reporting tool. Using his experience as both a detective and a crime prevention officer in Victoria Australia, van Aperen was inspired by the clear effect technology had on making police work easier.

The TrackerAssist safety app is designed for use as an electronic medical alert for the sick and elderly, as the emergency alert services on the device immediately inform emergency services, family members and any other designated contacts. The emergency alert includes the user's current location, and is sent through SMS, email or both. Instead of having to scroll through a list of contacts, users simply press quick-access buttons to contact police services, as well as fire and EMS teams. Of course, the sick and elderly are not the only ones who can benefit from such an app.

The “My Location” feature of the app can also be used in non-emergency situations to notify others where the user is located. This tool is excellent for lost children, or even to confirm that they have safely arrived at a secure location. Already the app has proven useful as it has helped locate a lost hiker as well as bring emergency services to a sick woman, leading to over 600 downloads in the month of June. The app is also well suited to the needs of field workers and first responders, as it provides emergency personnel with immediate and accurate location information.

A built-in crime reporter also allows those with the app installed to inform the police of suspicious activities or active crimes, and a photo integration feature even allows users to include a picture of the event in question.