The metal detectors are gone from the entrances to the Sears Tower.

It has concerned many people who work in the high rise who were not screened as they entered Tuesday. "I think they should screen everybody who walks into the building because certainly the Sears Tower would be a potential target for terrorists,” said consultant Eric Deitchman...Employees still have large bags X-rayed and they swipe their ID cards. “For the last year we have been trying to strike a perfect balance between security, safety, comfort and convenience,” said Barbara Carley with CB Richard Ellis. Security expert Carlos Villareal headed security at Sears Tower after 9/11 and raised security measures then. He says the national trend is toward more technology.

“We've gone from analog recording to digital recording, so that in the event that there's an event, we have a trail to follow,” said Villareal with TrizecHahn Properties.

In the event there's an event. No kidding. I thought we were trying to prevent events?

Relying on a more robust (?) security recording system instead of heading off problems at the door uses the same uncomfortable logic - and false sense of security - as keeping children's fingerprint and DNA samples on file somewhere in case of abduction and murder. Granted, you may have a better chance of "following the trail," identifying the (presumably unrecognizable) child and apprehending the suspect. Unfortunately, the child will still be dead.

In the case of terrorist attacks, I think a "few ounces of [metal detector] prevention" - in the country's tallest building - are probably well worth the protection to lives and property their deterrent value offers...not to mention umpteen billion dollars in future overseas military interventions, in the event of an event.

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