Local history

In 1973, founder Dennis F. Hickey started the local franchise in downtown Bridgeport. Over the last 30 plus years, Sonitrol of Bridgeport has been integral in the protection of businesses and residences all over northern Fairfield County. Our dedication to servicing our customers has provided us with lasting customers relationships, many of which are still going strong today. Sonitrol of Bridgeport aims to keep our customers at the forefront of security technology, while at the same time offering the old time personal customer service that is disappearing from the modern alarm industry.

Dennis’s son, Jeffrey L. Hickey, joined the company in 1999, and is committed to continuing the established business principles that have made Sonitrol of Bridgeport a successful family owned local business.

A heritage of technical innovation

The company known today for detecting burglars had its roots in pest control of a different sort in the late 1950s.
Robert Baxter, of Anderson, Indiana, installed microphones within the walls of a building to listen for termites and pinpoint their location. Baxter. On June 16, 1960, he incorporated “Sonitrol”, from the words sound and control, to manufacture and market his innovations.

Law enforcement legacy

In 1963, Baxter met Al Cronk, a local police officer who owned an alarm company. Cronk was frustrated with systems that seemed to let the perpetrators get away. He hired Baxter, the inventor, to develop new ideas for the alarm company. Baxter responded with the audio sensor, and Sonitrol was born as a security company.