Methods are described for radar detection of persons wearing wires using radar spectra data including the vertical polarization (VV) radar cross section and the horizontal polarization (HH) radar cross section for a person. In one embodiment, the ratio of the vertical polarization (VV) radar cross section to the horizontal polarization (HH) radar cross section for a person is compared to a detection threshold to determine whether the person is wearing wires. In another embodiment, the absolute difference of the vertical polarization (VV) radar cross section and the horizontal polarization (HH) radar cross section for a person is compared to a detection threshold to determine whether the person is wearing wires. To reduce false positives, other additional indicators, such as speed of movement, and or visual features of the person, can be used to further narrow a person suspected of wearing wires.