Ring has a message for anyone concerned about its new AI-powered search tool: It’s only for finding lost dogs. However, internal correspondence obtained by 404 Media tells a different story, namely that the same capability forms the basis of a much broader surveillance network.
Ring CEO Jamie Siminoff sent a message to employees after the “Search Party” started. The tool currently tracks missing canines by scanning neighborhood camera images.
But Siminoff called it a starting point. He described a future in which Ring helps “eliminate crime in the neighborhood.” The emails arrived weeks after a Super Bowl ad made the dog finder millions. They also land as the company faces new trouble at home over its expanding role in security and policing.
The CEO’s private ambition
Siminoff didn’t hold back in that October email. “This is by far the greatest innovation we have brought to market in Ring history,” he wrote. He introduced Search Party “first for dog searches.” But he called it the foundation for “the most important pieces of technology and innovation to truly deliver the impact of our mission.”
This mission now includes eliminating crime throughout the neighborhood. “You can now see a future where we can reduce crime in neighborhoods to zero,” Siminoff told staff.
“There is still a lot of work to do to get there, but for the first time ever we have the chance to fully complete what we started,” he added. The company hasn’t explained what “finishing what we started” actually means. Nor was it said how a dog tracker becomes a crime fighter.
How the search for Kirk fits
The 404 media emails directly link Ring to police work. The day after Charlie Kirk was murdered, Siminoff sent employees an Instagram video. It featured a police officer describing how doorbell footage helped track down Kirk’s suspected killer.
“It is so important to create the channel through which public departments can work effectively with our neighbors,” Siminoff wrote. He promoted “Community Requests,” a feature that allows police to formally request footage from Ring users.
Siminoff seems to view high-profile incidents as evidence that deeper police integration is working. This comes after Ring revived its law enforcement partnerships after a brief hiatus in 2023. The company publicly distances itself from the persecution of people. The internal messages indicate a different priority.
What Ring tells the public
The official response sounds nothing like the emails. A Ring spokesman told The Independent that Siminoff’s messages were broadly about long-term potential. No specific product plans. “No single function is designed to eliminate crime,” the spokesman said. Search Party is “specifically designed for specific use cases, such as reuniting lost pets.”
The company values privacy and user choice. Search Party “does not process human biometric data or track individuals,” the spokesperson noted. Sharing footage via community requests is always the camera owner’s decision. But internal news shows a CEO has a much bigger role in mind for Ring.
New features like Familiar Faces and Fire Watch are already rolling out. Watch the gap between what Ring says today and what it’s actually building. That’s where the real story lives.
