A rise in robberies at businesses in Paterson during the pandemic has led to a new partnership with store owners and police.

The city's Business Safety Alliance is designed to improve surveillance of businesses by police to reduce break-ins and other crimes.

Dr. Jabeen Ahmed, owner of Sheefa Pharmacy, says the increased partnership with police has kept her business safe.

"We were actually given a heads up from the police department to take extra precautions about some of the activities that were going on in the city, and we did that. And thanks to them we, as a business, feel very safe in Paterson and we were able to prevent anything from actually happening here," Ahmed says.

As part of the alliance, police are able to connect to security cameras purchased by business owners.