We spent 58 hours investigating crime rates and home security companies in Oklahoma City to give you the information you need to protect your family and your home. Our research found that the best home security companies in OKC are Frontpoint, Protect America and Vivint. We investigated several features including installation types, monitoring fees, contract terms and plan options to help you figure out how to choose the best home alarm system. Use our guide below to compare features and find the best home security system for you.
If you live in the city limits of OKC and are getting a home security system, you need to get an alarm permit. It costs $27 for a new permit and $17 to renew one, which you'll have to do every year. These fees help pay for the cost of police and fire response when your alarm goes off.
If you don't have an alarm permit and you have a false alarm, the city will bill you $65 if the police respond and $107 if the fire department responds. If you have a permit, you can have three false alarms a year without getting the extra bill.
Several OKC suburbs also require permits. Moore has a one-time fee of $25, but your annual renewal is free. Norman charges $25 for a new permit and $10 for the annual renewal, and Yukon charges $50 a new permit and $10 to renew each year.
These 5 high crime areas reveal a need for better home security in OKC
Overall, Oklahoma City is more dangerous than 93 percent of American cities, but within the city, some areas are more dangerous than others. If you live in one of these areas, a home security system might provide you some extra peace of mind.
The Capitol: The Capitol View neighborhood and areas to the northeast towards Martin Luther King Avenue have some of the highest crime rates in the city.
Airpark: Just south of the river, Airpark, Capitol Hill and the surrounding neighborhoods have higher crime than most of OKC. In fact, three murders in 2017 occurred in this area.
Lake Hefner: The area east of Lake Hefner, including neighborhoods like Heritage Park, Heritage Oaks and Quail Creek, also have more documented crimes than many other places in OKC. However, these neighborhood are bordered by low crime areas, so it may be hard to predict how safe property in this general area is.
Will Rogers Airport: Although the area south of Will Rogers Airport is one of the safest in the city, the neighborhoods to the north and east of the airport, like Hillcrest, Mayfield and Southern Oaks, are fairly high crime.
Moore: Moore is a suburb on the southern edge of OKC. The northwestern corner of the city, including neighborhoods like Westmoor, Silverleaf and Regency Park, have a relatively high number of crimes.
Crime rate per 1000
Murder
Rape
Robbery
Breaking and entering
2016
46.84
78
445
1,144
5,545
2015
47.22
73
480
1,192
5,823
2014
51.85
45
434
1,126
6,636
Data not yet available for 2017
DIY vs. professional home alarm installation in OKC
When it comes to choosing DIY or professional home alarm installation for your home security system, neither option is necessarily better than the other. Depending on your house, one option might be better for you.
Oklahoma City was founded near the end of the nineteenth century, and many of the houses are old. If you live in a Historic Preservation District, like Crown Heights or Mesta Park, you might want to choose a DIY home security company because they typically offer wireless security systems. Older homes in those kinds of neighborhoods may have architectural details that you could damage if you drill holes to install a permanent security system. If you're putting up security cameras outside, check with your neighborhood association to make sure they won't violate any codes about a historical aesthetic.
The southwestern side of OKC is seeing a surge of new developments, a home alarm company that offers professional security system installation might be a good choice. Modern building codes mean it should be easy for burglar alarm installers to add to your electrical system, and you won't need to worry about damaging historic details.
Home security cameras help catch OKC criminals
Home security cameras have a lot of perks. You can check in on your kids or your pets when you're not home, and you can see if someone burglarizes your home, which will give the police a better chance of catching them.
In the past few years, many OKC residents' security cameras have caught thieves stealing packages and breaking into homes. News 9 reported on several of these incidents. One homeowner got video of someone stealing $3,000 worth of tools from his garage at his house in southwest Oklahoma City. A homeowner in the Ski Island subdivision in northwest OKC caught a man stealing a package off of his front porch on his security camera. In both of these cases, the residents were able to turn the videos over to police, and we aired them on News 9 to help identify and catch the thieves.
Regardless of the neighborhood you live in, security cameras can help you feel safer and help police find the perpetrator if anything bad happens.
Protect America offers three home security plans, so you can choose the protection that’s right for you. If you want security cameras, consider their most advanced home security plan. In online reviews, customers in Oklahoma report that Protect America offered much lower prices than its competitors, making it ideal for budget-conscious customers.
Frontpoint is a national home security company with high online ratings, and OKC customers report that the company provides good customer service. They have wireless security systems, so Frontpoint could be a great choice if you live in an older home or don’t want to install a permanent system in a rental house.
OKC reviewers like all the technology available on Vivint home security systems. If you want to include smart home features, and you want a professional burglar alarm installer to do all the work, consider Vivint as your home security provider. You’ll be able to design a home security plan based on your needs.
Globalink Security System has provided home security systems in Oklahoma for 20 years and has some of the lowest fees for alarm systems monitoring in OKC. You decide what features to add, so you don’t pay for more than you need. Lots of reviewers like the company specifically because of its competitive home security system prices.
Guardian
Monthly Monitoring Fee: $17.95
Guardian provides professional home security installation in OKC for residents who want a home alarm system without the hassle of DIY installation. Online reviewers report that the burglar alarm installers are helpful and say the company offers good customer service. People also like that installation is free and that they can move the security system if they relocate.
Security Options
Monthly Monitoring Fee: $15.95
Security Options receives positive reviews from OKC consumers. Reviewers say the home security company has good customer service and cheaper home security equipment than many competitors. You can choose to have a new system installed, just have your existing alarm system monitored or add new smart tools to your older security system.
SoSmart
Monthly Monitoring Fee: $49.99
SoSmart has one price no matter how many smart devices or sensors you connect to it, so they don’t hook you with a low price only to inflate the monthly monitoring fee when you add all the home security equipment you need. Online reviewers love the work done by the professional installation team.
Cox Homelife Solutions
Monthly Monitoring Fee: $29.99
In addition to home security systems, Cox also provides internet, cable and phone services to the OKC area. It might be a good choice if you don’t want a separate bill to remember. A few online reviewers said they managed to negotiate their alarm system prices when they called the company.
ALCOM Security Systems
Monthly Monitoring Fee: $40.00
ALCOM offers four home alarm packages that range from basic alarm systems monitoring to advanced plans that allow you set up smart home features. For example, you can set your lights to come on automatically when you disarm the security system. Online reviewers love all these extra features and options.
The Alarm Group
Monthly Monitoring Fee: $38.95
The Alarm Group (TAG), formerly Network Alarm Services, sells new home alarm systems that can incorporate a variety of features, including security cameras. They can also provide alarm systems monitoring if you have an alarm system already and don’t like your current home security provider. Two of their three plans include free service calls.
GSS
Guardian
Security Options
SoSmart
Cox Homelife Solutions
ALCOM Security Systems
The Alarm Group
