What crime is happening in Myrtle Beach? A new phone app could keep you up to date

A new cell phone application could help the Myrtle Beach Police Department track down suspects and keep the public informed of recent crimes.

Ring Neighborhoods is a virtual neighborhood watch group that allows users to post anonymous videos and ask questions about robberies, police activity, suspicious people and more.

“It’s an opportunity to get another set of eyes in the community,” assistant police chief Marty Brown said during Tuesday’s city council meeting.

If police see a video or information they need for an investigation on the app, they will contact the user for permission to use the content, Brown said.

The department can also post calls they are responding to to keep the community informed.

Through the provided information, a map is compiled, showing where crimes occurred in the City of Myrtle Beach and what kind of crime it was, including homicides and shootings.

The app is free to use for both the public and the police department. While any videos or statements posted by a user are anonymous, Ring Neighborhoods does ask for a name, email address and home address when signing up.

According to terms of service provided by Ring to Myrtle Beach police on Nov. 14, the company is responsible for making the app available for free, working with police to obtain data and call logs to publish relevant events on the app and to donate Ring cameras to the department or the Myrtle Beach area.

Ring offers several types of cameras for sale. However, users do not have to own a Ring camera to participate in the program.

According to the terms of service, the police department will decide how the cameras are distributed.

This story was originally published December 11, 2018 at 2:45 PM.