‘Neighborhood

Watch of 2020’

LIVONIA, Mich. – Less than five hours.

That’s all it took Livonia Police to arrest a man,

who hours earlier was caught on video posted on

Ring’s Neighbors app rummaging through the bed of

a pickup parked in a driveway.

Detectives quickly recognized 60-year-old Jeffrey

Couch when they saw the video posted by an app us-

er in mid-August. Within a week, he pleaded no con-

test in court to two attempted larceny charges and

was sentenced to 30 days in jail.

“I truly believe this is the Neighborhood Watch of

2020,” said Livonia Police Capt. Ronald Taig, whose

force was one of the first law enforcement agencies in

Michigan – and is one of more than 400 across the

country – to partner with the Ring Neighbors app

that is owned by Amazon.

Recognizing the growing proliferation of home se-

curity cameras – in doorbells, on floodlights and

porches and at back doors – many law enforcement

agencies are jumping on the latest tech bandwagon

to spot possible crime trends, share safety informa-

tion and request videos from app users in an effort to

stave off and solve crimes.

But Amazon’s Ring app (and others like it) and the

idea of law enforcement joining the “real-time crime

and safety alerts” community is raising concerns

about privacy, profiling, less than transparent pub-

lic-private partnerships and what critics see is an-

other step closer to a Big Brother police state.

Among the worries of some critics is video cap-

tured by Ring and other security systems being

stored online by Amazon and other companies.

“Part of where my concern starts is the secretive

way this all came about,” said Chris Gilliard, a profes-

sor at Macomb Community College in Warren, Michi-

gan.Amazon did not (initially) tell the number of po-

lice across the country they’ve partnered with. That’s

no way a public service should operate,” he said.

In October, more than 30 civil rights groups in the

U.S. signed a letter with concerns, saying the police

partnerships “exemplify the company’s willingness

to do what it takes to expand their data empire ... Am-

azon Ring partnerships with police departments

threaten civil liberties, privacy and civil rights, and

exist without oversight or accountability.”

Ring disputes many of the claims in the letter, say-

Ring’s doorbell camera footage shows Jeffrey Couch, 60, rummaging through

a pickup. Couch pleaded no contest to two attempted larceny charges and

was sentenced to 30 days in jail.LIVONIA POLICE DEPARTMENT VIA RING APP

Christina Hall Detroit Free Press | USA TODAY NETWORK

Amid concerns

about privacy

and profiling,

Ring says its

mission is to help

make

neighborhoods

safer.

See RING, Page 2B

Critics and fans chime in with worry,

praise for Amazon Ring doorbell cams

Capt. Ronald Taig of

the Livonia (Mich.)

Police Department has

used the Ring

Neighborhood app on

his computer screen.

ERIC SEALS /

USA TODAY NETWORK

NEW MEDIA GROUP’S
REVENUES DECLINE 1%

New Media Investment Group, the
company that is set to acquire USA
TODAY owner Gannett, reported a
decline in overall third-quarter reve-
nue and print advertising, offset part-
ly by an increase in digital revenue,
which was helped by a spike in sub-
scriptions. The company said its total
revenue fell 1% to $376.6 million, com-
pared with a year earlier. New Media
reported a net loss of $18.5 million,
about three times the loss from a year
earlier. That figure included $12.
million in costs associated with the
company’s deal to acquire Gannett.

FIAT CHRYSLER JOINS
FORCES WITH PEUGEOT

Fiat Chrysler and France’s PSA Peuge-
ot said Thursday they have agreed to
merge to create the world’s fourth-
largest automaker. Italian-American
Fiat Chrysler has a strong footprint in
North America, while Peugeot is the
second biggest automaker in Europe.
The combined company would be
worth $50 billion, with revenue of 170
billion euros ($189 billion).

FORD TO SEND UPDATES
VIA CELL OR INTERNET

Beginning next year, Ford’s rede-
signed vehicle models will allow soft-
ware updates over the internet or
through cellular phone connections.
Owners will be able to opt in to the
program and get updates over their
home wireless network at no cost.

/DAVID PAUL MORRIS/GETTY IMAGES

USA TODAY ❚ FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2019 ❚ SECTION B

INDEX CLOSE CHG
Dow Jones Industrial Avg. 27,046.23 y 140.
S&P 5 00 3,037.56 y 9.
Nasdaq composite 8,292.36 y 11.
T-note, 10-year yield 1.689 y 0.
SOURCESUSA TODAY RESEARCH, BLOOMBERG

Dow Jones Industrial Avg.

24 ,

26,

27,

28,

AP APRIL OCT.

27 , 046

25,
140. 46

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October – historically a spooky

month for stocks – wasn’t too scary

this year.

An ominous cloud typically hangs

over the market in October due to the

stockmarket crash of 1929, Black Mon-

day in 1987 and the 2008 financial cri-

sis, but stocks bucked the trend this

time around.

Despite Thursday’s losses, the Dow

Jones industrial average rose 1.8% for

the month and put the blue-chip aver-

age within striking distance of a fresh

all-time high. The Standard & Poor’s

500 index hit a record on Wednesday,

ending October 3.3% higher, with the

index up 21% in 2019. The Dow has

climbed 16% so far this year.

“It’s unusual and surprising that

we’d be trading at a new all-time high

in October,” said Andrew Crowell, vice

chairman of wealth management at

D.A. Davidson. “But there are signs of

optimism that this trend could con-

tinue for several more years.”

What’s next for markets in 2 0 19?

The previous seven occasions when

the Standard & Poor’s 500 rallied more

than 20% year-to-date through Octo-

ber saw November and December tally

gains seven times and six times, re-

spectively, according to LPL Financial.

With the broad index back at record

highs, some investors are wondering

what it would take to derail the dec-

adelong bull market. The answer may

lie with the force that powers the U.S.

economy: American consumers.

Major stock averages have re-

bounded after fears about a global

slowdown battered stocks at the end

of 2018. American shoppers have re-

mained resilient, underpinned by a

strong labor market and lower interest

rates.

Strong consumer spending habits

have helped ease investors’ fears

about a possible recession. Consumer

spending, which accounts for more

Did you

survive

a scary

October?

Consumers are a key

for continued growth

Jessica Menton

USA TODAY

See STOCKS, Page 2B