New app may not be "fun" but will enhance your security

When we review apps for RVers, we usually shoot for the "fun and practical" side. But this time, we're going to shoot for the "practical and safety" side of life. The app is called Perp Alert – and no, it won't help you find a campground, a dump station, or record your memories around the campfire – well, the latter, maybe.

Perp Alert is designed to bring a little more security to a sometimes unsafe world. Here's the scenario in the developer's mind. You or a loved one is walking alone out to the car and suddenly, some kind of bad guy appears. You whip out your cell phone, point the camera lens at him, and immediately, three photos of the "perp" are taken, and the phone sends those photos, along with your exact GPS coordinates and a date stamp to three separate e-mail accounts of your choosing.

Taken a step farther than the imaginings of the designers, the same product could be used to take photos of a vehicle accident – particularly helpful if somebody decides to do a "hit and run." Maybe you witness a "bullying" incident, or some other nefarious activity. A complete photo record with location is whisked off to a safe, off-site location. If you need help pronto, push another button and Perp Alert calls the police for help.

OK, we can put a little "fun" back in this application. How many of us are cruising down the highway in the rig and we see something we'd really like to investigate more fully, but time or other circumstances don't permit the stop then. Pull out your cell phone, punch the Perp Alert button (a distinctive, large, red icon) and shoot pics of your desire, and send the exact location back to your e-mail account.

We learned about this app through an RVing women's group, Sisters on the Fly. They think so highly of the app and its potential for enhancing security for many of its solo members they recommend the app to all members.

The cost? $2.99 for Apple and Android. Permissions include location, SMS (to send the message), phone (to directly call phone numbers), photo/media files, camera, full network access, and flashlight control (turns on the camera light to enhance after-dark images).

Editor: Here's a link to the Perp Alert website.