OREM — Stranded motorists who get locked out of their cars can find help from police who unlock the door for free — a service that has left some locksmiths out in the cold.
Officers with the Orem Police Department will respond to calls for the service within city limits.
"We have no written policy on unlocking car doors, but the department's belief on this question is quite simple," said Orem Police Lt. Doug Edwards. "We believe in serving the public. . . . Unlocking a door can usually be accomplished quite easily and doesn't take much time on the officer's part."
People who call asking for help must agree to sign a waiver to protect the department from damage liability before an officer will respond.
Edwards said some car models can be difficult to open or can't be unlocked at all with the tools available to most officers. When that happens, a locksmith is usually called or arrangements are made by the owner to return later with a key.
The free service has upset some locksmiths, who say the department is interfering with their livelihood.
"We don't like it," said Jim Darlington of Alpine Lock and Safe, which responds to calls in Orem. "I think that they shouldn't be doing it because that's our job and they're taking away money from us."
Darlington said police responding to a simple lockout may be distracted from more serious calls.
"I know the department's practice of having officers unlock car doors has frustrated some locksmiths who believe the department is interfering with a service that locksmiths provide for a fee," Edwards said. "I am also aware that not all police departments routinely offer this service to their citizens.
Those and other issues have been weighed by department administrators and we feel strongly that as long as we are able to provide this service to the citizens of Orem without interfering or jeopardizing our goals to protect the community, we will keep right on unlocking car doors when those calls come in."
Edwards said the number of calls requesting the service has increased, and when an officer is responding to a more pressing public safety issue, the caller must wait until one is available or call for a locksmith on his or her own.
"While that may happen occasionally, the average response time for motorist assist calls is still less than 10 minutes," Edwards said. "Try getting that kind of service in L.A."
Police department policies in surrounding cities vary.
Springville police officers respond to lockouts and also require a waiver.
In Provo, officers will unlock a door only if a child or disabled person is locked inside the car.
"We don't have enough manpower to do that as a courtesy," said Dalene Higgins, crime analyst for the Provo Police Department.
The Utah County Sheriff's Office responds to lockouts only in unincorporated areas of the county.
E-MAIL: csheffield@desnews.com