MetLife Stadium installs magnetometers for fan use

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The idea is simple: get as many as 80,000 people into MetLife Stadium as quickly and efficiently as possible in the most secure manner.

Beginning this week, the home of the New York Giants and Jets and site of dozens of other mega-events will use walk-through metal detectors at all gates. Unless there are extenuating circumstances, there will be no more wanding or pat-downs.

And from what the folks who oversee security at the stadium have seen in test runs, the entry flow should be smooth sailing.

"It worked well and people seemed to like it. It's less intrusive," said Danny DeLorenzi, director of security and safety services at MetLife Stadium, which opened in 2010. "Our goal is to get people safely into the stadium within 10 minutes."

The detectors, called magnetometers, are similar to those used by TSA officials at airports, except that fans don't need to remove their shoes or belts. As long as fans are not carrying anything metallic, or hiding any items, entry through the magnetometers should be easy. Of course, people coming from tailgating in the parking lot can forget they stuck a fork or knife -- or even a spatula or corkscrew -- in their pockets; yep, gate guards have found those, too.

Already, Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California, and the O.co Coliseum in Oakland, California, are in full use of the walk-through metal detectors. Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, will be next.

MetLife, which purchased a set of walk-through metal detectors two years ago and began testing them soon after, went into full-use mode on Monday, with the first event, Summer Jam, scheduled for Sunday.