HAMPTON, Va. — A Hampton police officer made an arrest with help from the Ring Neighborhood app this week.
Officer Alvin Tatum said he was responding to a call of two men suspected of trying to break into cars when he received a notification on his smartwatch that a new Ring video had been uploaded.
"I pulled over real quick, stopped to take a look and said, 'oh wow, this is what we're out here for,'" Tatum said.
Tatum said the suspect's camouflage pants with a bright orange stripe filled a specific description that he was lacking.
"My first thought was, this is perfect," Tatum said. "I now know who I'm looking for, let's go find them."
A few minutes later, Tatum arrested Deddrick Robinson. Robinson is charged with tampering with an automobile.
"Really it's like real-time information," Tatum said. "This is the first time that something like this has happened but it was very helpful. Getting this from a citizen, you just can't beat it."
Tatum said the doorbell camera effectively served as an additional police report, encouraging proactive policing and cutting down the time it takes to communicate a report to an officer.
He said posts like these allow citizens to be more involved in keeping their communities safe. After this arrest, he said he will continue to check the app regularly and respond quickly.
"It's just going to be another tool in my toolbox when it comes to combating crime," Tatum said.