Walking on campus while reading or texting on a smartphone is routine these days among students, and OSU police are capitalizing on the technology involved to make one of the safest campuses in the Big 12 even safer.

“We’re inviting more OSU students, employees and visitors to download a free smartphone application (app) which makes it easier to report an emergency and help our responders get to the correct location faster,” says OSU Chief Public Safety Officer Michael Robinson, who notes the emergency call capabilities are one of several safety features available through the app known as Orange Shield.

Once the program is opened in a smartphone, the user simply touches a 911 button that contacts the OSU police dispatcher within seconds, immediately providing the user’s location and making police response time the best ever.

The program was expanded to include the Stillwater Police Department in 2018.