"At least a half hour:" Some long lines at Lambeau on Family Night due to new metal detectors

GREEN BAY -- On Sunday, July 31st for Green Bay Packers Family Night, fans got to experience new security measures at Lambeau Field for the first time. Fans headed into the stadium must now walk through metal detectors.

"It's better safe than sorry," Seth Gebauer said.

There were long lines Sunday, as fans waited in line to go through the new metal detectors at Lambeau Field.

"At least a half hour, forty minutes," Gebauer said.

Gebauer entered through the Oneida Nation gate. Packers officials say it's traditionally the busiest way into the stadium.

"We were on that side of the stadium, so we just went to that gate and it was pretty hairy," Gebauer said.

Jodi Boyd, visiting from Illinois, waited in that same line.

"We waited a little longer than expected, but it was great. Once we were in, we were in and it was awesome," Boyd said.

The Packers, along with the other NFL teams, are now required to have metal detectors at every gate.

Officials with the Green Bay Police Department say Family Night was a trial run for this new security measure -- and that the screening process went smoothly.

"We had about 50,000 fans enter Lambeau Field within the first hour. Those numbers were not seen when we were wanding each individual fan," Captain Kevin Warych with the Green Bay Police Department said.

"Safety has become more of an important piece really in the public altogether, but coming to a large scale event like a football game is something that the NFL wants to get more proactive with as the years have gone by," Aaron Popkey, Packers director of public affairs said.

Last season, the metal detectors were only used at one gate at Lambeau.

"We had them at the Shopko gate last year and now this season, they will be at every gate," Popkey said.

Police say if you're looking to get through security lines faster -- you should pack light, and make sure to check the NFL website to see what kinds of bags and purses are allowed inside.

"There are several purses or bags that people have to discard or take back to their cars because they're not meeting the specifications of what's allowed into an NFL stadium," Warych said.

The Packers also recommend going through the gate that is printed on your ticket -- to help break up the crowd.

Packers officials will update their Twitter feed with updates on the gates that have the shortest lines on game days to help you out.