Public Safety Launches Redesigned App through Collaboration with Students

Public Safety partnered with engineering students to update Lion Safe, the University’s mobile safety app. Input from students about how the app is used and which services are most popular helped shape the redesign of the free app.

After launching the app in 2020 and receiving recommendations from the Inclusive Public Safety Advisory Committee on ways to increase downloads and usage, Public Safety conducted a feedback session with graduate engineering students.

The comprehensive update includes an easier-to-use home screen and new functionality that allows users to access Public Safety’s emergency and non-emergency numbers more quickly, request a Walking Safety Escort, and access crime prevention tips and other University resources directly from the app.

The Lion Safe app is available on Apple and Android devices. Among the features, the app allows community members to request emergency services with the touch of a button along with other useful quick links including maps, shuttle schedules, crime alerts, emergency protocols, and campus safety notifications. Over 14,000 community members have downloaded the app to date.

“We are encouraged by the number of community members who have downloaded and used the app,” said Jorge Farina, executive director of Public Safety Technology Projects and Systems. “We want to continue to ensure it meets the needs of our community by allowing users to stay informed and play an active role in keeping themselves and Columbia safe.”

To learn more about the app, visit the Lion Safe page.