So this caught my eye….
PHILADELPHIA — Beginning next season, every fan will be screened for security purposes before entry into every Major League Baseball ballpark.Metal detectors will be introduced as part of a pilot program beginning July 21 at Citizens Bank Park.
via Metal detectors to be tested at Citizens Bank Park | phillies.com: News.
..which led to some more Googling…
Q: Why are the Mariners making this change?
A: Major League Baseball works closely with Homeland Security and is keenly tuned into the current security environment at public events. MLB is mandating this change to increase and standardize security practices across the game. Fan safety is a top priority for the Seattle Mariners and we believe this change poses minimal inconvenience for fans and provides the assurance of an additional level of security screening.
Q: What can fans expect at the gates of Safeco Field?
A: Gate hosts and security staff will be on the outside of all ballpark gates. Your game tickets will now be scanned outside the ballpark. Security personnel will search bags, just as they have since 2001. Once tickets have been scanned and bags searched, fans will be asked to take their cell phones and car keys out of their pockets and pass them around the metal detector. Fans will then pass through the walk-through metal detector. If the device detects something, that fan will be checked with a hand-held wand only in the area where the alert was detected. If necessary, there will be a light pat-down of the area where the alert occurred.
Q: Do I have to take off my jacket or shoes?
A: No, you do not have to take off your jacket or your shoes.
Q: Does this mean it’s going to take a long time to get through the gates before each game?
A: We are making every effort to make sure that this security enhancement doesn’t slow down the process of getting into the game. That is one of the main reasons we are phasing in the use of metal detectors over the first few months of the season. We want to give fans a chance to get used to the new rules and give our staff the opportunity to be fully trained and proficient before the enhances security measures are in full use at all ballpark entrances.
So my question to baseball is this….
If there is a real threat then why are you playing games tonight without metal detectors? It’s either a threat or not. Did the Bad Guys tell you that they won’t do anything until 2015? Are you letting us be unsafe tonight?
I am personally not a fan of Security Theater. I appreciate the sentiment, but bad things could happen in stadiums, in malls at movie theaters in Colorado, on college campuses….at some point you can’t have people searched everywhere we go.
So baseball…why are you letting us be unsafe tonight? Cancel the games until you have full metal detectors in place.
Personally if they make it a pain in the neck to get in the stadium I just won’t go.
“fans will be asked to take their cell phones and car keys out of their pockets and pass them around the metal detector.”
Security Theater is right. Wasting everyone’s time by making 30,000 people go through a metal detector, all it takes is one phone. This is all about trying to stop people from bringing in food.
metspolice So in other words, it’ll be like going to the airport, minus the shoes.
metspolice I agree 100% with your point. However it’s already a pain to get into Citi with pat downs/wands. Will this be that much slower?
WakefieldsBoss metspolice They generally hurry u through when it’s crowded. Can’t do that if a machine beeps and everyone empties pockets
Ceetar metspolice I have to disagree. Go to 50 games a year and I rarely get “hurried in”
metspolice all I can say is I agree. I have no choice but to put up with it at the airport but I can miss the mets attempt to play baseball
WakefieldsBoss metspolice Went when it was raining two weeks ago. ‘pat phone, pat keys’ “okay, enjoy the game!” machines? wait in rain.
Ceetar metspolice I hate all of this. Believe me. It just seems like the toothpaste is already out of the tube.
metspolice it won’t be that bad. I doubt it will take too long to screen 15000 fans.
Down in Miami all they do is have you take off your hat and look in your bag. I didn’t feel unsafe there…Now, a metal detector is not going to do anything. They are numerous ways to get around bringing something in if you wanted to. How thoroughly do they look through the bags? You mean you can hide something in a camera,iPad, shoes,belt, computer? Its not like your stuff is getting passed through an X-ray machine at an airport. Do the park employees get searched too?