New OPP app another safety mechanism for sexual assault, domestic violence victims living in Prescott-Russell

By Dani-Elle Dubé

Police services have come together to introduce a new app designed to address safety shortfalls involving individuals who are at high risk of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking and/or criminal harassment.

It’s called the Mobile Tracking System Program (MTS) — an app conjured up in partnership with the Hawkesbury and Russell detachments of the OPP and the Victim Services for the Counties of Prescott – Russell.

The program includes a completion of an assessment (including the B-Safer Risk Assessment) and a personal safety plan, a provision of a monitored GPS mobile tracking device with panic alarm in order to dispatch police to the location of the tracker, and a regularly scheduled follow-up contacts for on-going support, monitoring and device maintenance to allow for safety plan updated.

Those eligible to use the app must be a resident of Prescott-Russell, however, and must have made a complaint to police of physical violence or threat of violence.

As well, the client must be identified as a high risk individual with serious safety concerns.

“Please be aware that MTS does not replace the security of a shelter or personal awareness and is only one part of the safety plan,” police said in its announcement on Wednesday, June 15. “MTS offers a temporary device and does not in itself guarantee safety.”

App users must be willing to complete the application process that includes the risk assessment and safety plan, and stay in contact with victim services as needed and comply with instructions concerning the operation of the MTS program.

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