ST. MICHAELS, Md. - An app available in Talbot County is designed to prevent school shootings.
The app is called Safetime. Right now, only students within Talbot County Public Schools can use it.
The developers, Doug Fears, Rich Davis, and Tim Law are all apart of the company Artis Magi. They're headquarters are based in St. Michaels, so that's why the app is only available for TCPS students. They tell us the app allows students the chance take control of their safety in school.
Services like 911, the Talbot County Sheriffs Department, the school system, and Emergency and Health Services will be contacted almost immediately after a student makes a post to the app.
TCPS students can easily snap a picture of something or screenshot from an app that might look suspicious. All it takes is a simple click to send the report.
Rich Davis, CEO of Artis Magi says they created this because violence within schools is an epidemic.
"The idea is to work within the social networks that the kids work with. They text today. They forward messages today. It's to work within that sort of confines to provide an app to them so they can start thinking about safety within their own schools," says Davis
Davis added that any platform can be used. He says, "A gaming app, social media app, messaging app, even your phone. Any picture that you can take you can forward directly to the Safetime app and it gets disseminated immediately."
Captain Steve Elliott with the Talbot County Sheriff's Department says a post will help solve the case before the tragedy.
"Were kind of getting it real time and we can start a lot earlier and hopefully we can have the investigation done so it doesn't have any impact on school," says Elliott.
The developers say this method takes 'see it, say it' to a different level.
Tim Law, the Marketing Chief for Artis Magi says, "It's about having that instant access to a solution other than fussing around and looking for a less elegant way to get in contact." Law explained that some students do not even know how to do it and walk away from it because they didn't know how to act. Law added, "We want to make it super easy and integrated for the students."
COO with Artis Magi, Doug Fears says, "Usually people who are in trouble indicate that they're willing to perpetrate violence at some point and if you can pick that up early we can prevent the violence from happening."
Students are able to submit by name or anonymously.
Parents say this will put that fear to ease.
Jay Hudson has a son in 9th grade. He says, "It definitely helps us explain to them the importance of internet responsibility."
Rich Davis says the idea is not to be a crisis management app. He says, It's to catch someone early, use behavioral science, and identify those red flag signs before a tragedy could happen.
