by
N:
IT'S A BUSY WEDNESDAY NIGHT AT LOS GUARINOS CANDY STORE ON AMSTERDAM AVENUE AND 161ST STREET. A GROUP OF MEN SIT ON MILK CRATES AND PLAY CARDS. CUSTOMERS SQUEEZE PAST EACH OTHER IN THE NARROW ENTRANCE. AND A TELEVISION SITS ON TOP OF A DRINK CASE, PROJECTING THE CAMERA'S IMAGES, WHICH PROVIDE A 360-DEGREE VIEWPOINT OF THE STORE. EL GUARINO'S OWNER, JOEL OLIVIO, IS PLEASED WITH THE ADDED PROTECTION OF THE NEW SYSTEM.
AX: OLIVIO_HELPS
YEAH IT'S HELPING A LOT. IT'S PROTECTING US, PROTECTING PEOPLE WHO COME OVER HERE, AND PROTECTING EVERYONE OUT HERE BECAUSE THE CAMERA CONTACT OUTSIDE TOO, SO THEY CAN SEE WHAT'S GOING ON OUTSIDE TOO, JUST IN CASE SOMETHING HAPPENS.
14 SECONDS (WITH AMBIENT)
N:
BODEGAS PLAY A VITAL ROLE IN THE CITY'S FOOD SERVICE INDUSTRY, EMPLOYING OVER 65,000 WORKERS AND GENERATING AN AVERAGE OF 7 BILLION DOLLARS IN REVENUE A YEAR. JOSE FERNANDEZ, PRESIDENT OF THE NEW YORK-BASED U.S. BODEGA ASSOCIATION, SAYS BODEGA OWNERS HAVE REPORTED OVER 250 ROBBERIES IN THE PAST TWO YEARS.
AX: FERN_THIEF
IT WAS A DREAM LIKE FOR A LONG TIME FROM EVERY BODEGA AND EVERY PERSON THAT WORKS IN A BODEGA. SINCE BODEGA HAD ALWAYS BEEN VULNERABLE TO THIEF IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD-- YOU KNOW, BODEGAS AND CAB DRIVERS ARE TWO MOST RISKY JOBS IN THE WHOLE NATION BECAUSE WE DEAL WITH CASH ON A DAILY BASIS.
20 SECONDS
N:
A TRIAL PROGRAM WAS LAUCHNED TWO YEARS AGO. THEN U.S. SENATOR CHARLES SCHUMER SECURED $400,000 FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE IN THE 2005 BUDGET, AND LAUNCHED THE CITYWIDE INITIATIVE, "OPERATION SAFE STORE." THE CAMERAS FEED VIDEO TO THE NEW YORK POLICE DEPARMENT. BUT OLIVIO IS NOT WORRIED THAT HIS PRIVACY IS THREATNED.
22 SECONDS
AX:OLIVIO_WATCH
IS THE POLICE WATCHING? I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T KNOW INFORMATION ABOUT THAT. THEY TOLD ME THE UPGRADE OF THESE ALARMS, THE POLICE WILL COME OVER HERE. NOT THEY'RE WATCHING ME ALL THE TIME.
10 SECONDS
N:
NOT EVERYONE IS A PROPONENT OF THE NEW SYSTEM. FAWZY ALI, CO-OWNER OF STOP ONE FOOD MARKET, A BUSY BODEGA ON 47TH STREET AND 10TH AVENUE, THINKS THE PROGRAM IS A WASTE OF TAXPAYER MONEY AND THAT BODEGAS SHOULD JUST BUY THEIR OWN SECURITY SYSTEMS.
11 SECONDS (INCLUDES AMBIENT)
AX: ALI_TAXES
NO, I DON'T THINK SO. THEY'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO WASTE MONEY ON THAT ONE. THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS MUCH BETTER AND MORE IMPORTANT THAN THAT. THAT ONE? ANYONE CAN BUY IT, AND IT'S EASIER TO…EVERYONE TO DO HIS OWN ONE SO THEY CAN CONTROL IT, MANAGE IT MUCH BETTER THAN WASTING MONEY FOR NOTHING.
17 SECONDS
N:
ALTHOUGH THE CAMERAS ARE FREE, ALI SUSPECTS THAT THERE ARE STRINGS ATTACHED.
10 SECONDS
AX: ALI_SYSTEMS
THEY'RE NOT GOING TO GIVE IT TO YOU FOR FREE LIKE THAT. THERE'S INSTRUCTIONS THAT HAVE BE FOLLOWED, YOU HAVE TO BE CONNECTED. THERE IS SOMETHING GOING TO BE IN THE BAG, WHICH IS NOT GOING TO BE COMFORTABLE WITH ANYONE TO USE IT.
9 SECONDS
N:
BUT JOSE FERNANDEZ DEFENDS THE PROGRAM, AND CLAIMS THAT THE POLICE ARE ONLY INTERESTED IN PROVIDING SAFETY. BODEGA OWNERS HAVE TO APPLY FOR THE CAMERAS AND PROVE THAT THEY WERE VICTIMS TO ROBBERY IN RECENT YEARS. IT IS EXPECTED THAT THE NUMBER OF SUBSCRIBERS, CURRENTLY 250, WILL CONTINUE TO RISE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
I'M JOSEPH CHANEY FOR COLUMBIA RADIO NEWS.