Public Safety App Adds Foreign Threat Reporting Feature

The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) has expanded the iWatchTexas Community Reporting System with a feature for reporting concerns related to foreign influence.

According to a press release, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott instructed the agency to add the feature to “allow Texans to directly report any harassment or coercion from hostile foreign adversaries such as the Chinese Communist Party.”

“Texas' No. 1 priority is to protect the safety and security of Texans,” Abbott said in a statement. “This new iWatchTexas feature will allow Texans to report any threats from hostile foreign adversaries who wish to undermine the public safety and national security of Texas. … Texas will continue to do everything we can to protect Texans from the unlawful and repressive actions of the Chinese Communist Party and other hostile foreign actors.”

iWatchTexas allows community members to report suspicious behaviors and activities to be analyzed by law enforcement. According to the release, all reports of suspected foreign threats will be routed to DPS.

“This new feature helps the department quickly address a wider range of homeland security threats facing our state, making us safer,” DPS Director Col. Freeman F. Martin said in the release. “It's important to remember the feature is only good if we use it. So, remember to speak up if you see suspicious behavior or activity — including any signs of intimidation or pressure from a hostile government outside of the United States. This all adds up to addressing security threats both at home and abroad.”

Reports can be made through the iWatchTexas app or online.