CVS Health installs time-delay safe technology at all Arizona pharmacy locations

PHOENIX — CVS Health recently announced it has completed installing time-delay safe technology in all of its 198 Arizona pharmacy locations, including those located in Target stores, to reduce robbery and organized retail crime.

“Criminal activities that organized retail crime rings fund are a clear danger to our communities, so it is important that retailers, law enforcement and political leaders work together to solve this problem,” Thomas M. Moriarty, chief policy officer and general counsel of CVS Health, said in a press release.

“Time delay safes can help reduce the theft and diversion of prescription medications and bring added security to our stores which creates a safe environment for our patients and colleagues.”

The company said the technology electronically delays the time it takes for pharmacy employees to open a safe and it cannot be overridden, which aims to help prevent robberies and the potential for associated diversion of medications such as oxycodone and hydrocodone.

CVS Health first debuted the time-delay safes in 2015 at locations across Indianapolis.

The technology was brought to Arizona in partnership with Attorney General Mark Brnovich and the agency’s organized retail crime task force created last year by the state legislature and the Arizona Retailers Association.

“Our office is proud to take such an aggressive stand against organized retail theft,” Brnovich said in the release.

“We applaud CVS for taking these proactive measures to help deter criminal behavior and reduce the chances of opioid and other controlled substance medications from unlawfully entering and endangering our communities.”

Since implementing the technology in 21 states, the company said it has witnessed a 50% decline in robberies at CVS pharmacies.

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