Government Access to Safes

[Martin Minow <minow@apple.com>]

You may have been following the recent murder of Gianni Versace
and the subsequent suicide of his alleged murderer. One minor
footnote that popped up in the news is a small safe located
in the houseboat where the suicide was found. This safe uses
a keypad lock (rather than a mechanical combination or physical
key).

Is this more secure than a regular safe lock? Does the government
have an access key that would premit a law enforcement officer
(with appropriate authority) to open any such lock? Should I
be required to deposit the secret key to my safe with a
government-mandated "escrow" agent?

Martin Minow
minow@apple.com