PROLOA Code of Ethics

Professional Locksmiths of America (PROLOA) was founded in 2002 and is based in Ogden, Utah. Locksmiths are trusted with access to people's homes, vehicles, businesses, safes and records. This Code sets the standard of conduct every PROLOA member accepts, in all four tracks: Residential/Commercial, Automotive, Safe & Vault and Forensic.

"Member" means every PROLOA member of any kind (apprentice, Full, Associate, Lifetime, honorary or complimentary) and anyone who holds a PROLOA designation. Members agree to this Code when they join, and again when they apply for certification. Where the law and this Code differ, follow the stricter rule.

Contents

1. Article 1. Verify ownership and authorization
2. Article 2. Protect customer privacy and security information
3. Article 3. Honesty in pricing and advertising
4. Article 4. Competence and scope of work
5. Article 5. Obey the law and licensing
6. Article 6. No aiding unlawful entry
7. Article 7. Fair dealing with other locksmiths
8. Article 8. Forensic objectivity
9. Article 9. Conflicts of interest
10. Article 10. Record keeping
11. Article 11. Safety
12. Article 12. Continuing education
13. Article 13. Respect for the PROLOA designation
14. Article 14. Honest dealing with PROLOA
15. Article 15. Reporting violations
16. Complaints and discipline

Article 1. Verify ownership and authorization

Before opening a lock, making or duplicating a key, originating a key, programming a key or remote, recovering a code or bypassing a security device, a member will:

• Verify who the customer is, using a government photo ID.
• Verify that the customer owns the property or is authorized to have the work done, such as a lease, a work order from the owner or manager, or an ownership document that matches the customer's ID.
• For a vehicle, match the ownership document and ID to the vehicle before work starts.
• Decline the job if ownership or authorization cannot be verified, however urgent the customer says it is.
• In a true emergency, such as a child or pet locked in a vehicle, direct the customer to emergency services first, and verify as fully as the situation allows.

Article 2. Protect customer privacy and security information

Members keep confidential everything that shows how a customer is protected, including key codes, PINs, key bittings, safe combinations, alarm and access codes, master key system charts and hierarchies, and customer lists. A member will:

• Share this information only with the owner or a person the owner has authorized, or when the law requires it.
• Obtain PINs and codes only from an authorized source.
• Keep records and key-cutting and code-reading tools secured, and destroy records that are no longer needed when the law allows.
• Never post photos of a customer's property, keys, codes or systems without the customer's permission.
• Treat a master key system's records as belonging to the system owner, and never sell or give them away.
• Tell affected customers promptly if their records are lost or stolen.

Article 3. Honesty in pricing and advertising

A member will:

• Give a clear price, or a range and what affects it, before starting work, including trip, after-hours and mileage charges.
• Never use bait and switch tactics or raise the price after arriving at the job without the customer's agreement.
• Advertise only real locations, real phone numbers and real business names.
• Claim only the licenses, insurance, certifications and experience the member actually holds.
• Give a written invoice and receipt, and honor stated warranties.
• Never post or pay for false reviews.

Article 4. Competence and scope of work

A member will:

• Work within the member's training, experience and PROLOA certification.
• Refer the job to a qualified colleague, or bring one in, when it is beyond the member's skill.
• Tell the customer honestly when a repair is not possible or replacement is the better choice.
• Avoid destructive methods, such as drilling, when a non-destructive method will do.
• Never practice or experiment on a customer's property.

Article 5. Obey the law and licensing

A member will:

• Hold every license, registration, background check, insurance policy and bond required where the work is done.
• Know and follow state and local laws on key duplication, vehicle keys, safes, alarms and access control.
• Tell PROLOA within 30 days about any loss, suspension or revocation of a locksmith license, and any conviction for a felony or for a crime involving theft, burglary, fraud or dishonesty.

Article 6. No aiding unlawful entry

A member will:

• Never open, bypass or make keys for anyone the member has reason to believe has no right to the property.
• Stop work, and contact law enforcement where the law allows, if the member suspects a crime.
• Never sell, lend or give tools of the trade, programming devices, restricted keys or blank transponder keys to people who are not entitled to them.
• Share technical knowledge only in appropriate settings, with people who show a legitimate interest in the trade, and never with anyone who has shown intent to commit a crime.
• Cooperate with lawful investigations.

Article 7. Fair dealing with other locksmiths

A member will:

• Treat colleagues with courtesy and respect.
• Never make false or misleading statements about another locksmith or business.
• Never copy or imitate another locksmith's name, listing, reviews or marks, or take credit for another person's work.
• Honor agreements with partners, subcontractors and employers, and pay subcontractors on time.
• Try to settle disputes with a colleague directly first, then through PROLOA.
• Share knowledge generously and mentor apprentices.

Article 8. Forensic objectivity

A member who performs forensic work, such as examining locks, keys, security devices, tool marks or failures, or giving expert opinions, will:

• Be objective, impartial and independent of the party who hired the member.
• Base every opinion on evidence and accepted methods, and state the limits and uncertainty of the findings.
• Report findings that hurt the client as well as findings that help.
• Preserve evidence, never alter or contaminate it, and keep a chain of custody.
• Accept only work within the member's competence.
• Never accept a fee that depends on the outcome of a case.
• Correct errors in a report promptly and openly.

