WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — The West Palm Beach Police Department has quietly ended its partnership with the Safer Watch app, a platform once promoted as an additional way for residents to report emergencies and suspicious activity.
The city began using the app in 2023, spending just under $100,000 on the service. But when WPTV went downtown to ask residents about it, not a single person interviewed said they had heard of or used the app.
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“I couldn’t find a single person who used it or even knew what it was,” reporter Michael Hoffman said.
According to police, that lack of awareness played a major role in the decision to end the partnership.
Rachel Lieta, a spokesperson for the West Palm Beach Police Department, said the department saw far less engagement than expected.
“We had about a dozen dedicated users to the app,” Lieta said. “We just weren’t seeing the utilization that we had hoped for.”
Although the partnership officially ended several months ago, police say they are still receiving tips through the Safer Watch app — tips that should instead be reported through official emergency channels.
“We’re asking people to call or text us using 911 in case of an emergency or to report a crime in progress,” Lieta said.
Police emphasize that residents should always call 911 in life-or-death situations or when a crime is actively happening. If calling isn’t possible, 911 also accepts text messages.
For non-emergency situations, residents are urged to contact the department’s non-emergency line at 561-822-1900.
While West Palm Beach police are no longer using Safer Watch, the app is still active within the Palm Beach County School District. That partnership remains in place, allowing parents and students to report concerns related to school safety.
Police say their goal moving forward is to ensure residents know exactly how to reach first responders when it matters most.
