A NEW smartphone app, which has been described as “the fourth emergency service” by its developer, is hoping to create improved safety for communities in the Bradford district and beyond.
WeSafe, which is free to download and was developed by Keighley resident Nick Hall, is described as a neighbourhood watch app which, in the event of an emergency, allows people to alert their neighbours with the touch of a few buttons.
If a resident spots something suspicious in their area, they can press the app’s emergency button, which will then alert and notify everyone on their immediate street, so long as they all have the WeSafe app downloaded on their devices, too.
App developer Nick said, “WeSafe is a neighbourhood watch and security app and its purpose is to provide help in an emergency situation.
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“We believe that, during an emergency, the people who are most able to help are the people who are geographically closest to you. Police can sometimes take a long time to respond, so WeSafe can potentially save time.
"As WeSafe alerts the neighbours - to things like domestic violence, for example - it can also be considered as being more of an effective deterrent to someone like an abuser than threatening to call the police would be.
"Alerts work even if your phone is on silent or on do not disturb - we’ve essentially turned the phone into a security alarm system. When a burglar alarm goes off, you don’t always know exactly which house it is. With WeSafe, you can see that Mr. so-and-so, from two doors away, has created an alert and needs your urgent assistance.
"It will give people peace of mind. You can create your own security circle within your street and we hope it will strengthen community cohesion.
"WeSafe is not a replacement for 999. Rather, it is an extra layer for matters that communities can work on together.
"To those who are vulnerable, or who have elderly parents, for example, we'd encourage them to download WeSafe. Even if you think you might not need it, your neighbours might - so download it for their sake.
"If somebody was to abuse the app and spam it, users can mute them, and we also have an effective moderation system in place."
Councillor Abid Hussain, of the Keighley Central ward, tried the app for himself and said, "WeSafe is an excellent innovation for community safety and cohesion and it's another smart step to protect our communities from crime.
"I would recommend people to download it, as it is free of charge and can be very beneficial for everyone, especially vulnerable adults and children."
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