At the direction of Governor Greg Abbott, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) launched a new feature on the iWatchTexas Community Reporting System to protect the public from coercion and harassment by foreign adversaries. The new feature allows individuals to indicate their concern is related to foreign influence when submitting a report.
“Texas’ No. 1 priority is to protect the safety and security of Texans,” said Governor Abbott. “Last year, I directed DPS to update iWatchTexas to allow Texans to directly report any harassment or coercion from hostile foreign adversaries such as the Chinese Communist Party. 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. I encourage anyone who experiences or observes harassment, threats of violence or coercion to report the attempts directly to the iWatchTexas app or call 844-643-2251. 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.”
Foreign influence threats may include assassination, assault, physical surveillance, harassment, abduction, familial intimidation, digital threats, passport revocation, consular services denial, unlawful detention and deportation, forced rendition and repatriation and INTERPOL abuses. All iWatchTexas reports indicating possible foreign influence will automatically be routed to DPS for further vetting.
“This new feature helps the department quickly address a wider range of homeland security threats facing our state, making us safer,” said DPS Colonel Freeman F. Martin. “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.”
About iWatchTexas
The iWatchTexas Community Reporting System is a critical resource for the public to report any suspicious activities or behaviors in their schools and communities that may indicate criminal, terroristic or school safety-related threats.
The public can report those behaviors via the mobile app, online at www.iwatchtx.org or by calling 1-844-643-2251. A report usually takes less than five minutes, and once submitted, each report is reviewed by law enforcement analysts. All reports are confidential (providing contact information, which is optional, will allow for follow-up questions).
The iWatchTexas app is free and available for iPhone and Android. Texans are urged to download the app immediately.
Note: The iWatchTexas program is not designed to report emergencies. If a situation requires an emergency response, call 911.