Company awarded major NYC schools ‘panic button’ contract hires firm linked to Adams ally Frank Carone.
A multimillion-dollar contract awarded by Mayor Eric Adams’ administration to a Florida technology firm for the installation of safety “panic buttons” in New York City public schools has raised serious concerns among government watchdogs regarding potential influence-peddling and conflicts of interest. Media reports indicate that the company, SOS Technologies, engaged the services of Oaktree Solutions, a lobbying and consulting firm run by Frank Carone, a close confidant of Mayor Adams and former chief of staff, earlier this year. The firm was contracted to provide “strategic consulting” for SOS Technologies as it pursued the city contract.
While Oaktree Solutions is led by Carone, who resigned from City Hall at the end of 2022, he is no longer bound by the one-year lobbying ban that applies to former city officials. However, it is noteworthy that there is no record of Oaktree employees having directly lobbied city officials prior to the contract’s announcement in October. The potential implications of this business relationship come at a time when the Adams administration has faced scrutiny over ethics practices, particularly as the mayor navigates a term marred by corruption scandals, including his own previously dismissed federal indictment.
The panic button program was officially unveiled at a press conference on October 27 in Brooklyn, where Mayor Adams noted that the initiative would see portable devices installed in 25 public school campuses across the city. These devices allow teachers to swiftly alert emergency services should an incident arise. The preliminary phase has a budget of 0,000 for the first campus, leading to potential total costs nearing million for all installations—a significant investment considering there are approximately 1,800 public schools in NYC.
Sources familiar with the engagement note that the precise timeline of when Oaktree was retained by SOS Technologies remains unclear, as does the specific type of services rendered and the compensation involved. Lobbying in New York City is heavily regulated, requiring transparency regarding efforts to influence government actions. In contrast, strategic consulting agreements are generally subject to far fewer disclosure requirements, raising concerns among some advocates about the ethics of such arrangements potentially serving as loopholes.
As public interest in this initiative grows, it remains uncertain whether Adams’ successor, Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, will be inclined to expand this safety technology throughout the remaining public schools.
Concerns over ethical governance have been heightened in light of previous controversies, including a related contract with SaferWatch, another firm involved in installing panic buttons, which is currently under federal investigation due to its hiring practices. While no allegations of wrongdoing have been leveled against the individuals involved thus far, the situation underscores the ongoing scrutiny of the Adams administration as it nears the end of its term in 2025, a period that has been overshadowed by multiple high-profile scandals and departures of key officials linked to corruption investigations.
The ramifications of this contract, along with the scrutiny it attracts, call into question the transparency and integrity of city operations under Mayor Adams, as stakeholders aim to ensure the effective implementation of safety measures in New York City’s schools without compromising public trust.
