Student’s Quick Thinking After LiveSafe Alert Earns Recognition from ASU Police Department
Student Sydney Brooks shaking hands with Chief John Thompson as she receives the Citizen Meritorious Citation Award
During the 2024 ASU Police Awards and Recognition Banquet held last month, the department honored Sydney Brooks, a student pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Speech and Hearing Science on the Tempe campus. Brooks received special recognition for using information from a LiveSafe alert to provide a tip that ultimately led to the apprehension of a robbery suspect.
A Way to Keep the ASU Community Informed
Launched in the fall of 2015, LiveSafe is a free mobile app available to students, parents, and community members. The platform allows the ASU Police Department and other university units to send safety advisories, crime alerts, and emergency notifications directly to users. Since its inception, LiveSafe has gained more than 128,000 users across all ASU locations, including campuses in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C.
“We brought the app to campus as a way to keep our community informed,” said ASU Vice President of University Business Services Rudy Bellavia. “LiveSafe offered innovative features and the flexibility to grow with the needs of the university. The developers also partnered with us to enhance the app—not just for ASU, but for users nationwide.”
To date, ASU has sent over 1,500 broadcast messages through LiveSafe.
It’s All in the Details
In March 2024, Tempe Police responded to a report of a robbery at a nearby business. Due to the nature of the incident and its proximity to campus, a suspect description was quickly distributed via LiveSafe.
“I regularly check LiveSafe for updates on the Tempe and Downtown campuses,” said Brooks. “That morning, I remember the alert standing out—especially the detail about a bag with green lettering. Green is my favorite color, so it stuck with me.”
Later that evening, as Brooks was heading home, she saw a group of people walking past her car. Among them was someone matching the description from the alert—carrying a bag with green lettering. She immediately called Tempe PD, providing the location and a detailed description. Her timely report led directly to the suspect’s apprehension.
Our Community, Our Commitment
“Sydney Brooks’ situational awareness and commitment to campus safety are why she was selected as the 2024 recipient of the Citizen Meritorious Citation,” said ASU Police Chief John Thompson. “Our officers and aides work 24/7 to protect the community, but we can’t be everywhere. It's students and community members like Miss Brooks who step up and make a difference.”
The Citizen Meritorious Citation Award recognizes individuals or groups outside the ASU Police Department who make meaningful, positive contributions to public safety at ASU or in direct support of the department.