DA McMahon, BP Fossella, NYPD Announce Partnership With “Neighbors by Ring” App To Help Make Neighborhoods Safer With Instant Crime Video Reporting, Sharing

January 29, 2023 Michael McMahon 0 Law Enforcement on SI and NYC, Media and Communication, Morality and Ethics, Politics, Staten Island Families, Staten Island News

District Attorney McMahon, Borough President Fossella, and NYPD Announce Partnership with “Neighbors by Ring” App

Partnership will allow Staten Islanders to upload home security video, photos, or tips directly to the NYPD, providing law enforcement with critically important evidence to catch and prosecute lawbreakers

On Monday, District Attorney Michael E. McMahon joined Borough President Vito Fossella and the NYPD to formally announce a partnership between the NYPD and “Neighbors by Ring,” an app that allows Staten Islanders to securely and if they desire, anonymously, upload video, photos, and crime tips and information directly to the NYPD. The app is free to download and is accessible to any Staten Islander who wishes to share their video or images to the NYPD, regardless of whether or not they have a Ring system.

“As Staten Island’s top law enforcement official and as a homeowner, I know that so many of us vigilantly capture footage from our home video systems to help us catch those who prey on our residences, vehicles, and property,” said District Attorney McMahon. “Yet sharing this video with law enforcement has sometimes been difficult. The fact is that police cannot monitor every group, page, and site out there, or physically retrieve every clip so this critical evidence sometimes never reaches our attention. That is why this partnership with Neighbors by Ring is so exciting. When a Staten Islander uploads photos or video either from their Ring or using the free app if they are not Ring subscribers, NYPD personnel will have immediate access to that footage, be able to communicate confidentially with the person who posted it, and strategically deploy police manpower to where it is needed most. It is so simple even I can do it and now we can all help our terrific cops capture these criminals who are threatening our safety and well-being.”

How to download and use the app. Image Credit – DA McMahon

To get the app, Staten Islanders should visit the App Store on their cell phone, download “Neighbors by Ring,” create an account if they do not already have one, and then they will be ready to share video, photos, and information. Staten Islanders can also visit ring.com/neighbors and follow the same steps. To share video, photos, or information, the App should be opened, and “Neighbors” selected, followed by the blue “Plus” button. They are then asked to answer what category the incident is and should select “Crime,” and then follow the remaining prompts. Once shared, NYPD executives in the area will automatically be able to see what has been uploaded and if necessary, can request to communicate directly to gain further information.

“Videos and photos caught by security cameras are an important and effective tool for law enforcement to ‘catch’ criminals in the act,” Borough President Fossella said. “Working with DA McMahon and the NYPD, we are alerting Staten Islanders about this program. It makes sense to use the camera technology at our homes and businesses to obtain evidence and hopefully bring these culprits to justice. Folks should feel free to download the app and be part of this initiative to make our borough even safer.”

NYPD executives will not know your exact location and will not have access to your video in real-time, they will only be able to see what Staten Islanders choose to upload. You will also be able to view crime and safety events posted by your neighbors within a radius of your home.

“The ability to interact online with New Yorkers – often in real time – adds to the comprehensive crime-fighting strategies already employed by the NYPD in its relentless efforts to keep our city and everyone in it safe,” said Police Commissioner Keechant L. Sewell. “True public safety is a shared responsibility, and this tool stands to further advance the collective work of our police and all the people we serve toward reaching that worthy ideal.”