New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced on May 4th that the city will allocate $1.6 million to install “panic buttons” in 500 grocery stores in high-crime areas across the five boroughs in response to a series of violent incidents in grocery stores. The goal is to reduce crime rates effectively by shortening the response time for emergencies.
On that day, Mayor Adams held a press conference with representatives from the United Bodega Association (UBA) in front of a deli called “Pamela Green Deli” in the Bronx. He mentioned that these devices will be installed in the coming weeks and executed by the Silent Shield company.
The installed panic buttons will directly connect to the New York City Police Department (NYPD) command center, bypassing the traditional 911 reporting process to shorten the police response time. However, the specific list of stores where the devices will be installed will not be publicly disclosed to increase uncertainty and deterrence for potential criminals.
Adams stated, “Firstly, businesses with these buttons can immediately contact the police; secondly, the 500 devices spread throughout the city also bring a deterrent effect to potential offenders.”
In April of this year, UBA publicly called for assistance from the city government due to two consecutive fatal attacks in the Bronx. UBA and the public safety technology company SaferWatch initiated a pilot program last June, installing panic buttons in 50 grocery stores in high-risk areas. However, due to poor integration with the police system, response times were still not optimal, leading to criticism. Businesses hope that the newly installed emergency alarm systems can truly be effective this time.
Spokesperson Fernando Mateo from UBA has been advocating for emergency buttons for years, stating, “These buttons will save many lives, not only for grocery store owners and employees but also for those seeking refuge inside the stores but falling victim to attacks.”