Chiefs to wait/see on patdowns

By Greg Reeves
A high school civics teacher backed by the ACLU won a temporary injunction Thursday against patdowns at Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Raymond James stadium.
The NFL mandated patdowns of arriving fans league-wide this year as an anti-terrorism security measure.
Plaintiff and season ticket holder Gordon Johnston (above) argued the all-inclusive patdowns were unconstitutional, and the judge, saying he was bound by legal precedent, agreed. Wire story today (Word file)
Kansas City Chiefs PR man Bob Moore told me this morning the Chiefs will continue to follow the league policy - any word on change will have to come from the league. NFL PR guy Greg Aiello was at a funeral, I couldn't reach him.
Inaugural patdown at Arrowhead (at the Jets game) went veryx3 smooothly, Moore told me at the time.

My post: NFL fan's goal: Patdown-free season
My other post: Welcome to Arrowhead. Spread 'em!
St. Pete Times story yesterday: His civic duty
Florida cops never liked the policy anyway: Law agencies won't heed plan

Comments

Nobody is forcing that guy to go to these games. The NFL is a private entity, they can do what they want re: searches, it's not unconstitutional. That judge needs to read up.

'That judge needs to read up'. If it's the police doing the searches in a public area(I'm guessing the county probably owns the property the stadium sits on; basically, a city park), they aren't constitutional.

At many concerts, they pat down every person in attendance for safety purposes and everyone is compliant. How is an NFL game any different?

[Matt G.]

While the team/league may be private entities, the stadiums themselves are typically owned/operated by the city/state...therefore you can't really ignore the constitution.

[Joe Lewellen]

The pat down is a symbolic feel good gesture of false security. They are poorly executed by part time under paid amateurs due to a lack of time and sincere effort without any viable positive results. Where is the statistical data indicating that it is working? The pat down at concerts does not deter bottles or any other forbidden objects of entering an event. If it is weapons their looking for then send the fans through metal detectors like they do at Oakland which would be a financial disaster (burden). Let's hear the benefits the Raiders have achieved by such methods.

[Bob H]

Just another "Crackpot" in need of attention. Maybe Mr. Johnston will get his 15 seconds of fame out of this.

[Jeremy McMannis]

I worked as a fan assistant at the Chiefs shortly after 9/11 hit and you would be amazed at what people try to bring in. Knives, purses that are way to big, diaper bags that hold a weeks worth of supplies, alcohol. So I must applaud the league for doing pat downs because as winter is coming the bigger and heavier coats are coming out and you can hide a lot in them. So I say go league and keep the pat downs in effect.
Jeremy

[Dick Tracy]

I prefer to watch the games in the comfort of my living. That way I don't have to waste my time or money buying tickets to see the game in person or to go through stupid..stupid.. searches.

[Justin]

That person doesnt have to go if he/she doesnt want to. Next year, im sure there will be something printed on the back of the ticket that says something about you are agreeing to pat down searches by accepting and utilizing the ticket to enter the stadium. That teacher would feel pretty crappy if someone gets shot, or worse a bomb goes off because the courts forbid pat down searches.

[jenniferm]

It always amazes me that the only answer some people give when confronted with this type of thing is -- well, if you don't like it don't go to the game or if they stop it and some bomb goes off, won't you feel bad. I guess the freedoms we have in this country really don't matter to people like you. It's just an inconvenience, get over it, right? Sorry, I happen to believe freedom means the people have certain rights, and we don't put a convenience factor on them to see if it matters or not.

I am a season ticket holder for over 15 years and yes; I do think a pat down is stupid. Children go through the line without being patted down. Why?? Can't a bomb be strapped to a kid?? When the line gets really big and its minutes to game time, you would be surprised how quickly the pat downs happen--which means they are not doing a very good job.

If you don't know the facts, learn them.

"the judge needs to read up". My God, pal. Are you serious????

Although I think the searches may be unconstitutional, my issue is with their effectiveness. They are completely superficial searches which do not really do anything. If this policy is legal, I would support a policy where every 5th person was actually searched instead of pretending like people are being searched and wasting time and money.

[Guest]

There. Their. They're.

Look them up, use them properly. This is grade school stuff, folks.

Sorry folks, it's not about security, but increasing revenue. How the public is more secure by taking away a 10 yers old's bad of Chex Mix is beyond me.