CCICADA Researchers Collect Field Data on Use of Magnetometers to Screen Fans at Soccer Match
A CCICADA researcher collects field data on use of magnetometers at MetLife Stadium.
With calculators, clipboards and counters in hand, CCICADA faculty and student researchers collected field data at the June 10, 2014 International-Friendly Soccer Match between Ireland and Portugal at MetLife Stadium in East Ruthurford, NJ.
Their goal: to observe and document the experimental use of walk-through metal detectors to screen patrons at Pepsi Gate, one of the stadium’s entryways.
CCICADA and MetLife Stadium have a long-standing partnership in reviewing stadium security practices.
The research team was joined by Michael Tobia, US Department of Homeland Security.
MetLife Stadium, which is a SAFETY Act-certified venue under the Office of SAFETY Act Implementation (US Department of Homeland Security), wanted to know how certain set-ups and combinations of screening methods impact security goals and patron movement.
CCICADA is interested as well in developing baselines of measures such as throughput, screening time, secondary screenings and contraband as part of its ongoing research into stadium/large venue security.
CCICADA has collected a wealth of data from stadium events such as other soccer matches, concerts, monster truck events and football games. For this event, the researchers counted the number of patrons screened by screening type (magnetometers vs. hand-held metal detection wands) over set periods of time for the full period between gate opening and game start. Other data was also recorded such as bag checks completed and number of patrons requiring secondary screening via a hand-held wand.
CCICADA has used this type of data before to develop sophisticated simulation models to be used by security management to test various “what if” scenarios such as “what if we add two more screening lanes?” or “what happens to crowd back-up at the gate if our screening time increases by three seconds?”
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