FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WOWO): CVS Pharmacy announced Tuesday they have completed their installation of time delay safes in all Indiana locations in an effort to combat the opioid epidemic.
CVS Pharmacy officials along with State Sen. Liz Brown were a part of the announcement at the location on East State Blvd.
The safes, which are in 338 locations across the state, electronically delay the time it takes for employees to open them. Oxycodone and hydrocodone, which are commonly sought after by robbers, are stored in the safes.
“We have seen that time delay safes, combined with the other security policies and procedures in place at our stores, can greatly reduce these incidents and are pleased to roll out this enhanced security measure,” said Everett Moore, Division Vice President of CVS Pharmacy in Indiana. “These safes will help ensure that our pharmacies remain a safe environment for our patients and colleagues.”
Time delay safes were installed in Indianapolis back in 2015. It resulted in a 70 percent decline in pharmacy robberies where the safes were installed.
There is no override for the time delay function. CVS officials say that serves as a deterrent to potential robbers who want to get in and out of stores as quickly as possible.
CVS also has time delay safes in parts of Ohio and across Washington, D.C., Maryland and California. The pharmacy is still evaluating a nationwide rollout of the program.
