Nest, Ring Users Partnering With San Ramon Police To Fight Crime

SAN RAMON, CA — With more and more households equipped with home surveillance systems like Nest and Ring, police departments across the nation are discovering ways to use these consumer products to fight crime, according to a recent ABC News report. Locally, the San Ramon Police Department has created a voluntary Surveillance Camera Registry. If a crime occurs in a neighborhood, SRPD can now input the incident address into the registry to check for any registered cameras in the area.

One example of a crime solved using the registry was when a flare was shot into a San Ramon home and police were able to arrest four teens responsible for the dangerous act after officers contacted registrants in the neighborhood.

The way the registry works is easy: Locals voluntarily register online (for free, of course), and San Ramon police will ask to see their videos if a crime occurs in the area, although it's up to residents whether they want to share.

The SRPD is one of the first departments in the Bay Area to create such a registry and investigators are using the tool pretty frequently. Many NorCal cities have followed suit and now offer free surveillance camera registration programs as well. Check with your local police department for more information. To sign up with the SRPD, visit its voluntary Surveillance Camera Registry.

Read the full ABC News story here.