RTD will soon have patrols 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

Maddie Rhodes
·2 min read

DENVER (KDVR) — Amid ongoing safety issues, the Regional Transportation District announced on Monday that it will soon expand policing and security to 24/7 coverage.

Last year, RTD estimated that 65 million people boarded buses and light rails. While it’s a heavily used form of public transportation, there have been ongoing safety concerns for many years.

The Problem Solvers found at least 178 passenger reports of assault or injury during 2021 and the first two months of 2022. These safety issues are still prevalent in recent years.

In 2023, RTD reported that Narcan was successfully administered to 103 people experiencing an overdose at one of its stops and stations, in buses and trains and at transit facilities.

One RTD station in Boulder closed its interior last year after third-party testing found levels of meth or similar substances exceeded the level approved by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The station reopened one year later.

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RTD has already expanded its security to having more officers on staff, but it’s taking it one step further. Starting on May 5, RTD is stationing 61 transit police around the clock.

The added full-time coverage comes as an effort to increase personal safety as well as the safety of RTD employees with overnight shifts.

During the late night shifts, the security will be focused on areas that need more protection for RTD operators, such as when employees begin their morning shifts at Denver Union Station.

“We know that problems can occur at any time, so this is another step toward meeting the goal of creating a welcoming transit environment 24/7, 365 days a year,” Deputy Chief Glyn Horn said in a press release.

RTD plans to add more peace officers throughout the year, with 19 more coming in May. By the end of the year, the goal is to have over 100 peace officers.

RTD also plans on staffing mental health clinicians and homeless outreach coordinators to work alongside the officers by the end of the year.

These peace officers can be reached by calling RTD-PD at 303-299-2911 or texting 303-434-9100. Riders can also report suspicious activity on the Transit Watch app to officers, which will soon be staffed throughout all hours.

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