"Neighbors" by Ring join Mountain Brook Police Department
The City of Mountain Brook becomes the first city in the nation to promote city-wide residential purchase and installation of RING-style security doorbells cameras. These doorbell camera systems have the ability, through an app, to connect directly with police allowing them to more quickly and effectively fight door-to-door types of crimes. Neighbors aims to reduce crime in neighborhoods by connecting people, security cameras and law enforcement.
Mtn. Brook Police Chief Ted Cook said, “The RING ‘Neighbors’ app allows us to not only positively identify a potential criminal through video, but in some cases, we can track criminal movement through a neighborhood. The ‘Neighbors’ app effectively creates a digital Neighborhood Watch.” RING-style security doorbell cameras can send alerts to residents if someone walks in front of the device or rings the doorbell, even if you’re not home. It also allows you to speak directly to someone at your door from your remote location…giving the impression that you are home even if you are on vacation.
“To jump-start this program, we have coordinated with Frank Davies of Little Hardware on Cahaba Road in English Village. Little Hardware will have products available for purchase and can provide installers to assist with installation if necessary. This highly effective product costs less than $200. I own one and it provides a great sense of security,” says Mayor Stewart Welch.
Chief Cook said, “If we can get city-wide adoption of these systems it will deter crime as criminals learn the security systems are wide-spread within our community. It will just be less risky to go somewhere else.” The Neighbors network already has millions of users and has been instrumental in catching package thieves, stopping burglaries, and keeping neighborhoods safe.
Residents can text ‘MtnBrook’ to 555888 from their smartphone to download the Neighbors app for free on iOS and Android and use the app to; join their neighborhood, share crime and safety-related videos, photos and text-based posts; and receive real-time safety alerts from their neighbors, local law enforcement and the Ring team.
“By utilizing the Neighbors app, the entire community, whether they have doorbell technology or not, can help the department make our city an even safer place to live and work,” said MBPD Chief Ted Cook. “The Neighbors app allows users to view and comment as well as share images of current crimes and offenses. Most importantly, it still allows our citizens the ability to remain private. We can only access videos that users choose to make public within the app. Just as importantly, it gives the MBPD a mechanism to ‘canvas’ an area digitally asking if participants in a given area may have relevant video that could help us solve a specific crime.”
Jamie Siminoff, Chief Inventor and Founder of Ring, said: “We’re excited to have the Mountain Brook Police Department join Neighbors to keep their community up-to-date on local crime and safety information. 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, the Mountain Brook community can stay on top of crime and safety alerts as they happen.”
How It Works:
Download the Neighbors app on iOS and Android here: download.ring.com/neighbors or by texting ‘MtnBrook’ to 555888 from your smartphone.
Opt-in to join your neighborhood.
Customize the geographic area you want to receive notifications for (users must verify where they are located and cannot participate in other neighborhoods).
Receive real-time alerts from your neighbors, local law enforcement and the Ring team that inform of crime and safety alerts as they happen.
View local crime and safety posts via a live feed or interactive map.
Share text updates, photos and videos taken on any device, including Ring’s home security devices.
Work with your community to make neighborhoods safer.
About Mountain Brook Police Department
The Mountain Brook Police Department serves a community of over 21,000 residents, as well as thousands of commuters who travel through the City on any given day. Through the efforts of the Department and the Community, the City of Mountain Brook routinely ranks among the top 3 cities in the state for safety. The MBPD works with our community to reduce crime, the fear of crime, and to enhance public safety.
About Neighbors
Neighbors is a neighborhood watch app that provides real-time, local crime and safety information. Download the free Neighbors app (iOS/Android), join your neighborhood, and use the app to: view neighborhood activity; share crime and safety-related videos, photos and text-based posts; and receive real-time safety alerts from your neighbors, local law enforcement and the Ring team. For more information visit: www.ring.com/neighbors.
About Ring
Ring's mission is to reduce crime in neighborhoods by creating a Ring of Security around homes and communities. Ring is an Amazon company. The Ring product line, along with Neighbors by Ring, enable Ring to offer affordable, whole-home and neighborhood security devices and services. In fact, one Los Angeles neighborhood saw a 55 percent decrease in home break-ins after Ring Doorbells were installed on just ten percent of homes. For more information, visit www.ring.com. With Ring, you’re always home.
Mountain Brook Police Department
Chief Ted Cook
101 Tibbett Street
Mountain Brook, AL 35213
Neighbors Media Contact
Kaleigh Bueckert-Orme
Public Relations Coordinator, Ring
