500 Bodegas Getting Emergency Alert Buttons

By Y.M. Lowy

New York City will soon install panic buttons in 500 bodegas with high levels of crime, Mayor Eric Adams announced. The goal is to help workers call police immediately during emergencies.

The system, called “SilentShield,” is being funded through a $1.6 million emergency grant. It comes after a recent fatal stabbing in a bodega in Harlem. 

The buttons will connect directly to the NYPD and also link store cameras so police can see what’s happening in real time. Workers will be trained on how to use the devices.

Officials said they will not reveal which stores have the buttons for safety reasons. 

Photo Credit: Benny Polatseck/Mayoral Photography Office