x
Breaking News
More () »

'Neighbors' app connects homeowners with real-time safety alerts

Knoxville Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Coordinator Officer John Morgan says this technology helps neighborhood watch groups communicate.

If you want to start a neighborhood watch group, you need not look further than your smartphone.

Neighbors is an app that allows people living near each other to post alerts to a feed. The app connects to the Ring doorbell and camera--that way homeowners can share video of activity that concerns them outside their front door.

Knoxville resident Kaitlyn Nicholson uses both the doorbell and the app.

"I grew up in a neighborhood where we didn't have to lock our doors," said Nicholson. "And unfortunately I don't always get that feeling living in Knoxville."

Since using the doorbell and the app, she said she's seen some weird stuff. She's seen a white van driving up and down her street. She also said a house two doors down got broken into.

When she was on her honeymoon, she saw someone approach her door through an app on her phone.

"As soon as I spoke to them they ran," Nicholson said.

Nicholson can share that video with her neighborhood on the Neighbors app. Another Knoxville homeowner's device captured video of a man delivering groceries that the homeowner didn't order.

Knoxville Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Coordinator Officer John Morgan says this technology helps neighborhood watch groups communicate. He's seen several groups use Nextdoor, another social site. He says it can also help police do their work.

"Those eyes and ears report things to us," Morgan said.

Nicholson recommends people at the very least get on the app so they can see what's going on in their neighborhood.

"And you can say, ok, this might be an issue, or you may recognize someone and be able to help with an active police investigation," Nicholson said.

Before You Leave, Check This Out