Sheriff’s Office participates in information sharing app Neighbors by ring®

The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office is committed to finding new ways to keep our community a safe and productive place to live, work, study and play. Part of that philosophy includes using technology where possible to stay ahead of criminals and would-be criminals.

To that end, the Sheriff’s Office is participating with the smartphone app Neighbors in providing Florida Keys residents with real-time, local crime and safety information. The app allows residents to share crime and safety related content and information with their community, including videos, photos and text-based photos. That includes the use of increasingly popular video doorbells, such as Ring, which capture camera footage that can be viewed remotely on your smartphone. Ring is the maker of such ‘video doorbells’ and is also the maker of the Neighbors app.

Citizens who operate any security cameras from any manufacturer, including those who don’t use cameras, can choose to share video footage with one another and with their local law enforcement via the Neighbors app in an effort to curb crime. The Neighbors app has been very effective in catching package thieves in other communities around the country. Users can easily see what’s going on in their neighborhood and use the app to say informed. That includes family and friends to the postman to the pizza delivery person to, yes, potential criminals like burglars or thieves looking to steal packages left behind.

It is up to users alone if they wish to share video images with others, including law enforcement, should they feel a crime has been committed and the video will help solve it or lead to an arrest.

The Neighbors app is free to download at Apple iOS®, Google Android® app stores or at https://shop.ring.com/pages/neighbors

Residents can also text jointoday to 555888 from their smartphone in order to receive a link to download for free. Once downloaded, you can use the app to monitor events in your neighborhood, share videos, photos, or text-based posts as well as receive real-time safety alerts from neighbors or the Sheriff’s Office.

How the Neighbors app works:

● Download the Neighbors app on iOS and Android;

● Opt-in to join your neighborhood or general area where you live;

● Customize the geographic area you want to receive notifications for (users must verify where they are located);

● 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.

For more information about the Neighbors app, go to www.ring.com/neighbors

Note: The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office does not endorse individual vendors, products or services. Therefore, any reference herein to any vendor, product or services by trade name, trademark, manufacturer or otherwise does not constitute or imply the endorsement, recommendation or approval of the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.