Walk-through metal detectors will be part of the new entry process at Target Field beginning with the Twins 2014 regular season Home Opener against the Oakland Athletics on April 7.
The Twins say the increased security measures are part of Major League Baseball’s work with the Department of Homeland Security. MLB’s goal is to have a standardized screening process for every fan at all 30 ballparks by the start of the 2015 season.
Ballparks hosting the All-Star Game are required to have metal detectors at all gates, according to Fox Sports North, and with the Midsummer Classic coming to Minneapolis this summer, the Twins will be one of the first teams to have a fully operational screening system.
The process at Target Field will require fans to pass through a metal detector before their tickets are scanned at the gate. Fans will be required to remove cell phones and other metal items before being screened. Those who don’t want to walk through the metal detector can choose to be scanned with a hand-held device.
Twins Senior Director of Ballpark Operations Dave Horsman said the process will be much less invasive than what the Transportation Security Administration requires of people at airports, according to the Star Tribune.
“This is not the TSA,” Horsman told the Star Tribune. “It’s a lot less invasive than that. You won’t have to take off your shoes or belts or anything.”
Fans attending the Home Opener against the Athletics may not be required to pass through a metal detector because they won’t be installed at every gate. The team wants to make sure they get the process right before implementing the screen process at all gates by May 1.
“We’ll be taking a phased approach as we want to ensure these new procedures are efficient and provide no inconvenience to our loyal fans,” Horsman said.
The Twins are confident the metal detectors are the fastest way to protect fans from dangerous items entering the ballpark.
