The security at worlds is a joke

[jaredhk]

@kingc95

there isn’t, in my opinion, adequate gun control for Concealed and Open carry weapons. So with less overall gun control you need some additional layer of security at the venue I think.

Idk, there was a sign saying not to “neter” [sic] the venue with a firearm, seems legit. /s

Wish I had a pic.

[EHutson]

I was able to bring a entire lemonade in and they didn’t care

[Loredays]

Sorry, but that usage of [sic] is downright hilarious

[runneals]

I said this last year and I’ll say it again…Badging really needs to be moved off-site, and security needs to be done at the perimeter (bag checks and badge checks.

I question the safety of GRB when they literally lock exterior exit doors that are labeled “this door to remain unlocked during normal business hours”. How/why was that permitted?!? It’s a safety issue when you have doors that are locked.

Also why did they literally block off the entire front forcing people to walk 2 blocks just to get around their outside security? Just keep the check inside ¯_(ツ)_/¯

Also this year they had explosive dogs, which I don’t remember in the past. I would imagine that they’d catch a lot of firearms with those cute little noses

[troy_dietz]

@Froggo

They now have police officers in the front hall with bomb-sniffing dogs, but nothing in the fields or pits.

I’m not sure how I would feel about cops hanging around the pits at worlds, them poking around the LAR venue was weird enough. We’re seeing rookies from increasingly underrepresented areas and I think “cops in the pits” is up there with the things that would not be helping.

Like, if their collective track record was leaning towards preventing harm in these hypothetical event scenarios maybe there’s some validity, but it’s not.

[FrankJ]

@Froggo

They now have police officers in the front hall with bomb-sniffing dogs, but nothing in the fields or pits.

There was not an heavy police presence, but they were definitely around in the pits.

[adhersh]

I personally would rather there be security even if it is a “joke.” It made me feel a bit safer in the event.

[Skyehawk]

Yeah, same. Imo it was pretty quick and didn’t cause much in terms of issues.

I need to get better about getting things slimmed down to a smaller bag. Not because security bag check was an issue, just don’t want to tote around as much.

[PayneTrain]

There are a small handful of people on your team that might want to always have critical materials on hand or taking personal its critical to event support to and from the venue. Aside from your head mentor and people heading up critical event support roles (scouting, strike team) you should be able to get by with a drawstring or sling bag at events. Something that holds a water bottle, portable chargers, medications and personal hygiene, and snacks. Drawstring bag would give you a nice place to shove a jacket into at colder weather events, and maybe pack a couple emergency ponchos in a sling bag if you’re in Houston in April.

A lot of team members bringing backpacks in and out of the venue and leaving them in the stands or pits can be a real nuisance.

[pfreivald]

Yeah, people in general seem to over-pack, at FRC events, for travel, etc, etc. There’s a Scoutian “be prepared” but it also applies to things like “be prepared to get through security lines” and “be prepared to be courteous to others in the stands.”

[Karibou]

@Skyehawk

I need to get better about getting things slimmed down to a smaller bag.

The past couple years I’ve started telling our students to not bring large bags unless they absolutely need to (scouting tablet, medical needs, etc). A drawstring bag can carry a water bottle, trading shirts, phone batteries/cables, and pretty much whatever else you feel you need to bring with you. Makes getting through the lines in the morning much faster and less stressful for the adults who have to make sure all of their students get through.

@Siri

Without disclosing details, the variation in fast vs thorough inspections was a deliberate part of the system.

I think I understand the idea behind variation in thoroughness, I just wish that the response to found “prohibited” items was uniform. Felt like a good amount of time and frustration could have been saved if everyone knew, for sure, that they needed to dump their water bottles, instead of gambling that they would be able to get through.

[Skyehawk]

I’ve got a lot better with camera gear traveling with the pit, but water bottle + scouting tablet + hoodie + clipboard starts to add up a bit.

A less bulky bag would probably do me good to slim things down.

[PayneTrain]

I would consider providing/mandating team branded drawstring bags and water bottles with members’ names on them as limits of what to bring into events. Might risk members bringing in too much stuff in total though, ymmv.

[D_Inspector]

@kingc95

Even to me the fact that as a 13 year old I was able to go to Gander Mountain and purchase a shotgun with my father with my Boy Scout Popcorn sale funds still kind of blows my mind. That’s not a weapon of mass danger, i did have to take hunter safety classes, etc but that still seems very lax. No checks needed just in and out at the time.

From what I recall of being a teenager we didn’t always think rationally, take time to not choose anger and violence as an answer. We were dumb kids, who were smart enough to understand where stuff is hidden or how to use a padlock and sneak stuff. We were dumb enough to get ourselves into trouble in really clever ways, so we could regret it for the rest of our lives. My point is here in Michigan where it’s “Stricter” it’s still lax definitely.

There is no way that you went into a store in Michigan and bought a shotgun without a background check. You may have provided the money to buy the shotgun, but your father was the actual purchaser, and he underwent a background check before he was allowed to buy the gun.

[Tom_Line]

I agree. This type of security (spot checks) serves as a deterrent. There is always a chance that a bad actor might get caught, so it helps to discourage any attempt.

There is no such thing as 100% security, especially at events this large.

Even highly ‘locked down’ areas like airports routinely have security lapses. I would hate for getting into a FIRST event to become as bad as getting by the TSA to get to my flight.

[kingc95]

Yes, he had to purchase it as you have to be over 18, he made me undergo hunter’s safety classes before I was allowed to use it (Not an enforced law, just good parenting). We walked in and out with it the same day. If there was a background check it was very quick and expedited to be done in under 25 minutes while we picked up clays and a thrower… seems fast to me for 2008 Beauracracy.

When I say no background check I mean for example:

https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/how-long-do-a-background-check-take-for-a-job Just for work a criminal background search can take a day or two.

However there is no waiting period. So if you happen to catch a break in the red tape you can breeze through. And by break I mean your forms just breeze through, not skipping steps.

When I was hired in District as a robotics coach originally (to get our state grant stipend) I had to undergo a background check, fingerprinting and it was a week before I got my approval back. If it takes a week minimum to decide if it’s safe for me to be a paid volunteer why does it take 30 minutes to buy a deadly weapon?