Fayetteville PD finds success with Neighbors App by Ring partnership
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (WTVD) -- The Fayetteville Police Department's free four-month partnership with the Neighbors App by Ring continues to help them survey crime in the city.
As more people grow comfortable with social media, they also take many of their complaints and reports to apps like Facebook, Twitter and virtual neighborhood watch apps.
A change that FPD said they knew they had to adapt to.
"If there's a way we can get some evidence or surveillance footage and an easier method is reaching out to the community in another format, then we're going to take advantage of that," Sgt. Shawn Strepay said.
Since the partnership, police have been able to get direct access to videos or pictures posted on the app, allowing them to get the word out and speed up investigations.
"This was actually just a way for us to get our hands on some of those videos that are already being publicly posted anyway," Strepay said.
The new resource that made a difference for a scary armed robbery that was caught on camera back in July here in Fayetteville.
The video was posted on the Neighbors app and police were able to immediately gain access to it and spread the word to surrounding residents.
Fayetteville police told ABC11 every officer in the department has access to the app while out patrolling.
This fairly new tool has also come with some growing pains.
The department said they are still working on sifting through many posts that could be false alarms.
"We would rather come out and check that out and make sure it's nothing than not come out, and God forbid, they break into your house or your car or something like that," Strepay said.
With its early success, FPD plans to continue its partnership and encourage residents, whether they have a camera or not, to use the app.
