The Aiken Department of Public Safety is one of the first combined police-fire departments in the country to have joined Neighbors, a free app by Ring, effective 04/21/2020. Aiken Public Safety will now be able to use Neighbors as a new way to connect with residents at the local level to provide valuable safety information.
Neighbors is a free and simple app that helps community members stay informed of local incidents and share neighborhood safety updates, while keeping their privacy protected. Neighbors brings residents together to have impactful safety conversations and engage with their local public safety agencies on the app in their area to make their neighborhoods safer. The app is available for anyone to use with or without a Ring device.
Having an effective and easy means of hyper-local communication with residents is central to public safety and why the Aiken Department of Public Safety has decided to join Neighbors in their efforts to serve the community. Aiken Department of Public Safety is now even better positioned to notify residents of a nearby safety incident, or share proactive tips and emergency preparedness information ahead of time.
It’s important to note that local public safety officials do not have access to user cameras, live streams or personal information when using Neighbors. When an individual user chooses to post a video or comment on the app, they are identified only as “Neighbor #” and the location of posts are obscured to protect user privacy. Public safety officials are always identified by their last name and agency when using Neighbors and can view and comment as well as share posts to the app in their jurisdiction.
Residents do not need a Ring device in order to download and use Neighbors, and can text ‘JoinToday’ to 555888 or click here: https://shop.ring.com/pages/neighbors to learn more or to download the app for free on iOS, Android and FireOS devices.
How Neighbors Works
- Using the Neighbors: Once downloaded, users can join their neighborhood, share crime and safety-related videos, photos and text-based posts; and receive safety alerts and updates from their neighbors, local police and fire departments as well as from the Ring team.
- Customize Alerts: Neighbors allows users to customize what alerts they receive and
how often. - Join the Conversation: Users decide what content to share and whether or not they
wish to engage with other users, including local police and fire departments, on the app.
More information about how public agencies use Neighbors can be found here: https://shop.ring.com/pages/neighbors-public-safety-service
