For the purposes of this policy, “Weapons Screening” is defined as a requiring all persons desiring entry to the Public Affairs Center building, or persons coming within close proximity to a performer/artist/speaker such as in a “meet & greet” opportunity, to:
- Pass themselves and their possessions through a metal detector device and/or
- Cooperate with having a Performing Arts Services staff member or contractor screen a person or their belongings by means of a handheld metal detector device without touch and/or
- Permit a reasonable visual inspection of any personal items including inside purses and backpacks …to reasonably determine the person or item does not contain a weapon as prohibited by the UIS Weapons Possession policy.
The Director of UIS Performing Arts Services (PAS) shall determine if an event at the UIS Performing Arts Center requires weapons screening of event attendees and other personnel with access to the Public Affairs Center building. Such determination shall be based specifically on a request of a venue licensee (renter) or to fulfill a contractual obligation UIS may have with contracted event, performer, speaker, etc. No determination by the Director shall be based on other criteria except for a recommendation or requirement from the UIS Police Chief.
Additionally, the UIS Police Chief shall have the authority to recommend or require PAS staff to implement weapons screening procedures for any event when UIS Police have determined through their own event threat assessment evaluation that such measures are necessary.
During periods of weapons screening activities, all faculty, staff, students, and visitors to the Public Affairs Center, except for on-duty UIS Police officers, shall be required to pass through screening checkpoints and adhere to any screening procedures and protocols in effect to gain admission to the building. If the weapons screening activity is at the request of a venue licensee or due to a UIS event/artist contractual obligation, the party requesting the enhanced screening service may exempt certain individuals (i.e., artist/performers, the licensee’s touring staff, local stage crew, etc.) from their weapons screening request. However, if the weapons screening is recommended or required by the UIS Police Chief, this exemption may not be honored as determined by the Chief.
Weapons screening procedures by PAS staff shall be designed and focused on ensuring illegal or prohibited weapons do not enter the facility as listed in the UIS Weapons Possession Policy.
Weapons screening procedures shall not be designed to seek out non-threatening items which may also be illegal to possess such as illegal narcotics.
Any dangers posed by screening equipment such as interference with pacemakers shall be clearly posted at the checkpoint and alternative screening methods implemented upon request of concerned individuals. Persons utilizing wheelchairs, with disabilities, and/or special needs, shall be reasonably accommodated with alternative screening methods.
PAS will work with UIS Police and UIS Facilities as necessary to lock exterior building doors and close off the pedestrian tunnel connection between Brookens Library and the Public Affairs Center building as needed to ensure all persons entering the PAC are admitted through a weapons screening checkpoint.
Persons already in the building at the start of weapons screening procedures will not be required to exit the building and reenter through the checkpoints. However, PAS staff may require these persons to be screened if they are desiring close contact with a performer, speaker, etc. such as a backstage visit or a “meet & greet” activity.
Adherence to the weapons screening procedures shall be required of all persons desiring to enter the Public Affairs Center building provided that:
- Signage is posted at all main approaches to the building indicating admission into the building requires adherence to the screening procedures and what general items are prohibited and/or illegal to carry into the building.
- All persons are permitted to decline to be searched, or decline to have their possessions searched, with the subsequent requirement they must then voluntarily leave the building and general area until they are willing to comply with the weapons screening procedures or until such time that weapons screening activities have concluded. Issuance of a ticket refund due to an event attendee declining to be screened shall be in accordance with the policy for ticket refunds in effect for that event at the time of purchase.
Additionally, UIS PAS will make every reasonable effort to alert ticket buyers and event attendees when it has been determined Weapons Screening activities will be implemented. This can be a notice: by email, imprinted on tickets, listed on the event’s online information page, etc.
At least one uniformed UIS Police Officer shall be on duty in the PAC building and specifically posted to aid PAS screeners in the following ways:
- Verbally briefing PAS staff involved in the screening process prior to screening commencing to remind them of what staff actions and techniques are and are not permitted during the screening activity, what situations they should refer to the officer, and how to handle non-weapon issues such as discovery of narcotics or other illegal items.
- To interact with any person who demonstrates agitation or expresses concern about the weapons screening policy and/or process.
- To immediately take over the interaction with any person if a weapon is located or suspected.
- To interact with any person not leaving the area upon declining to submit to the screening procedures.
At no time during the screening process shall PAS staff be permitted to touch a person, handle weapons, confiscate belongings, or forcefully remove a person from the Public Affairs Center building. All inspections of bags and belongings shall be always done with consent of the person bringing in the item and in their full view.