Oklahoma
These Oklahoma towns are among the safest in the nation: See the list
Austin, OKC listed as top US cities attracting young professionals
A study concluded that young professionals are more open than ever to living in smaller metro areas.
Edmond and four other Oklahoma communities were named among the safest small towns in the U.S., according to a new study.
The study, conducted by Vivint, a home security system brand, used FBI property crime data from 2023 to determine which small towns were the safest. The company analyzed trends for property crime, larceny, motor vehicle theft and robbery for U.S. towns with populations of 50,000-100,000 residents.
Analysts ranked the towns by weighing each variable equally to determine which were the safest. Vivint’s list included 425 towns, shedding light on where safety is prioritized and the factors that make these towns stand out.
Here’s a breakdown of where Oklahoma towns ranked in the study and why, as well as a round-up of the top towns on the list and some tips from the company to protect your personal property.
What are the safest small towns in the U.S.?
These 10 small towns were found the safest, according to Vivint.
- Columbus, Indiana
- Wheaton, Illinois
- Saratoga Springs, Utah
- Jacksonville, North Carolina
- Little Elm, Texas
- Sammamish, Washington
- Newton, Massachusetts
- Little Elm, Texas
- Yucaipa, California
- Chino Hills, California
What Oklahoma towns are the safest?
According to Vivint, Edmond was ranked as Oklahoma’s safest town and 132nd safest nationwide. The city has the fewest property crimes among Oklahoma cities on the list with a rate of 156.4 crimes per 10,000 residents. Edmond also has 129 larcenies, 9 vehicle thefts and 1.5 robberies per 10,000 residents, according to FBI data.
Second to Edmond, Moore also stood out among Oklahoma towns in the study with fewer larcenies (116.4) per 10,000 residents.
On the other side of the scale, Enid has the state’s highest rate of property crimes per 10K residents at 282.7, Midwest City has the highest rate of larceny at 192.5, and Lawton has the highest robbery rate at 7.1, according to study data.
For scale, the town ranked lowest in the list of safest towns was San Leandro, California. That community has 593.6 property crimes, 301 larcenies, 230 vehicle thefts and 43.5 robberies per 10,000 residents, according to study data.
Here’s a breakdown of how Oklahoma towns ranked on the list:
- 132. Edmond
- 152. Moore
- 251. Lawton
- 260. Enid
- 265. Midwest City
How to protect your personal property
Here are some practical tips from Vivint to help safeguard your belongings, whether you live in a safe small town or in more populated areas with a higher crime activity:
- Install security cameras and alarms: Security systems act as both a deterrent and a means to gather evidence if a crime occurs. Smart cameras with motion detection and remote monitoring features can provide added peace of mind.
- Lock your doors and windows: It may sound simple, but consistently locking all entry points, including car doors, can significantly reduce the risk of theft. Most property crimes are crimes of opportunity, and an unlocked door is an open invitation.
- Keep valuables out of sight: Avoid leaving expensive items like electronics, jewelry, or shopping bags visible through windows in your home or car. Use blinds or curtains to obscure valuables in your home and store items in the trunk of your car when parked.
- Light up your property: Motion-activated outdoor lighting can deter criminals by removing the cover of darkness. Well-lit properties are less attractive targets for burglars and thieves.
- Get to know your neighbors: A strong community network can help prevent crime. Neighbors who look out for one another are more likely to spot and report suspicious activity, adding an extra layer of protection.
Oklahoma
Putnam City West moves to virtual learning after student incident
Putnam City West High School will shift to virtual learning on Tuesday after an incident involving two students prompted an investigation by the district and Oklahoma City police, according to Putnam City Schools.
District officials said administrators were alerted near the end of the school day Monday to an altercation involving two students in the school’s arena area.
Officials said the students left campus, and the case was turned over to Putnam City Campus Police and the Oklahoma City Police Department for investigation.
District officials said no students or staff were harmed and there is no ongoing safety threat related to the incident.
What we know
Putnam City West sent the following email to all families and staff at the school:
All PCW students and staff will transition to virtual learning for Tuesday, April 21st.
Today, an isolated serious incident involving two students occurred on school grounds. Near the end of the school day, administrators were alerted to an altercation between two students in the arena area. The individuals involved quickly left campus, prompting an initial fact-finding response by school administrators before the matter was turned over to Putnam City Campus Police and the Oklahoma City Police Department for further investigation. Because this is an active investigation involving students, no further information will be released at this time.
We understand this information may be concerning to students, staff, and families. Please know we are committed to maintaining a safe, secure, and positive learning environment for all students. At Putnam City Schools, student and staff safety remains our highest priority. Therefore, out of an abundance of caution and to allow for a thorough investigation, all PCW students and staff will transition to virtual learning for Tuesday, April 21st. Students will need to check Google Classroom for updates from teachers.
