A modern police officer will have a variety of tools and equipment on hand for the job, and not just a pair of handcuffs or a firearm. A modern law enforcement officer will also have a leather blackjack, or a short rod coated in leather for striking a dangerous person. A leather blackjack contrasts with a paddle-like sap, a flat rod used for striking with less force. Along with a leather blackjack, a police officer may also carry a lockpick set, and they can use their lockpick sets to gain access to an area as part of a job. Before using a leather blackjack on a dangerous person, a police officer might need to bring along a lockpick set and get into a building where a suspect or armed criminal is taking shelter.
But it’s not just police officers who might need electric lock picks or lockpick kits. Paramedics might also use them to get into a victim’s locked house, and many companies today offer expert lock pick professionals who have auto jigglers, key extractors, and more. How might this work?
Keys and Emergencies
As mentioned earlier, some professionals may need to get into a building right away to perform their duties, such as police officers or paramedics. It might not always be desirable or even possible to break down a door or smash open a window, so these professionals will have the tools and training to pick right through a door’s lock and get in. Police officers and the like may do this to pursue an apprehend a criminal or suspect, and this also gives them some measure of stealth on the job. And some elderly Americans who live alone may have an automated system that will alert local hospitals of they collapse or fall over, but the house’s doors might still be locked. Paramedics may be reluctant to or unable to break down a door or window, so they will use lockpick sets to open the house’s front door and reach the victim in time. This can certainly save a life.
Cars
Many modern Americans own a car or a pickup truck, and naturally, that vehicle will have locks on its doors to keep strangers from getting in. Vehicles also have key-based ignitions so that a stranger can’t simply turn the car on and drive off with it. But sometimes, a car owner might accidentally lock their car with the keys and the fob inside, and this could mean trouble unless an expert lock picker is brought on the scene. A car’s owner may not want to smash their car windows to reach the keys, so they may instead contact local car lock smith companies and have an expert visit. This professional will then unblock a car door and allow the owner to get into their vehicle.
What if the electronic fob is the problem? The fob might get damaged or fail to send a signal, or get lost entirely. If this happens, the owner may order a new one, or send in their current one for repairs and have its programming updated so that it can send a signal to their car. Some cars don’t even have key-based ignitions, but instead have a button to turn on the car. This button will not actually turn the car on unless the fob is inside the car, so a stranger cannot simply get in the car, press the button, and drive away.
Other Keys and Locks
Some people own small, mobile safes for storing important items such as paperwork (for work or personal business), jewelry, cash, or even expensive electronics. If the safe malfunctions or if the owner forgets the pass code, they are discouraged from trying to break the safe open. Instead, they can contact the manufacturer and have a professional help them open the safe without destroying it. This may also involve programming in a new combination into the safe.
Finally, a person might accidentally break a key when they twist it in a lock. That’s a problem, since it’s impossible to turn that lock with the broken piece, and the piece blocks the person from inserting another key. So, a professional may be asked to use a key extractor.
