The Protect OK app aims to prevent crimes before they happen

ARDMORE, Okla. (KXII) – Sarah Stewart with the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety says you can help keep your community safe by reporting anything unusual you see right from your phone.

“We hope you never have to use this app, but if you do, it’s accessible, easy to use, you can remain anonymous and potentially provide law enforcement with life-saving information,” Stewart said.

The Protect OK app allows users to report any suspicious activity, threats or crimes directly to law enforcement without having to provide personal information.

“This makes it very easy for someone to tip us off to suspicious activity,” Stewart said.

The app also includes safety alerts, emergency contacts, and a GPS feature that can share your location with emergency services in the event of an accident.

“You can also send photos and videos. Let’s say someone posted something threatening or suspicious on social media. You can take a screenshot and send it,” Stewart said.

Stewart says the app can also be used to report threats at school that could be prevented in advance.

“Law enforcement is trained and knows how to respond to these active shooter situations, and we want to get ahead of the curve on how do we prevent them? That’s a key part of preventing these situations in the first place,” Stewart said.

He says your tip could make Oklahoma a safer place.

“If you’re wrong about something and it turns out to be nothing serious, that’s fine, but if it does turn out to be something serious, you can play a key role in preventing it,” Stewart added.

You can download the Protect OK app for free from Google Play and Apple Store.