RTD Police Department reaches 76 officers with 17 police academy graduates in May

丹佛(2024年6月3日) ——这是 区域运输区(RTD) 交通警察 Department (RTD-PD) is announcing the addition of 17 new officers after a series of three graduations from local police academies in May. 最近的毕业生, RTD is gaining momentum in achieving its goal of reaching a minimum of 119 officers by yearend with 76 sworn officers now on the force.

RTD Deputy Chief Steven Martingano gave the keynote address during the May 13 police academy graduation ceremony at Red Rocks 社区 College and told the graduates, “你的直系亲属增加了708人以上,000, the number of full-time police officers throughout the United States. Every day, every call, and every decision you make will affect each and every one of them. 这708,如果你采取了错误的行动，000名警官将直接受到审判, or they will be praised if you conduct yourself in a professional manner. 当你光荣地履行职责时, 诚信与奉献, 要知道你有成千上万的人支持你, 你永远不会孤单.”

2019年8月，RTD-PD由19名警官组成. Since then, RTD has shifted from contracted security personnel to directly employing sworn officers. 随着人员的增加, 5月5日, RTD-PD expanded to 24/7 patrolling by a dedicated team of officers working an overnight shift to bolster security where needed across the agency’s service area.

RTD-PD警官Alan Banich, who graduated May 13 from the Red Rocks 社区 College police academy where he was also class president said, “It’s exciting to be part of the phenomenal and quick growth of the RTD-PD, 这只会使我们所服务的社区受益. We’re spread out across the district providing law enforcement to the community that we’ve been without far too long. 我们可以把巡逻范围扩大到荷兰等地, Thornton and Parker while still having coverage in downtown Denver. I believe strongly it will help our customers and the community at large.”

Growing the force is one of RTD’s ongoing strategies for creating a welcoming transit environment through reducing criminal activity and improving the personal safety and security of customers and employees. More officers on the RTD-PD also increases the ability to be a regular presence on buses and trains and at stops and stations.

To deploy officers more strategically, the department is also using a sector-approach to patrolling. An RTD-PD sector commander is assigned to each of the five sectors across the 2,342平方英里的地区. 业主, 企业主, municipalities and customers may directly contact their respective commander to address chronic, 非紧急关注领域.

RTD also employs Crime Prevention through Environmental Design to deter criminal activities through changes in a location. 举个例子，该机构的 电梯试点项目m 目前正在三个轻轨车站进行. Elevator doors are programmed to remain in the open position while resting to deter illicit activity. 为期三个月的试点将于6月中旬结束，并提交最终报告. Preliminary findings suggest that the program is successful in reducing illegal activity, and RTD will explore plans to expand the program to dozens of additional elevator locations across its system. 在过去的一年, RTD has also upgraded lighting at stops and stations and installed TV monitors that display security feeds across the service area.

2019年1月, RTD became the first transit agency in the country to have a contracted mental health clinician work alongside its 交通警察. This effort helps address the occurrence of individuals experiencing a mental health issue that might otherwise be interpreted as criminal behavior. 2022年1月, RTD added a homeless outreach coordinator to work across the service area and share resources with those experiencing homelessness. RTD目前正在招聘额外的 社区外展人员 to staff six mental health clinicians and five homeless outreach coordinators by yearend to partner with RTD-PD. The outreach program has fostered agency relationships to increase customer access to important resources in the RTD service area and help keep services running smoothly.

The agency also has a K-9 unit and plans to add three more K-9s later this year to aid in patrolling and securing buses, 使火车和车站的车辆和设施更加安全. 交通警察 also partner regularly with law enforcement agencies in the more than 40 municipalities across RTD’s service area to address crime-related activity.

Customers are encouraged to be RTD’s partners in safety by downloading and using the 过境手表应用程序, 有英文和西班牙文两种版本, to report suspicious or illicit activity discretely or anonymously 24/7. 这款应用有苹果版和安卓版. Customers without smart phones or the app may call Transit Watch dispatch directly at 303-299-2911 or text 303-434-9100.