LPD partnering with Neighbors app to solve crimes

Doorbell and home surveillance systems have been rising in popularity in the past few years and the Lincoln Police Department is capitalizing on those cameras with a new partnership with a popular home security system.

The Neighbors app from doorbell surveillance company Ring will soon be the newest asset to LPD.

"People will get on there and upload ‘Hey I saw this suspicious activity' and they’re communicating with the people in their zip code or maybe just their neighborhood," said Officer Angela Sands with the Lincoln Police Department.

The app allows people to choose their neighborhood and receive crime alerts if LPD is investigating an incident near their home.

"Were able to get onto that app and communicate with neighbors in that area,” said Sands. “Look at anything they've uploaded or want to provide to us to help."

Videos captured through Ring and home surveillance videos have helped Lincoln police solve countless crimes in the past. The partnership will also help LPD request potential suspect video from Ring users in the area of crimes.

"We can then alert any of the Ring device owners in that neighborhood to say hey were looking for this suspect at this time, this is what they were driving and then Ring will send out an alert to any of their device owners alerting to what we’re looking for," said Sands.

You don’t even have to have a Ring device to submit content to the app.

"Whether it’s a different brand of doorbell video or cell phone that you took of something that could be suspicious, you’re still able to upload to this Neighbors app," said Sands.

LPD says the partnership with the app will be fully implemented no later than next week.