Stand With Parkland pushes schools to adopt SaferWatch mobile app

The app is already used throughout Broward County.

FLAPOL | by Ryan Nicol | December 7, 2020

Stand With Parkland is pushing schools to begin using the SaferWatch mobile app after the group announced a new partnership with SaferWatch Monday.

Family members who lost children and spouses in the 2018 shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School went on to create Stand With Parkland. The organization has been active in the South Florida political scene, endorsing various candidates such as Broward County Sheriff Gregory Tony, former Parkland Mayor and House candidate Christine Hunschofsky, and Parkland parent and Broward County School Board candidate Debbie Hixon.

The app is already used throughout Broward County, covering hundreds of schools. The software company also partnered with the Broward Sheriff’s Office in 2018 and has expanded its coverage outside the school system into houses of worship, courthouses and the Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport.

The software is designed to help individuals easily submit video, audio or other files to the relevant law enforcement authority and help prevent or solve crime.

Obviously, 911 is still recommended for emergencies. But apps like SaferWatch allow individuals to report suspicious activity that may not reach the level of an immediate, obvious danger. Real-time reporting can be done anonymously, allowing residents to more easily reach out to law enforcement.

Now, Stand with Parkland is urging schools to adopt the SaferWatch system, claiming it is the “most effective mobile application to make schools safer” in a Monday statement.

“We have spent thousands of hours researching and working with federal, state, and local school safety experts, law enforcement and political leaders and we know that leveraging technology such as the SaferWatch application can be a cost-effective way to improve school safety,” Stand with Parkland President Tony Montalto added Monday.

“After looking at a number of providers, Stand with Parkland endorses SaferWatch because it provides a comprehensive proactive approach to school safety by directly connecting students, teachers and parents with onsite security resources, school administrators, and local law enforcement.”

The app was also designated the “official safety app” during Super Bowl 54, which was hosted in Miami Gardens.