Tuesday, April 5, 2011

SOPL founder asks his NY State representative to read The Locksmith Investigator

Tom Lynch, the founder of the Society of Professional Locksmiths, copied me on an email he had sent to his state representative, Assemblywoman Ellen Jaffee, recommending she read my investigative report, Accurate Answers?, as well as the summary of the report detailed in my February 7 posting.

Locksmiths in NY are currently fighting more regulation purported to combat criminals posing as locksmiths. However, more regulation of law-abiding locksmiths does not stop criminal activity. Only by enforcing existing fraud laws can criminal activity be lessened. Following is Lynch’s email.

DO NOT PASS Locksmith Licensing Act 2011 A985

Dear Assemblywoman Jaffee,

Please take a moment to review an investigation conducted by award winning investigative news journalist Barbara Haiss Martin of "The Locksmith Investigator" news blog of Altamonte Springs, FL.

Summary: An investigation was conducted regarding the call for licensing locksmiths within the state of Florida and the claims being made for the justification. The claims turned out to be falsely presented to lawmakers in order to present an urgent need for regulation. Florida ultimately did not pass the bill as a result.

The same misleading activity is being conducted here in New York and elsewhere by individuals who represent a minority within the global community of locksmiths who do not speak for the entire industry. These same individuals have an "ends" agenda centered more around financial gain in the form of forced proprietary education programs, restriction of trade, elimination of competition and the smaller Mom & Pops operations, then it does consumer safety or protection.

The attempts to create hysteria by using the issue of criminals "posing" as locksmiths to force regulation upon the hardworking Mom & Pops is unjustified. New York State,as in Florida and elsewhere lack the sufficient data to support the claims being presented and it would be an unfair penalty against the Mom & Pops who have conducted themselves ethically.

The ancillary costs associated with the passage of such a regulation which is not being considered will cause great harm to an industry which has conducted itself honorably. Existing laws are in place for New York to address criminals abusing the public trust and should be enforced.

Reference: The Locksmith Investigator

Articles - April 6th through February 7th 2011

Please note both the May 24th & particularly the 25th where I am quoted as to "The Fabric of the (Locksmith) Industry"

http://locksmithinvestigator.blogspot.com/

cc: NYS Assembly
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Tom Lynch, CRL
Director of Operations
P.O. Box 87
Sparkill, N.Y. 10976
845-445-8238
www.sopl.us
www.securitytechnicalinstitute.com