Street safety app co-founder advises walkers to “choose well lit streets”

WalkSafe is a street safety app which was launched earlier this year.

Former policeman’s daughter Emma Kay is co-founder of the app which displays the locations of crimes collated from monthly police data which enables users to plan safer walking routes.

The app users enables them to identify patterns of crime in their local area, avoid repeated trouble hotspots, and flashes an alert if they walk within 200 yards of any recent crime.

It has had a strong take-up in Sheffield and shows all violent crimes included in police data, including; knife crime, mugging, and assaults including violent attacks and sexual assaults.

“One of the tips we always stress is to choose well lit streets particularly where there are other people walking,” Emma told the Star.

“We have safety tips on our Instagram account which reflect many of the police tips – stay alert, plan your routes with safety in mind and go for well lit streets, take out headphones, keep your belongings close, and stay in touch.”

The app has a safety feature named “HomeSafe” which automatically alerts friends or family if the user fails to get home on time.

Senior ex-police detectives are working with WalkSafe who are experts in female safety, their hope is that in the future that user posts on the map will help increase policing in unsafe areas and reduce crime.

Alongside the ‘no streetlights’ feature app users can post their own icons to show there is restricted access or that a street or park feels unsafe.

The app co-founder explained: “Students in particular have requested this – there are posts in Sheffield where users are saying they feel unsafe.

“Using the app now, looking at the crime icons in Sheffield from the latest monthly report it’s showing quite a lot of knife crime. Icons include people caught carrying knives as well as using them.

“We’re hopeful by providing our users with this knowledge they’ll feel informed when walking alone outside and will make safer choices.”