Oklahoma City was named one of America’s 25 largest cities after the most recent census results were tallied. Our population has grown more than 10 percent since 2010. It’s also the state’s most populated city with more than 655,000 residents. This number is expected to soar during the years to come as the city continues to develop into one of the nation’s major business hubs. Along the way, the need for home security systems is also going to soar.
Good Versus Bad
All this growth is great news for the people who live and work in OKC. In addition to being one of the country’s biggest cities, it’s also among the top 25 cities for small businesses thanks to the low costs of operation and the widespread local talent available to those companies.
Oklahoma City is also home base for numerous major corporations, not the least of which are Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores, BancFirst, and Sonic Drive-In. Skulls Unlimited International, Hobby Lobby, and Globe Insurance Company are only a few of the companies that have headquarters here. Hundreds of other multinational enterprises grace the city as well.
As OKC’s population continues to grow, even more businesses are sure to come into the area. In turn, even more people will flock to the city for new job opportunities and entrepreneurial prospects. All this is bound to benefit Oklahoma City from every possible angle.
Of course, not every aspect of all this advancement is positive. Local crime rates have been increasing by almost 10 percent each year since the growth began to take shape. Naturally, violent crimes, thefts, and home invasions are going to go up in proportion to a city’s population. Having more homes and businesses in the area gives criminals more opportunities for wrongdoing as well.
Taking a Look at the Numbers
Oklahoma City may be one of the largest, most populated, and most opportunistic cities in the state as well as the country, but it’s certainly not one of Oklahoma’s safest cities. It’s not even in the top 20. In fact, it’s number 131 in a list of 139.
Nearly 32,000 crimes were committed in OKC during the last year for which information is available to the public. More than 26,000 of those were property crimes, such as home invasions, burglaries, vehicle thefts, and vandalism. Violent crimes accounted for over 5,600 of the incidents reported during that year.
Battling the Statistics
Based on recent reports, it takes police an average of nine and a half minutes to respond to crime scenes in OKC. They’re here to serve and protect, and they do their jobs well, but it’s a big city with a lot of people to look after. A lot can happen in nine minutes. In the meantime, you need to be equipped to protect yourself.
Many Oklahoma residents argue that a gun is the best home security system a person can own. Quite a few might add that a pit bull makes for an effective supplement. Still, other options are also available.
Several types of home security solutions are on the market these days from inexpensive cameras and whole-house alarm systems to smart systems that allow you to lock the doors and windows, turn on the lights, and arm the alarms remotely from your phone. All of them give you an added layer of protection against crime as you enjoy the countless advantages Oklahoma City has to offer.
