Crime Prevention

Ring Doorbell Partnership

Amazon Ring, the corporation’s doorbell camera business, has racked up 677 video-sharing partnerships with law enforcement departments across the U.S., from Alaska to Florida. Ring partnered with more than 400 police departments as of August. Now it’s approaching 700 partnerships, with many of them concentrated on the East Coast, according to an interactive map provided by Ring. Ring’s app, Neighbors, lets police departments request homeowners’ camera footage for a certain time frame but will also give the owners the opportunity to deny law enforcement access, according to the company. Law enforcement will not be able to view live footage.

Amazon acquired Ring in April. The Wi-Fi-enabled security system, which streams to a user’s computer or cellphone, also allows users to share their video with anyone within a certain distance via the Neighbors app, which launched in May 2018. Police departments have welcomed the Ring partnerships as useful crime-fighting tools, including Chief Kevin Molis of Malden, Massachusetts. “We consider it a valuable tool for public safety,” Molis said. “Is it a bad thing that private citizens, in order to make their streets safer, are investing their own money in a product that’s allowing crimes to be solved and crimes to be prevented?”

Amazon has considered adding facial recognition technology to Ring doorbell cameras, according to a letter to a U.S. senator.

Neighborhood Watch

National Neighborhood Watch began in 1972 with funding in part by the National Sheriffs’ Association, through a grant from the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. The funding from the grant has come to an end. But NSA knows how vital a program this is and we don’t want to lose any of the movement or excellent resources we have available on this site.

Our nation is built on the strength of our citizens. Every day, we encounter situations calling upon us to be the eyes and ears of law enforcement. Not only does neighborhood watch allow citizens to help in the fight against crime, it is also an opportunity for communities to bond through service. The Neighborhood Watch Program draws upon the compassion of average citizens, asking them to lend their neighbors a hand. The National Neighborhood Watch Program (formerly USAonWatch) is the portal for training to assist law enforcement agencies and their communities, technical assistance, resource documents, watch stories, networking, and assistance to the field.

The National Neighborhood Watch program empowers citizens to become active in community efforts through participation in Neighborhood Watch groups.

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Street Precautions

  • Be alert to your surroundings and the people around you—especially if you are alone or it is dark.
  • Whenever possible, travel with a friend.
  • Stay in well-lighted areas as much as possible.
  • Walk close to the curb.
  • Avoid doorways, bushes and alleys where someone could hide.
  • Walk confidently at a steady pace.
  • Make eye contact with people when walking.
  • Do not respond to conversation from strangers on the street—continue walking.
  • If you carry a purse, carry it securely between your arm and your body.
  • Although a purse-snatcher’s intent is to steal the purse, your personal safety may depend on not clinging to it.
  • Do not use or wear anything that will impede your vision or hearing (i.e. iPods).
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Car Safety

  • Always lock your car doors after entering or leaving your vehicle.
  • Park in well-lighted areas.
  • Have your car keys in your hand so you don’t have to linger before entering your car.
  • Check the interior of your vehicle for intruders before entering your car.
  • If you think you are being followed, drive to a public place or a police or sheriff station.
  • If your car breaks down, open the hood and attach a white cloth to the car antennae.
  • If someone stops to help, stay in your locked car and ask them to call the police, sheriff or a tow truck service.
  • Don’t stop to aid motorists by the side of the road. Make a phone call requesting help for them.
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Home Safety

  • If you plan to be away for an extended period of time, leave a TV or stereo on in a room near the front door or other entry points like side doors or first-floor windows. Use exterior lighting and motion detectors to minimize places where a burglar could easily hide, as well.
  • Install 1-inch deadbolt locks on all exterior doors, and lock all doors before leaving your home or going to bed. 
  • If you get an unexpected knock at the door, check to see who it is before opening it. You can also keep your home security system’s wireless key-chain handy when there’s a stranger at the door, in case you need to call for help in an instant.
  • Burglar-proof your glass patio doors by setting a pipe or metal bar in the middle bottom track of the door slide. The pipe should be the same length as the track. 
  • Your garage door leads directly into your home, so it’s important to keep it closed, including when you’re at home. Home security system components such as an overhead garage door contact can also provide added protection to your home.
  • If you’re going to be away from home for a few days, an unanswered phone may tip off a burglar that no one is home. Also, have a neighbor or friend collect your newspaper and mail. Never cancel delivery – since you don’t know who will get that information.
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