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The CATSafe app is primarily designed as a mobile two-way safety app. A computer user can submit “tips,” including assault, abuse, harassment, threats, discrimination, and bias, as well as report safety issues and ADA barriers to the appropriate offices and non-emergency issues to Police Services. The computer version does not include a way to call for emergency help or the links to useful ����̽̽ resources. To submit a tip, visit and create an account by selecting “University of Vermont” and register using full ����̽̽ email (firstname.lastname@uvm.edu).

The folks at Apple and Android have figured that out for us.  

• With an IoS device, simply press the power and top volume buttons together and hold them.  After a few seconds the phone will make an emergency call and emit a siren sound.
• With an Android device, if you're running Android 12 or later, you can turn on Emergency SOS, which lets you trigger calling emergency services, sharing your location with emergency contacts, and recording video by quickly pressing the power button five times or more. See the Android help pages for details.

These features are not connected to the University.  They are useful for you in any emergency situation.

We encourage you to download and use the app as it contains links to useful University resources and the ability to submit “tips” from one convenient place. If you have an off-campus emergency, you will need to use the “Call Local Emergency Services” emergency option (versus “Call ����̽̽ Police”) for emergency assistance.  If you need to message ����̽̽ Police about a non-emergency concern, you could still do so through the “message ����̽̽ Police” option. The SafeWalk feature is very popular and especially useful off-campus.

Your phone/portable device is important for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is in an emergency.  Of course, we recommend that you keep your phone charged.  Consider a portable charging block and ensuring that you have regular charging habits - e.g., charge the phone overnight every night or recharge via a charging block in your bag while you are in class.  A charged phone is something you can control.  Unfortunately, the reliability of old, copper phone line technology in our blue lights is not.

When you first install the app it will ask you to create a profile. Use your full ����̽̽ email (firstname.lastname@uvm.edu) to create your profile. Since this profile encompasses LiveSafe use anywhere (not just at ����̽̽), use a password that is different than your ����̽̽ password. You will only need to do this once. After your profile is created you’ll be prompted to log in via single sign-on. You will use your ����̽̽ credentials for single sign-on.

No. Others can only watch you walk if you give them permission by accepting an invitation from them. If they click the “watch a friend walk” and that friend is you, you will get sent an invitation. They would only be able to send you an invitation if you are a contact in their phone. If you are and they send you one, you would need to accept the invitation for them to be able to watch you walk. If you don’t accept the invitation they will not be able to watch you walk.

Actually, the deterrent effect of your cell phone - both with the ability to call for help and to record suspects in criminal activity - is a larger deterrent.  Crime patterns have evolved significantly over the last two decades because of handheld technology and the advent of inexpensive home surveillance cameras such as video doorbells.

Blue light call buttons are most often false alarms and hoax calls.  A seven year look back at calls from blue lights shows that a total of 5 “real calls” were received.  Four were traffic accidents, also generally reported via cell phone, and one was a suspicious vehicle.

No. Actually the opposite. Our safety, security, and health investments are increasing. We are working to take the cost savings from blue lights and invest that and additional resources in tools, technology, and training that is more contemporary and effective. Specifically, we are investing in app-based systems like LiveSafe; deploying CAT ECare emergency stations with automatic external defibrillators, bleeding control kits, and Narcan/Naloxone; and increasing the number of digital access controls (CatCard) and security cameras in public spaces campus-wide.