[Polybius]

Lawrence, head of the Police Department's homeland security and special operations divisions, said the order -- apparently made by the U.S. Secret Service -- was meant to speed up the long lines outside and fill the arena's vacant seats before Obama came on.

If this is true, somebody in the Secret Service needs to be fired. The Secret Service is in the protection business and not the political campaign business.

"Sure," said Lawrence, when asked if he was concerned by the great number of people who had gotten into the building without being checked. But, he added, the turnout of more than 17,000 people seemed to be a "friendly crowd."

An assassin with an I.Q. above room temperature would be acting just as friendly as the people around him until he pulled the trigger.

[PennsylvaniaMom]

Lawrence, head of the Police Department's homeland security and special operations divisions, said the order -- apparently made by the U.S. Secret Service -- was meant to speed up the long lines outside and fill the arena's vacant seats before Obama came on.

So the rationale is they want empty seats for the photo ops? Honest, I am not a tinfoiler, but this is beyond stupid. Really, whoever in the Secret Service that agreed to this needs to be sent to a desk job somewhere. And who in the Obama camp went to the Secret Service and said, 'hey lets speed things up here, loose the metal detectors.' THAT PERSON needs to be investigated...something smells really bad here (and it must to Officer Lawrence for him to go to the press w/this.)