SAN ANTONIO — A prominent method used by law enforcement to obtain Ring doorbell video is now phasing out, prompting concern among some local police departments.
The Amazon-owned company announced via a blog the intention to remove the Request for Assistance (RFA) tool, which affords public safety agencies the ability to ask for Ring video through the Neighbors app.
“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,” said in the statement addressed by Eric Kuhn, Ring’s head of Neighbors.
Cibolo Police Department is among the agencies in Bexar County that used the RFA tool to help prevent and investigate alleged crimes ranging from porch pirates to burglaries.
Users asked to provide video had the ability to reject the request.
“The Ring Neighbors app is really unique in that we can set a geofence electronically on a certain area and so if a crime occurred on one street, we can put a request out to a certain number of blocks or a mile radius in that area and that saves a whole lot of time from going door to door,” said Officer Matt Schima. “With there a change in their policy it’s just going to slow us down as far as being able to receive that footage.”
Schima noted law enforcement will still be able to request the footage through traditional legal routes. He added police can continue to make public posts in the Neighbors app asking for footage. But from now on, police departments can’t receive the footage directly from users through the app. He also addressed privacy concerns raised by some in the community.
“We have never had direct access to cameras or camera footage. It’s always been where they have to provide it through their own consent,” Schima said.
It’s been more than two months since Abigail Kasten’s Ring camera captured a man stealing her packages in the middle of the day in San Antonio’s Braun Willow neighborhood. At the time, Kasten was working from home but ignored her dog’s barking, which is when the unwelcome porch pirate made his move. That same man shown in the video was also seen in other neighborhoods taking packages.
“In order for it to be a safe area, safe neighborhood, we have to work together,” Kasten said.
Kasten said she sees the pros and cons of Amazon’s removal of the RFA tool within Ring’s Neighbors app. But in her case, the tool proved beneficial despite no arrests.
“I know it was important in my situation to have access. I think if you take the tool away, I would feel like you’re taking something away from me,” she said.
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