RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — The doorbell video company Ring recently did away with its “Request for Assistance” tool, which allowed police officers to request video directly from neighbors using an app.
Since its launch in 2017, the Ring doorbell has proven to do more than just let you know who is at your front door — it’s also helped investigators solve crimes. But after conversations about protection versus privacy, the doorbell company decided to make a change.
Previously, law enforcement agencies could request video from residents using the Request for Assistance tool on the Neighbors app. The company released the following statement on its website , announcing that the tool was being done away with:
“ We are also sunsetting the Request for Assistance (RFA) tool. Public safety agencies like fire and police departments can still use the Neighbors app to share helpful safety tips, updates, and community events. They will no longer be able to use the RFA tool to request and receive video in the app. Public safety agency posts are still public, and will be available for users to view on the Neighbors app feed and on the agency’s profile. “