The Safety of Living in Edmond OK

Edmond is widely regarded as one of the safest places to raise a family in Oklahoma. It’s not just a perception, though. The data supports it.

Crime Rate in Edmond OK

The crime rate in Edmond is 36% lower than the national average. Moreover, it’s 50% lower than the average in the state of Oklahoma. What many families take comfort in even more is that the rate of violent crime in Edmond is 71% lower than the Oklahoma average. 

Between the low crime rate and the beloved schools, Edmond is a great city to raise a family in, which is one of the main reasons why Edmond is growing so steadily. Even as the population rises, Edmond has never lost the friendliness and security of a small town. The crime rate has remained low year over year.

So how does a growing city maintain the safety it has always enjoyed? To keep crime in Edmond low, the city invests a great deal in public safety. Let’s look at some of the services and programs that help keep Edmond safe.

Edmond Police Department

The Edmond Police Department is headquartered in the downtown area. They have a patrol division and criminal investigations division, which includes a bomb squad, dive team, and even an Underwater Explosive Recovery Specialist. The police department also includes a special services division, which focuses on training, animal services, and crime prevention.

The animal services department is certainly unique for a police department. It offers opportunities for volunteering, fostering, and adoption. How great would it be to get your next pet from a police officer?

The police department obviously places a high value on community involvement. They provide school resource officers, public safety education, and an annual Citizens Police Academy. The Academy is a free 11-week series of workshops that educate participants on the responsibilities and duties of police. The goal of the program is to promote understanding of what police entails. 

The Explorer Post 655 program is similar but targets youth. This program strives to develop future community leaders by educating them on the duties of police officers and the justice system.

To promote traffic safety, the police department also offers a civilian motorcycle school approved by the Oklahoma Highway Safety Office and the Department of Public Safety. Impact Teen Drivers is a safe driving program for young drivers who have violated city traffic ordinances. 

Edmond Emergency Management

Many people do not think about the logistics of responding to emergency calls, but Edmond certainly does. Edmond Central Communications is the hub that answers calls and dispatches responding agencies. They use state-of-the-art technology to handle communications and even serve many districts surrounding Edmond.

Edmond also has several emergency management programs that monitor and respond to events, such as tornados. The city even has a Shelter Registration Program. You can register your storm shelter with the city to help emergency responders locate you more quickly in the event of an emergency. Of course, Homes by Taber includes storm shelters in every one of our homes. If you find your new home in Edmond with us, make sure you take advantage of this great program.

The Emergency Management Department also helps residents be prepared for emergencies, which is the most important part. Having a plan can help you stay calm and confident during uncertain times, and the city can help you make a plan for your family. Check out the city’s emergency planning guide, which has great resources for planning.

Edmond Fire Department

While the Edmond Fire Department is not a direct contributor to the low crime rate in Edmond, it certainly influences safety. This department offers educational fire safety presentations to schools and provides smoke detector installation services. It also teaches an 8-week Citizens Fire Academy on basic fire, emergency rescue, and medical skills. 

A good relationship with residents is critical to the success of fire and police departments. The Edmond Fire Department maintains the trust of the people it serves by doing community outreach, and by being there when you need it most. That way, your fire department is not composed of strangers. In Edmond, it feels more like neighbors helping neighbors.

The Edmond Fire Department even has an education center for kids called Children’s Safety Village. It has a play area with a city park, buildings, streets, traffic lights, and even vehicles. At Children’s Safety Village, kids interact with uniformed firefighters and police officers to learn safety skills. This amazing program helps Edmond children learn everything from crossing streets safety to checking smoke alarms.

On a basic level, these departments and programs help keep people safe and respond to emergencies. But it takes more than that to preserve the peace of mind that residents in Edmond cherish. All of these departments are shining examples of how a city should keep its citizens safe.

In Edmond, you get truly the best of both worlds; the small-town friendliness and well-funded public safety departments make for reliable responses and consistent presence. Just as the community comes together to support the outstanding schools in Edmond, people in Edmond help keep each other safe. 

Homes by Taber is proud to be a home builder in Edmond because we know families will thrive here. Check out where we’re building new homes in Edmond now, and find the perfect community for your family.