State bill introduced to fund panic buttons, critical safety measures at bodegas
The violence is a constant fear for store owners and their workers.
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Calls to help protect bodegas and delis in the city are being heard after multiple violent and deadly attacks inside the neighborhood businesses this year.
The New York State Bodega Act of 2025, introduced by Bronx Assemblyman George Alvarez, would direct the Division of Criminal Justice Services to establish a grant program supporting security upgrades for bodegas, food marts and similar small retail establishments. Panic buttons that are connected to the NYPD and would alert them immediately in an emergency would be included.
"In areas like this people get mad, maybe they're on drugs or something and they get mad for no reason, sometimes if you put the wrong sauce, they might come back and throw something at you," said a deli clerk at a Soundview deli who did not want to be identified for safety reasons.
The violence is a constant fear for store owners and their workers. It's why the United Bodegas of America, the union that represents city bodegas has been sounding the alarm to get funding for potentially lifesaving technology like panic buttons.
"We had three people that died in one week inside bodegas a month ago, this is not a joke," said Fernando Mateo, a spokesperson for the United Bodegas of America.
Jario Deli, on Soundview Avenue, was one of a handful of bodegas that had a panic button installed last year.
"Now that they installed the panic button, we feel more secure than before, before we were with not any security but right now with that decision, I feel more comfortable because we come to work but we don't know what could happen but now we have more security we can go back home to our family," said Jenry Guerero, who manages the deli.
In March, Rep. Ritchie Torres introduced a similar bill, Bodega Act of 2025 on the federal level. Additionally, Mayor Eric Adams recently promised $1.6 million in the city budget to fund panic button installations at roughly 500 bodegas across the city.
"We need help on all levels, city, state and federal, introducing a bill is only the start and we've got the start now we need it to happen," said Mateo.
