To address growing concerns over the safety of New York City’s small businesses, Mayor Eric Adams announced a $1.6 million initiative to equip 500 bodegas with emergency panic buttons.
The initiative, announced by Adams on May 4 outside a Bronx deli, will allow workers to alert the NYPD instantly in moments of crisis.
The city has opted not to disclose the locations receiving the devices — a strategic move to deter potential criminal activity. The plan is to install panic buttons in bodegas across NYC using SilentShield technology.
The SilentShield panic buttons will be installed in the next few months, following years of demands for them by the United Bodegas of America to protect deli employees from danger.
Last year, the UBA urged for panic buttons and alarms to be installed after two violent incidents — a fatal stabbing and a fatal shooting — occurred within hours of one another.
SilentShield will link bodegas’ cameras to NYPD precincts’ cameras, enabling officers to witness incidents unfold in real time.
The direct connection will decrease the time needed for help to arrive when workers’ safety is at risk.
Workers will also be trained to operate the devices in collaboration with the NYPD.
UBA spokesperson Fernando Mateo is enthusiastic that the life-saving technology he has long advocated for is finally becoming a reality.
“The money is now being allocated, we will ask the mayor to try and find it from discretionary funds, so that we can start tomorrow. There’s no reason we can’t start tomorrow,” Mateo told ABC 7 News.
“For too long, bodega workers have suffered in silence, while help was out of reach. But today, that silence ends,” Mateo said.
Adams also expressed support for the initiative during a news conference.
“Instead of just having the cats keeping away the rats, we’re gonna have a direct connection with the police to keep away those dangerous cats that try to rob our stores,” Adams said.
The panic button initiative marks a step toward safeguarding bodega workers across NYC — a measure that many feel is long overdue.
With real-time police access and trained employees, SilentShield promises faster emergency response.
With installations to begin soon, officials and advocates alike hope this investment will bring peace of mind to those who serve their communities daily.