Thank you for your understanding and continued support of PC West.
Putnam City Schools
All students and staff at Putnam City West will transition to virtual learning on Tuesday, April 21, while investigators continue their work, according to the district.
Students were told to check Google Classroom for instructions from teachers.
The district said it is withholding additional details because the case involves students and remains under investigation.
School officials have not said what triggered the incident or whether any arrests have been made.
This is a developing story. Updates will be added as more information becomes available.
Oklahoma
Oklahoma launches program letting adults use past credits, test scores to earn diplomas
TULSA, OKLA (KTUL) — A new program in Oklahoma is giving adults another way to finish high school by allowing them to use past credits and test scores to earn a diploma, an option officials say could help thousands of people and strengthen the state’s workforce.
For years, adults in Oklahoma who did not finish high school largely had one main option: earning a GED. Now, Oklahoma CareerTech is rolling out the Career Readiness Diploma, a pathway designed to build on what students have already completed rather than requiring them to start over.
“So in Oklahoma right now, if you look at the demographics, we have about 279,000 people in our state without a high school diploma. So it’s almost 10% of our population doesn’t have a high school diploma,” said Lance Allee, an adult education and family literacy specialist with Oklahoma CareerTech.
Allee said the program allows adults to apply previously earned high school credit and combine different assessment scores into a single record to qualify for a diploma.
“It allows the student to use previously earned high school credit. So, it’s kind of like a portfolio where you can take multiple assessment scores and put them into one portfolio to get your high school diploma,” Allee said.
The program is open to adults 21 and older. In some cases, officials said, participants can finish in just weeks, depending on how many credits they already have.
CareerTech officials say the program is also aimed at improving job prospects for individuals while helping Oklahoma remain competitive when attracting employers.
“When you’re a company and you’re looking at moving into Oklahoma, you look at the demographics and say, is there a workforce there that we can employ? And you say, well, about 10% of the population doesn’t have a diploma, they may start looking at states that surround us. So, we definitely want to get as many diplomas out there as we can,” Allee said.
The program started issuing diplomas in recent weeks, and officials said dozens more people are already in the process. For more information or to sign up click here.
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Oklahoma
Cord Rager’s Return, Consistent Hitting Earns Oklahoma First SEC Sweep of Missouri
NORMAN — Cord Rager’s return comes at a pivotal time for Skip Johnson’s Oklahoma Sooners. Not only do they get their day three starter back in time for big road matchups against Auburn and Arkansas on the horizon, but the Sooners pitching strength, their rotational depth, is primed and ready for the test.
The freshman lefty finished with eight strikeouts and only gave up one hit in only 65 pitches before his day ended in the sixth.
No. 14 Oklahoma earn its first conference sweep of the season, defeating Missouri 8-4. It was OU’s fourth conference series win.
Oklahoma (27-12, 10-8) put their best foot forward as they turn the page to the meat of their schedule where they will do battle against No. 13, No. 20 and No. 16 over the next three weeks — two of those series’ on the road.
Four runs in five hits in the second got things rolling for the Sooners.
Camden Johnson continued his brilliant play of late with a triple in the second. This came after a Brenden Brock solo home run to put OU up 1-0. Deiten LaChance grounded out to short but scored Johnson. Dasan Harris and and Nolan Stevens each found home before the inning ended.
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OU found fortune from the plate again in the fourth. Four runs off of four hits highlighted by a three-run home run by Johnson put Oklahoma up 8-0. It was Johnson’s seventh home run of the season, second on the team behind Brock’s nine.
Trent Collier got the nod in the sixth to relieve Rager.
In the seventh, Missouri finally got on the board for the first time since the ninth inning of Friday night’s Sooner victory. Cam Durnin hit a solo shot — his fourht of the season — to make the score 8-1 in favor of the home team.
The Tigers got their third hit of the game shortly after. From there, Collier’s short day was done. Gavyn Jones came on to relieve
LaChance missed a home run by inches when Tiger center fielder Kaden Peer made a leaping catch, jumping into the fence.
In the eighth, the Tigers continued to chip away. With bases loaded, Blaze Ward hit a basehit to score two Missouri base runners. OU led 8-3 heading into the final inning.
Harris led the Sooners with three hits. His day was accented by an RBI, stolen base and a run.
Oklahoma will travel to Auburn to take on the No. 13 Tigers for a three game series starting on Friday. Before that, they will host Oral Roberts for a midweek game at Kimrey Family Stadium in Norman. The Sooners won 4-0 against ORU earlier this season.
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