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Does Ring share your videos with police? How Community Requests work

By LookedApp · Published

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Not automatically. Ring's help center says camera footage is never sent to public safety agencies when they make a Community Request; only videos you pick yourself are shared. Separately, Ring's law enforcement guidelines say it can give police video for a valid search warrant, or immediately in an emergency.

What a request is

Community Requests are posts in Ring's Neighbors feed. A local police or fire agency with a Neighbors Verified account that also uses Axon Evidence posts a request asking people in a set area for video of an incident. Ring's blog announced the U.S. rollout on September 4, 2025, following an April partnership announcement with Axon.

Each request has to include:

  • details about the incident
  • the date and timeframe of the footage wanted
  • the investigator's contact information
  • a map of the area covered
  • a unique investigation code

If you live inside that area, the request shows up in your Neighbors feed and you get a push notification and an email.

People without a Ring camera see the same requests in Neighbors. They can read the details and comment, and they can phone or email the investigator.

If you respond

You tap "Choose Videos to Share", search your own clips (Ring's examples are "blue sedan" and "person with a package"), and select the ones you want. They upload to Axon Evidence, an evidence-management system where the requesting agency controls access.

Before you tap:

  1. Sharing sends your home address and the email address on your Ring account to the investigator along with the video.
  2. Once a video is shared, it can't be retracted or deleted.
  3. You have up to 60 days from the request being published. After that the post stays visible but takes no new videos.
  4. Nobody is required to respond. Ring says the agency isn't told who viewed a request or who ignored it.

When Ring hands over video itself

Ring gives police video content only for a valid search warrant, not a subpoena, and tells the account owner first unless it is legally barred from doing so. When police report imminent danger of death or serious injury, Ring can respond right away and notifies the owner afterward, except where notice could be dangerous. Ring can reach your videos only if you have a Ring subscription and haven't turned on End-to-End Encryption.

Turning the notices off

Email notifications can be switched off in the Ring app: menu (three lines), Control Center, Public Safety, then opt out of Community Requests emails. You can turn them back on from the same screen.

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