Due to an increase in crimes taking place at New York City bodegas, the city will start a $1.6 million initiative that to equip about 500 stores throughout the city to give them the chance to press a panic button if a crime is about to or is taking place.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced that the program. The selected bodegas, located in high-crime neighborhoods, will have “SilentShield” buttons connected to the New York City Police Department (NYPD) that can be pressed in case of emergency.
Cameras will also be installed in the corner stores so that police officers can see any potential or actual crimes taking place in real-time.
“This program will bring peace of mind to our bodega owners while protecting the working-class New Yorkers who work and frequent bodegas,” Adams said in a statement. “Our bodegas are essential to New York City, and with this investment, we’re telling these small businesses: Your city has your back.”
This is being distributed through an emergency grant to the United Bodega Association (UBA), which has been fighting for better protection for the stores in the city. This investment will attempt to ensure that bodegas, critical small businesses that support city neighborhoods in the five boroughs, have the security and support they need to keep their staff and customers safe.
Source: NYC Bodegas Will Soon Have Panic Buttons In Response To Rising Crime
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