There will be extra security measures in place at Rentschler Field for the UConn homecoming game against Tulsa Saturday.
There may be a bit of a traffic jam getting into the stadium because the school has added those metal detectors.
Crews began assembling new metal detectors at Rentschler Field on Tuesday as part of a new safety initiative for the 2017-2018 season of UConn sports.
The plan has been in the works for more than a year, and each detector is mobile.
“[We will] be able to adjust based on the inflow of guests,” said Ben Weiss, Assistant General Manager of the XL Center and Rentschler Field. “So we’ll be able to obviously put more detectors and walk-throughs in our areas with greater crowds.”
Forty metal detectors are being installed between Rentschler Field’s four entrances, each up and running when UConn takes on Tulsa on Saturday. The detectors are an additional safety check for the facility, which currently enforces bag restrictions. According to Weiss, it’ll be another two months before the units are delivered to the XL Center. Once they’re up, they’ll be used for all events.
“We work with the law enforcement partners to make sure that we’re doing everything every day to make sure that the guests are safe,” Weiss said.
Newington resident Chris Moertl is one of those guests grateful for the change.
“I think it’s a great idea. You can’t have too much security these days, and as we know, our world is changing so it’s what it’s come to,” he said.
Not everyone was so enthusiastic.
“If somebody wants to try to get something through I think they’re going to do it. Sometimes it’s a false sense of security when we have all these things that are in place. Hopefully they’ll work,” said Suffield resident Larry Myers.
Those who do not want to go through the metal detectors will be checked with a metal detecting wand instead.
Photo Credit: NBC Connecticut
