Cookeville Police Department is now turning to technology to help with the reporting and awareness of crime throughout the city and the Tech’s campus.
“Neighbors by Ring” is an app that allows users to report crimes in their neighborhood and to upload photo and video evidence to warn the community.
In “Ring,” homeowners can look at cameras placed at their doors in case of intruders. Members in the community of Cookeville can now put their address in when they sign up and it gives crime alerts happening near or in the neighborhood. Members can also report any suspicious activity, and it’s completely anonymous.
“Cookeville started using ‘Neighbors by Ring’ in February this year, and are the first department in Tennessee to sign up,” Capt. Bobby Anderson of the Cookeville Police Department said.
Police haven’t solved a crime with the Ring app because it is fairly new, but they posted videos of suspects who robbed vending machines and of a robbery in Kroger in March, Capt. Anderson said.
“[Neighbors by Ring] allows us to connect with the community. Any way that we can reach out to the community and get feedback from the community is good for us,” Anderson said. “Effective policing is about working with the community.”
“Wildfire” is a similar app to “Neighbors,” but to report crime and alert students of emergencies on college campuses. Any student on the app can post an alert and it’ll be sent straight to the phones of the students using the app, along with any multimedia such as links, pictures, videos, etc.
Students can also talk about different problems they may be having in school and also talk to other students on the app and ask them questions, recreational or school related.
