The Harris County Sheriff’s Office, (HCSO) in partnership with the Houston Independent School District (HISD), is launching iWatch Harris County, a new tool that allows Houston students to report crimes in and around their campuses via an application on their mobile phones.

i-Watch Harris County, now in its second year, is a free mobile app that lets users send anonymous tips, images and videos reporting crimes or suspicious activities directly to law enforcement.  HCSO has formatted the app to support HISD as it monitors reports made specifically about any of the district’s 282 campuses.

“We are excited to be partnering with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office to make iWatch available to HISD’s students,” HISD Chief of Police Jimmy Dotson said.  “iWatch will allow students to report any suspicious activity they see while maintaining their anonymity.”

In addition to HISD, the HCSO is also collaborating with other school districts within Harris County to roll out this app on their campuses within the next six weeks.

What:             Press conference to launch iWatch Harris County at HISD schools

Who:               Harris County Sheriff Adrian Garcia, HISD Chief of Police Jimmy Dotson,                         iWatch Harris County App Developer Dan Elliott

When:             Monday, Oct. 28 at 10 a.m.  

Where:            Austin High School, 1700 Dumble St.