Donuts are a great touch! I work in parts of four counties, and the "sheriff" is usually a deputy sheriff. In most instances, they knock on the door and make first contact. They usually want all occupants out of the house and then they do a walk-thru to be sure there is nobody hiding inside with a weapon. If the occupants are cooperative, the deputy and I may allow them back inside the house to get personal items such as a purse, cell phone, and medications (or we may retrieve those items for the occupants).

One other point: If a national property preservation vendor is already assigned to the property, the agent's responsibility is limited. If the agent, however, is responsible for arranging for property preservation, it's a different matter. In that case, the agent will have to provide the locksmith and the set-out crew (maybe even a moving company and provide for storage, depending on state law).

Had a lockout recently that the guy told family that they'd take him out by his cold, dead body. He had bullet casings littering the yard, so we didn't doubt it. Turned out he was so drunk when the sherrif came out that he was passed out, naked, on his bed with the booze still next to him.

So it turned out to be a cold, drunk, naked body, but not dead!

Not sure which is better: passed-out-cold, drunk, naked body--or--cold, dead hands... Oh, well, I don't guess either one of them would present much threat. I gotta say, though, I don't look forward to a naked body or a dead body during evictions!

I usually stay in my car until the Sheriff gets the people out. Sometimes I have to have a locksmith there, sometimes field services takes care of it. The cops always go in and bag up all drugs, medications, etc., and take them. Here's the kicker---If there are children involved, child protective services also has to be there, to monitor and see if the children have a place to go,if not, they take the children. Fortunately, haven't had that happen yet.