New York City will spend $1.6 million to equip hundreds of bodegas with emergency panic buttons, Mayor Eric Adams announced Sunday.

Speaking outside a Bronx bodega, Adams said the funding will pay for devices known as “SilentShields” that allow store workers to instantly alert police in emergency situations.

When activated, the “SilentShield” system will connect cameras inside the bodegas directly to precincts, giving NYPD officers the ability to see crimes taking place in real time, officials said.

“[It’s] a panic button that you will immediately be able to hit, that is going to alarm the police. It's going to be connected directly to the local precinct,” Adams said. “When you do the combination, it's going to give you access to the cameras in the store to see what is taking place and how we can get an immediate response."

Officials said the devices will first be installed in around 500 bodegas across the five boroughs, prioritizing stores in high-crime areas.

The investment is included in Adams’ executive budget for Fiscal Year 2026. The city is distributing the funds through an emergency grant to the United Bodega Association, the mayor said in a release.

The United Bodega Association plans to begin installing the buttons in the coming months after soliciting bids for the technology, according to the release.

The announcement followed two violent incidents at separate bodegas last week.

In one case, which was captured on surveillance video, four suspects impersonated police officers, displayed firearms and fled with a bag of stolen lottery tickets, according to the NYPD. The incident prompted calls from local lawmakers and bodega owners to install the panic buttons.