The Woodstock City Council has approved police access to data collected by the Ring video doorbell and Flock license plate reader systems.
The Woodstock Police Department will become a designated public agency user of the Neighbors App, where Ring owners post video and other information, Police Chief Calvin Moss told the council. Police may request videos from Ring users, and users can choose whether or not to share video recordings with police.
“Such video has provided valuable leads for our detectives on car break-ins as well as porch package thieves,” Moss said. “We have solved multiple crimes through the use of Ring and similar home security video.”
The council also approved an agreement with Flock, which operates a city license plate reader at Rope Mill Park, as well as readers for private owners that could agree to share data with police. The system alerts police if a stolen vehicle or one flagged by the National Crime Information Center passes by.
There is no cost to the city for access to the Ring or Flock systems, Moss said.
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