The Citrus Guardian app is a smartphone program that aids communication between Campus Safety, students and staff in a campus emergency.
By downloading the Rave Guardian application for free in the Apple App Store or Google Play, and entering a campus email address, the campus users can access the Citrus Guardian platform.
The app has been used at Citrus College since 2015. Every Citrus student has free access to the app while enrolled.
Campus Safety supervisor Ben Macias said the app has been successful in thwarting criminals.
“It has been very useful,” Macias said. “We’ve gotten text tips on various subjects, and those things have resulted either in arrests of people, or prevention of things escalating to a bigger issue.”
The app’s user interface has five icons to select: a message inbox, call directory, safety timer, tip submission and a direct dial to Campus Safety.
While the app may be easy to use, Campus Safety gains vital information from app users.
“Students can anonymously report suspicious individuals or activities, swiftly call police in event of an emergency, and geo-tag locations where a dangerous event may be taking place,” Macias said.
Macias gave a demonstration on Sept. 14 in the Campus Safety office. He showed when an alert starts, a flat screen monitor sounds an alarm. A map of Citrus College pops up on screen and the origin of the alert is highlighted with the geotagging feature. Campus Safety can respond immediately to the alert’s location.
The Guardian app may raise the speed and accuracy of reporting, but few students said they use it.
A Citrus film major Isaac Andrade said he was unaware of the app and suggested more advertising.
“They can try to put more signs around campus,” Andrade said. “I feel like if people see it they would download it.”
Macias said most students call in reports currently, but the number of Guardian app users is increasing each year. In 2017, the user base increased by 15 percent — a trend Macias said he hopes continues this year.
“We did a marketing campaign in 2015 when it initially came out, and then we continue to do it every year,” Macias said. “We have information posted on our website. It is something we want to continually improve and continually market and promote so more people are aware of it.”
The Citrus College homepage does not reference the Guardian app. The Campus Safety site is the only web page with information about the app.
In emergency situations the app warns users to keep away, or alerts them to hunker down until a situation is resolved. Without user participation the app is useless.
Campus Safety lead officer Todd Dickson said his department’s goal with the app is improved safety.
“Not that we win anything, there is no prize here,” Dickson said. “It just helps us help students and staff with having another layer of protection, of safety, of just feeling good being on campus with having that extra layer available.”
Citrus College pays $5,000 anually to use the Guardian app. Students and staff have free access.
