Best Home Security Systems in Denver, CO

Although it's an excellent place to work and live, Denver experiences significantly more property crime than the national average:

Denver vs. national crime rates (per 1,000 citizens)

The Denver neighborhoods with the highest burglary rates are Five Points, Stapleton, Auraria and the areas around Denver International Airport. Some of the safest areas of the city include Whittier, Skyland, Chaffee Park, Sun Valley and Barnum West. Regardless of where you live in Denver, installing a home security system helps keep you, your loved ones and your possessions safe.

When you have decided to invest in a security system, follow these steps during your initial decision-making process:

1. Look for a home security system in Denver that fits your house. Newer builds utilize technology that’s fully integrated into the home and can be adjusted from your smartphone — some systems can adjust the lights and temperature remotely. However, homeowners with older houses in Aurora or Thornton may not wish to feed wires through their homes or stress old electrical systems, which makes a wireless system a good choice.
2. Make sure any Denver home security company you consider installs UL-listed equipment and is licensed in the state of Colorado and the city of Denver.
3. Check with your friends and family, read reviews and research your options before scheduling a consultation. Checking reviews is a simple way for you to gather information to judge whether a company you’re interested in contacting for a quote is reliable, affordable, has excellent customer service and does not charge hidden fees.

Home security monitoring in Denver costs between $20 and $50 per month, and the initial prices for security system installation and equipment range from $500 to $800.

You can avoid home security monitoring costs by choosing an unmonitored home alarm system, but you are responsible for responding to any security alarms and calling emergency services if needed. Another expensive part of adding a security system is the cost of equipment and installation, but you can cut the price by purchasing equipment from a company with DIY home alarm systems.

Registering your Denver home alarm system

The city of Denver requires a permit for residential and commercial security systems. This permit is good for one year and costs $25. If you don’t get the permit, the city cannot guarantee the police department will respond to your alarm.

Most cities require similar permits as a way of reducing false alarms, usually coupled with escalating fines.

• Denver: Residents pay $50 for each panic or hold-up false alarm. Once a location has five false alarms, the police department puts it on general response status, which means that police officers no longer get directly dispatched to that location. Officers only respond if they are already in the area and available.
• Golden: Residents pay $100 for a third false alarm, $150 for a fourth false alarm and receive no response after a fifth false alarm until they provide proof of correction and payment of all prior invoices. Failure to pay fees may also result in the suspension of police responses.
• Lakewood: The Lakewood Police Department responds immediately to robbery, panic and medical alarms, but all other alerts need to be verified by the alarm company.

There many crime prevention and neighborhood watch programs in the Denver area. Check out the resources below for more information:

• Denver’s Registered Neighborhood Organizations: The city government offers a map and contact information for dozens of different neighborhood watch organizations in the Denver area.
• The Denver Police Department’s Neighborhood Crime Prevention: This resource from the police department includes information and tips for staying safe in the Mile High City.
• Metro Denver Crime Stoppers: This organization provides crime information, safety tips and resources in English and Spanish.