Ring, the company behind the popular connected doorbell, recently published an app called Neighbors. The idea is to connect neighborhoods together by providing residents with real-time security and crime alerts and safety information. This function was previously limited to the Ring app, but now it's being broken out into its own affair.
The app provides push notifications for alerts and displays a map with info published by fellow neighbors, the Ring team, and law enforcement. So if a nearby house had a package stolen, you'll know about it. Users can post text, photos, and videos of anything they find suspicious or of an actual crime. This collective source of information can not only help prevent further crimes from happening, but also possibly provide local police with facial and vehicular information of the criminals.
Neighbors is available right now on Android and iOS. Just use the widget below to get started.
PRESS RELEASE
SANTA MONICA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Ring, a company on a mission to reduce crime in neighborhoods, today launched the Neighbors app on iOS and Android to provide every neighbor with real-time, local crime and safety information. Previously only available in the Ring app, the Neighbors network already has millions of users and has been instrumental in catching package thieves, stopping burglaries, and keeping neighborhoods safe. Police and sheriff’s departments throughout the U.S. are also joining the network as a new way to share real-time crime and safety alerts with their communities.
Jamie Siminoff, Chief Inventor and Founder of Ring, said: “At Ring, we come to work every day with the mission of reducing crime in neighborhoods. Over the past few years we have learned that, when neighbors, the Ring team and law enforcement all work together, we can create safer communities. Neighbors is meant to facilitate real-time communication between these groups, while maintaining neighbor privacy first and foremost. By bringing security to every neighbor with the free Neighbors app, communities can stay on top of crime and safety alerts as they happen.”
In addition to receiving push notifications about potential security issues, app users can see recent crime and safety posts uploaded by their neighbors, the Ring team and local law enforcement via an interactive map. If a neighbor notices suspicious activity in their area, they can post their own text, photo or video and alert the community to proactively prevent crime.
Brandi Alexander, a Ring Neighbor in Anchorage, Alaska, said: “Neighbors enabled me to share the video of a package being stolen from my house with people in my area to advise them of criminal activity and hopefully prevent further thefts. A screenshot from the Ring footage was given to local law enforcement and after arresting the suspect for a separate crime, they recognized him and were able to tie him to the package theft. Without Neighbors, the video would not have reached as many people as it did, and certainly not as quickly as it did. The suspect was caught within one week of the theft and without the video, my theft case may have never been solved.”
Join Ring on its mission to reduce crime in neighborhoods by downloading the free Neighbors app today.
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Download the Neighbors app on your iOS or Android device.
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Opt-in to join your neighborhood.
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Customize the geographic area you want to receive notifications for (users must verify where they are located and cannot participate in other neighborhoods).
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Receive real-time alerts from your neighbors, local law enforcement and the Ring team that inform of crime and safety alerts as they happen.
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View local crime and safety posts via a live feed or interactive map.
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Share text updates, photos and videos taken on any device, including Ring’s home security devices.
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Work with your community to make neighborhoods safer.