Province testing new rural crime app near North Battleford, Sask.

Saskatchewan's provincial government is testing a new app designed to make rural areas safer.

The BeeSecure app, which was designed in the province, is being rolled out the Rural Municipality of Mayfield, southeast of North Battleford. The app can track belongings and notify landowners if their belongings are moved or tampered with.

"We have heard from many residents across the province who are concerned about the rise of crime, particularly in our rural communities where the closest neighbour may be miles away," said TinaBeaudry-Mellor, Sask.'s innovation minister.

The app was the winner of Innovation Saskatchewan's Rural Crime Innovation Challenge, a contest that asked firms to focus on making rural areas safer and more secure.

The program's users can notify police of any suspicious activity. Officers can track stolen items usingGPS.

The company behind the project, Rivercity Technology Services Ltd., has just completed a 16-week residency program with the ministry of corrections and policing.

The initiative is part of the province's rural crime reduction strategy announced last year. Police forces, as well as the provincial government had been criticized that not enough was being done to keep rural areas crime-free.