Posted on 03/26/2024 6:02:39 PM PDT by george76
To RTD, the crimes that are happening are a microcosm of a larger, societal challenge that is seeping its way into its buses, trains and stations..
The Lakewood Police Department described a disturbing scene that unfolded on Feb. 13 at a Regional Transportation District light rail station.
Two teenage girls allegedly assaulted a man at the Wadsworth Boulevard light rail station, the police said. The teens seemingly attacked the man at random, holding him down, kicking him and calling him racial slurs, the police added.
The incident was one of several crimes that occurred in metro Denver's public transportation system in the last several months. Other incidents garnered considerable media attention not only because of their deadly results, but also because of how brazen they had been.
A 13-year-old boy allegedly shot and killed 60-year-old Richard Sanchez on an RTD bus on Jan. 27 over a verbal dispute about Sanchez's leg being in the middle of the aisle. The boy now faces 14 charges, including first-degree murder and endangering public transportation.
Vinchenzo Moscoso, 29, allegedly stabbed a man to death on an RTD bus at West 32nd Avenue and Federal Boulevard on Sept. 14, before stabbing another woman to death on a street near Regis University. Moscoso also allegedly started stabbing a male victim in the back of the bus in the neck "immediately, without provocation or warning," according to an arrest affidavit.
A man was stabbed and severely injured at the light rail station on Perry Street on Feb. 6. He survived.
In response, the Regional Transportation District has increased the number of POST-certified officers in its transit police department. The regional agency said it is also deploying new strategies aimed at rider safety.
But the department doesn't believe it can lower the crime rates on its own. The way the agency put it, the crimes that are happening are a microcosm of a larger, societal challenge that is seeping its way into RTD buses, trains and stations.
“We go through every corner of this metro area, which means we encounter any problem that's locally happening," said Stuart Summers, chief communications and engagement officer for RTD. "We're not trying to push off the responsibility onto somebody else, but we need partners to work with us, other jurisdictions and municipalities and nonprofits and outreach groups because this is something that is facing society as a whole, not just RTD.”
"We can't solve this alone," he said.
The transit police Ron Short, a former RTD bus driver for 24 years, said crime has increased drastically over his time in the industry, leading up to his job switch in 2023 to an officer at the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1001, the union that represents RTD bus and train operators.
Short said he saw an increase in both violent crimes and drug use, compounding into serious worries for operators and passengers.
Consider this: RTD fielded 13,938 calls for service in 2023, both via phone and its Transit Watch application. The agency saw 12,064 in 2022.
These 2023 numbers includes 20 calls for weapon offenses, 146 for threats, 11 for menacing and 82 for assault.
Already, the department has received 1,094 calls for service in January of this year — on pace for more than 13,000 by year's end.
RTD employs its own sworn police officers, who seek to provide protection and services to both riders and drivers in the 40-plus municipalities where the transit agency offers transportation services — including Denver, Boulder and Aurora.
These officers have gone through the police academy and are POST certified, according to Summers. They can make arrests, though the department does not have a jail and relies on the help from local departments to detain suspects.
The agency, which was made up of 19 sworn officers in August 2022, had grown to 56 sworn officers as of March.
RTD plans to reach 119 staff officers by the end of 2024, with 21 currently in police academy training, according to a Friday news release from the department.
Deputy Chief Dr. Glynell Horn Jr. said the increase in staff will make a huge difference in RTD's work.
“For years, RTD was in a state where they depended on extra duty employment, whether it was Denver PD or Lakewood. We were very dependent on the schedules of other departments," he said.
But while the increase in resources is significant, Short and other RTD officials believe it is still not enough.
“RTD is trying to build up their security staff, but they will never be able to build a staff to cover the entire transit system," Short said. "You would expect different police municipalities, that RTD is serving, to try and work hand-in-hand to offer the response that our operators need.”
"We can’t be on every train that RTD owns or operates. It’s totally impossible. However, we do plan to be present on a lot more modes of transportation," Horn Jr. said of the future efforts with added officers. "As we continue to grow our police department, we will also become more credible in the eyes of our law enforcement partners, as well."
RTD reflects metro Denver Both officials and Short said the increase in crime is not RTD-centric — they're not happening in isolation.
Crime statistics appear to support that assertion.
For example, Denver police saw 77,976 crime incidents in 2022, an increase from the 72,578 in 2021, according to the Denver Police Department's open data catalog.
The city experienced 57,229 crimes in 2019, prior to the pandemic.
Colorado Ping ( Let me know if you wish to be added or removed from the list.)
If it were white "teens" attacking a black man it we would know about it in the first couple of words in the sentence, therefore...
They need Dirty Harry or Paul Kersey.
I almost took a federal job out there many years ago. I am so glad I didn’t. It is a state that no one should be moving to, and sane people should be moving away from.
Regional Transportation District, 2nd line posted. 🙂
Knew that and was referring to the author.
Public Transportation is NOT the solution.
No kidding, and the government from local to the Feds keep pushing us to quite driving and take public transportation because of the so called "Climate Crisis."
RTD - Reason to Drive.
Hey Sage Kelley, learn how to write in referencing acronyms.
Sounded to me like you were making the complaint I usually make about journalists who use acronyms and never clarify what the acronym stands for, especially when the acronym is used by more than one entity. 🙂
My bad for assuming I was interpreting you incorrectly. 🙂
Things around Union Station apparently continue to deteriorate.
The CS-DEN-Boulder Axis seemed to be way more fun on the 70s.
LOL, THAT’s a good one.
on —> in
This is what happens when Democrats take control of a city.
Good acronym.
Or a country.
My daughter and her husband are LEO in the Denver metro area. They are adamant that I do not ride the RTD. I used to frequently take the RTD downtown, but not any more.
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