Revised security procedures for fan entry will be in effect for Bengals home games this season. The changes are mandated by the NFL Best Practices for Stadium Security, and it is hoped they will not only increase security, but be more efficient for greater fan convenience.
No longer will every person be "patted down" when entering the Paul Brown Stadium plaza area, and gender-specific lines will no longer be necessary. Instead, all fans will be screened with a magnetic wand that will detect any metal being brought into the stadium. Attendees will need to have their keys, phones and/or other metal items in their hands during the wand screening.
The wanding will be conducted by Whelan Security personnel, who will staff all entry points to the plaza.
"We're optimistic that as fans get accustomed to this procedure, it will result in less time in line and smaller crowds at the gate prior to kickoff," said Bob Bedinghaus, Bengals director of business development. "And as always, we encourage fans to give themselves a little extra time when planning their arrival."
The wanding procedure was partially implemented during games near the end of the 2011 season.
We have created a short video that shows the wanding process, which can be viewed above.
