Female attorneys in Portland are being asked to remove their underwire bras before visiting clients in the jail, because the wire sets off the metal detectors. Is it a smart move or is it taking things too far?

One attorney told the Press Herald that she was asked to step into the bathroom and remove her bra before entering the Cumberland County Jail because the wire had caused the metal detector to beep. When she refused and told the guard that she was insulted at the request, he refused her entrance to the jail. She says it's discrimination.

The Sheriff told the Press Herald that there's no way for the detector to distinguish between an underwire and someone bringing in a gun. However, Marilyn Thaxter, a spokeswoman for CEIA-USA, the company that makes the device, told the paper that the detector can be adjusted for sensitivity. She says it could be set to ignore very small bits of metal, like rings and underwires, but to pick up larger pieces, like guns and knives.

So we want to know what you think. Is this a valid safety precaution? Or it is taking things too far?

 

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