Article 9. Conflicts of interest

A member will:

• Disclose any financial, personal or professional relationship that could affect the member's judgment.
• Decline or withdraw when a conflict cannot be managed.
• Never give an opinion on work, products or a business the member or the member's employer has a stake in, without written disclosure.
• Never accept gifts or payments that could influence a finding or a recommendation.
• Step aside from any PROLOA decision, as a director, officer, staff member, reviewer, proctor or test writer, that involves the member, family, employer or business partners.
• Never use PROLOA information for private gain.

Article 10. Record keeping

A member will:

• Keep a record of each job that shows the date, the customer, how identity and authorization were verified, the address or vehicle, the work done and the price.
• Keep job records for at least 3 years, or longer if the law requires.
• Keep forensic case notes, photos and files for at least 7 years, or as long as the law or the engagement requires.
• Store records securely and privately, as Article 2 requires.
• Give a customer a copy of the customer's own records on request, and give records to law enforcement when the law requires it.
• Never falsify, alter or backdate a record.

Article 11. Safety

A member will:

• Follow safe work practices and use protective equipment.
• Follow correct procedures around airbags, restraint systems, vehicle batteries and electrical systems.
• Take care with safes, including heavy lifting and relockers.
• Never weaken a fire door, a fire rating, panic hardware or an exit route, and leave the customer's property at least as secure as it was found.
• Decline or stop work that cannot be done safely, and report hazards to the customer.

Article 12. Continuing education

A member will:

• Keep skills current, including the continuing education credits that PROLOA requires for each level and for renewals.
• Report credits and certificates honestly, and never alter a certificate.
• Take PROLOA tests honestly, and never cheat, share test answers or copy test content.
• Keep a current ethics pledge when renewing in the Forensic track.

Article 13. Respect for the PROLOA designation

A member will:

• Use only designations the member has earned and that are current, and show a designation after the member's name exactly as PROLOA awarded it.
• Never imply a higher level than the one earned.
• Never use the PROLOA name or marks to suggest that PROLOA endorses a product or a service, or that PROLOA is a government licensing body.
• Stop using a designation as soon as it is suspended, revoked or lapsed.
• Never share, lend or alter a member number, membership card or certificate, and use the photo membership ID card only as its holder.

Article 14. Honest dealing with PROLOA

A member will:

• Give true and complete information on applications, renewals, credit submissions and references.
• Keep contact information current.
• Cooperate with any ethics review and answer requests for information on time.
• Never retaliate against anyone who raises a concern or makes a complaint.

Article 15. Reporting violations

• A member who knows of a serious violation of this Code is expected to report it to PROLOA.
• Reports made in good faith are protected, and a member need not confront the person first.
• A report made in bad faith, or knowingly false, is itself a violation of this Code.

Complaints and discipline

1. Who may file. Anyone may file a complaint: a customer, a member, law enforcement, PROLOA staff or the public. Send it in writing to info@proloa.org. Give the name of the member and the member number if known, what happened and when, and copies of any documents.
2. Acknowledgement and screening. PROLOA staff acknowledge the complaint within 10 business days and send it to the PROLOA board, or to an ethics committee the board appoints. A complaint that does not involve this Code is closed with a short explanation. PROLOA is not a court and does not decide price or contract disputes, but it may suggest mediation.
3. Notice and response. The member receives a copy of the complaint and has 30 days to respond in writing. The complainant's identity may be withheld when safety requires it.
4. Review. The board or committee, with at least three members and none who have a conflict, reviews the complaint and the response. It may ask for records or interview people. It decides by finding whether a violation is more likely than not.
5. Decision. The board or committee gives a written decision within 60 days after the member's response.
6. Possible outcomes. No violation; a letter of guidance; a written warning; required education or a retest; probation with conditions; suspension for a stated time; or revocation of the member's designations and membership.
7. Temporary suspension. The board may suspend a member right away, pending review, when the conduct poses a serious risk to the public.
8. Effects of suspension and revocation. While suspended, and after revocation, the member may not use any PROLOA designation or the membership ID card. Dues are not refunded. The member number stays in PROLOA's records and is never reissued. This Code applies to every member, including those with free lifetime or honorary membership.
9. Appeal. The member may appeal in writing to the full board within 30 days of the decision. Directors who took part in the first decision do not vote on the appeal. The appeal decision is final.
10. Reinstatement. A suspended member is restored when the suspension ends and the conditions are met. A member whose membership was revoked may apply to the board for reinstatement after at least 2 years.
11. Confidentiality. PROLOA keeps complaints and reviews confidential, except as needed to carry them out, as the law requires, or to confirm to anyone who asks whether a designation is current.
12. No retaliation. Retaliation against a complainant or witness is itself a violation of this Code.

Questions about this Code, or a complaint to file? Email info@proloa.org. Joining PROLOA means agreeing to this Code: Become a Member.