Courthouse metal detector senses shoes to bobby pins

Passing through a walk-through metal detector at the Linn County Courthouse isn't new, but many are surprised to see the guy in front of them taking off his belt to avoid the dreaded “BEEP.”

“Purse, belt, everything out of your pockets?” Linn County Sheriff's Deputy Ray Brecht asks a young woman, who deposits items in a plastic tub before passing through the detector Thursday.

The metal detector the courthouse has now is more sensitive than the last one - to some visitors' surprise.

The next woman in line Thursday forgot to take a cell phone out of her pocket, so she gets the loud beep. The woman behind her sets off the alarm because of bobby pins in her hair. “I'm sorry,” she said as a deputy waves a hand-held wand over her hair.

Deputies ask each person to empty their pockets and take off any metal, including watches, necklaces, bracelets, earrings, belts, jackets and coats, but not everyone pays attention until they hear the beeping.

Deputy Kevin Svoboda said the detector is a security measure to protect everybody. More than 600 to 700 people pass through the courthouse doors every day for trials, hearings and other court business, he said.

Everyone passes through the detector - unless they are court personnel with 24-hour access, like judges and some court administration.

The original Linn metal detector was replaced in September when deputies determined it was malfunctioning. They knew this because lawyer Bob Matias, a regular in the courthouse who has a shoulder and a knee replacement, didn't set off the machine, Svoboda said.

Surprisingly, Linn is the only county in the 6th Judicial District that has a permanent security system - a directive from the Board of Supervisors. Sheriff Brian Gardner said the board gave the county jail money for the security system in 2002.

The original security system - metal detector and baggage scanner - cost more than $100,000. To replace the detector alone was $4,000, Gardner said.

Chief Judge Patrick Grady said Johnson County uses hand-held wands or sets up a temporary detector for high-profile trials, but because of the way the building is configured, it would difficult to install a permanent system.

Other urban courthouses, like those in Black Hawk and Polk counties, have similar security systems, Grady said.

Deputies said the most common thing that sets off the detector is shoes. Most shoes have metal arches, especially high heels. Some boots have metal zippers or metal arches.

“We don't make them take off their shoes, because we can see on the machine where on the body it's coming from,” Svoboda said.

Lights on the detector indicate where the metal is located on the body. For example, shoes set off lights at the bottom and a watch sets off lights in the middle of the machine.

Deputy Jim Sorensen asked a woman Thursday to pull up her pant legs when she lit up the machine in the shoe area.

Svoboda said that's how they do a visual check on shoes. They check for weapons strapped on ankles or wires sticking out of shoes.

If someone sets off the machine because of metal in clothing, deputies use a wand to determine the cause. Many times, it's metal buttons, underwire bras, name plates on jeans and belt buckles.

Purses, briefcases, backpacks, laptops, cell phones and other electronic equipment is put through the baggage scanner.

Objects like pocketknives, metal nail files or other sharp objects are not allowed in the building. Deputies allow people to take those back to their cars, or, if they don't, the item is seized or the person denied entry.

The deputies have confiscated brass knuckles, pepper spray, forks, scissors, steak knives and even wine keys.

“Servers have to supply their own (wine key), so they carry one,” Svoboda said.