Smart video doorbells let people see, hear and talk to visitors and there are hundreds of these high tech devices in Greenfield, keeping criminals away.
When visitors press the Ring smart doorbell or set off the system's motion detector, an alert is sent to the homeowner's smartphone through the smartphone application.
"This Ring Neighborhood App is a game changer for us because it's a 21st-century neighborhood watch application," said Chief Bradley Wentlandt with the Greenfield Police Department.
"It doesn't matter where you are because you're connected through your phone to the camera at your house. I personally was in Florida a few weeks ago. A solicitor came to my door. I was able to tell them to take it to my neighbor. They thought I was in the house," Wentlandt said.
Police say these cameras could be better than a snarling dog.
''We've seen video of people walking up. They see the cam and just turn around and walk away," Wentlandt said.
The Greenfield Police Department is partnering with Ring to distribute the smart video doorbells to homeowners in the community.
Residents don't have to have a Ring device to get the app. You can download the app to be a part of the 21st-century neighborhood watch.
