PanicGuard, apparently the worlds first police-approved app aimed at those who fear they may be being stalked, has been launched for Android and iOS. The app works as a gateway to a security service and, once activated, makes use of handsets GPS and video recording capabilities to alert pre-set emergency contacts.

PanicGuard was developed by entrepreneur Mikkel Dissing. “Everyone has a right to feel safe on the streets and in their own homes, but sadly that is not always the case,” says Dissing. “Our goal is to empower our users to feel more confident, knowing that without doing anything more than shaking their phone, they can instantly alert friends and family who can call the police to come to their aid and they will have the evidence to help them catch the criminal.”

It is estimated that over 120,000 people a year are victims of stalking in the UK. The app is intended to help the police gather evidence, which is streamed to a secure server rather than being stored on the handset.

PanicGuard is accredited by UK police initiative Secured by Design. Richard Childs, Secured by Design MD, says: “PanicGuard provides a proactive approach to personal security. We support effective products such as this which help the vulnerable and those at risk.”