In this featured piece by TWICE, the outlet examines how wearable panic-button systems are shifting from niche security tools to a baseline safety standard for retail employees, driven by rising retail violence and new state-level legislation. The article cites the National Retail Federation’s 2025 Impact of Retail Theft & Violence Report, along with New York’s Retail Worker Safety Act and Washington state’s isolated worker safety law, both of which require panic-button access for certain employees. Terry Swanson, president and CEO of Singlewire Software, is quoted alongside leaders from Silent Beacon, Flic Button, WSPER, and Solink, noting that panic buttons are becoming a necessary safety baseline rather than a high-end feature. The piece also outlines how panic-button technology has evolved from fixed, counter-mounted devices to mobile, wearable systems that connect to broader incident-management platforms like Singlewire’s InformaCast.
Key Takeaways
- New York’s Retail Worker Safety Act requires retailers with 500 or more employees nationwide to deploy panic buttons in stores by January 1, 2027.
- Incidents involving threats or acts of violence during retail theft rose 17% year over year, with weapon-related incidents increasing 16%, according to the National Retail Federation’s 2025 report.
- Terry Swanson, president and CEO of Singlewire Software, said panic buttons are becoming a necessary safety baseline that protects employees in shops of every size.
- Enterprise platforms such as Singlewire’s InformaCast layer panic-button alerts into broader communication and incident-response systems, typically priced on a per-user subscription model.
- Panic-button technology is shifting from fixed, counter-mounted devices to wearable, mobile systems that let employees request help from anywhere in a store.
Original Story
Retail theft continues to rise, but so does something more concerning to retailers: violence.
According to the National Retail Federation’s 2025 Impact of Retail Theft & Violence Report, nearly half of retailers surveyed reported increases in violence during a crime, including shoplifting, while 73% said shoplifters are exhibiting heightened aggression.
For consumer electronics retailers, where high-value inventory and confrontational theft often intersect, the question is no longer whether incidents are increasing. It’s whether employees have the tools to respond when a potentially dangerous situation arises.
One increasingly visible answer: the “panic button.”
“Panic buttons aren’t just a high-end security feature – they’re becoming a necessary safety baseline,” observes Terry Swanson, president and CEO of Madison, WI-based Singlewire Software, an SaaS company that offers wearable alert badges and incident management systems.