DCSO, Bend and Redmond PD to join Ring’s Neighbors app
(Update: Adding comments from Redmond police)
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The Bend and Redmond police departments and the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office on Saturday will join the Neighbors app by Ring. The law enforcement agencies said it provides a platform for communities to share information about activity occurring in their neighborhood, helping to keep people and property safe.
Participating law enforcement agencies will not have direct access to all app users videos, but rather only videos users have selected to share, they said in a news release Thursday.
"I want to be perfectly clear: We do not have access to individual users' Ring devices," Redmond police Lt. Curtis Chambers told NewsChannel 21 Thursday. "Those users who have Ring devices have the option to share video with us, if we ask for it."
Citizen participation is optional, anonymous and does not require a Ring device. Video and information provided will be used to help solve crimes, identify suspicious persons, and ultimately deter criminal activity.
The Neighbors App by Ring is a free app designed by Ring to help community members connect and stay informed about what’s going on around them – whether they own a Ring video doorbell device or not.
Essentially, users would receive a notification from one of the partnering law enforcement agencies about an incident that happened in their area.
If those users have a ring camera at their house, or if they have any photos or videos on their phones relating to the incident, they can share those through the app.
As Chambers explained, this platform should not be used for active crimes.
"We want people to continue to call 911 when something's happening or the non-emergency number to speak with an officer," Chambers said. "This sharing of information is for non-time-sensitive incidents. It is going to be typically reserved for stuff that has already happened, and time is no longer essential."
Chambers said sharing information through neighbors is not the same as reporting an incident. People would still need to do that by calling and speaking with an officer.
In a press release sent out Thursday, all three agencies said, "The Neighbors app is available to all residents and is helping to open the lines of communication between law enforcement and the communities they serve across the country."
"All Deschutes County law enforcement agencies recognize by working together, we can make Deschutes County, and all of Central Oregon a safer place to live, work, and play," they added.
Contact your local law enforcement agency for additional information.
The Prineville Police Department has a similar service, in which residents can register their security camera on their website, in case there's a crime in the neighborhood. They've had it in place for about a year.
The Neighbors app is free to use.
Residents can download the Neighbors app for free on iOS, Android and FireOS devices by clicking here from their smartphone: https://shop.ring.com/pages/neighbors.
