Neighborhood crime has a new force to reckon with, and he’s more than seven feet tall. After taking his defensive prowess off the court, former NBA player Shaquille O’Neal has turned his attention to our communities by way of a partnership with outdoor home security company Ring. Over the course of 2017, the dynamic duo will donate $1 million worth of security devices to homes across the country. Already, the team is working with the sheriff’s department in Clayton County, Georgia, to install Ring Doorbells and Floodlight Cams on homes in the Jonesboro neighborhood.
“I grew up in a tough neighborhood and saw my fair share of crime; our neighborhoods need to be safer,” O’Neal said in a statement. “As a deputy police officer and a Ring customer, I’m excited to partner with the Ring team to further their noble mission of reducing neighborhood crime.”
The security company boasts a number of smart devices meant to keep homes and their inhabitants safe. Devices like the Ring Video Doorbell, Ring Video Doorbell Pro, Ring Stick Up Cam, and the new Ring Floodlight Cam all allow users to monitor their homes from anywhere in the world using a smartphone, tablet, or computer. Anytime one of these connected devices detects movement, a notification is sent to the homeowners. Users can then choose to either take a closer look at their property or even chat with someone at the door using their connected device, thereby creating the illusion that someone is home. Indeed, Ring has been credited with decreasing crime in one Los Angeles neighborhood by 55 percent, a statistic the company is trying to re-create across the nation.
“Working with Ring, Shaquille can share his passion for protecting neighbors,” Jamie Siminoff, the founder and chief inventor of Ring, said in a statement. “Furthermore, he is a Ring customer, which we call a ‘Ring Neighbor,’ so he understands the value of our proactive home security devices and believes in our mission. We are excited to kick off our year-long donation campaign here in Georgia, and we look forward to working closely with him to spread awareness of neighborhood safety and educate homeowners on how to better secure their homes.”
