Dutchtown CID Pilots Merchant Smart Badges as Part of Connected Dutchtown Safety Initiative
ST. LOUIS (First Alert 4) - Businesses in Dutchtown are trying out a new type of security badges in a partnership with a local tech startup.
The pilot program, led by the Dutchtown Community Improvement District, will provide wearable security badges to 20 neighborhood businesses. The devices, developed by St. Louis-based startup Kwema, allow users to discreetly call for help when pressed.
Caya Aufiero, the director of the Dutchtown CID, said the taxing district already funds infrastructure like security cameras and license plate readers. She said that using the security badges would help add an extra layer of security, especially for small businesses in the neighborhood with only one or two employees. She said part of the pilot involves determining who would receive the notification from the buttons. It could potentially call police or even nearby businesses, allowing the neighborhood to take control of its own security. “We can do it ourselves as part of the entire package, working with police, working with other neighborhood organizations.”
Kwema came to St. Louis because of an Arch grant the company received through Greater St. Louis, Inc. in 2020. Kwema’s founder, Ali Jabry, described the badge as a simple, wearable panic button. The badges have been used in hospitals and schools, but this will be one of the first attempts to implement them in a commercial district setting. “I think this can be a blueprint for other cities, but more importantly I think it can put a light on frontline struggles. That’s what our mission is,” Jabry said.
John Chen of the Neighborhood Innovation Center, which runs the CID, described the buttons as an example of ways that neighborhoods like Dutchtown can find innovative solutions to addressing crime. “Solving a community safety problem requires innovation and experimentation,” he said.
Jordette Barnes, the owner of Creative Expressions on Meramec Street, is one of the 20 businesses participating in the pilot. “It brings peace of mind, I think. It won’t hurt anything. It just adds to what you use for security,” she said.
The badges will be unveiled at the Dutchtown Safety Summit this weekend. The pilot will last six months, after which the CID will evaluate its effectiveness and decide whether to expand the program to more businesses.
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