DENVER — RTD Deputy Chief of Patrol Glyn Horn said the Denver metro's recent growth has required more from the agency's transit police, though some commuters believe more must be done.
In May, RTD Transit Police moved to include 24/7 patrolling. RTD said now there are officers staffed through the night and into the morning.
"It's important for us that people that utilize transit early in the morning be able to come to a transit location that's clean, that's free of nonpaying customers, and I really believe that it enhances the customer experience," Horn said. "And more importantly, it shows that RTD cares. It shows that we are listening and definitely taking steps in the right direction."
Not all agree with RTD's reflection of its policing.
Sarah Fischer said she takes RTD's light rail from south Denver to Union Station every day.
"I’m a daily commuter, so I work downtown," Fischer said. "I have to use RTD daily just because I don’t have a work that pays for my parking, but they pay for transportation."
What should be seen as a work perk is more of a headache for Fischer. She said she often runs into people on the train who haven't paid or are engaging in illegal activity.
"I feel like I’ve had to take the policing side of what is right, wrong, law, into my own hands because there’s a lack of representation of guards at certain stops, on the train itself, especially southbound," Fischer said.
She said she's had to ask people to not smoke on the train when children or older people are around. She said her car was keyed three times while parked at the Southmoor station, along Interstate 25 south of East Hampden Avenue, requiring her to go to another station.
She's partially frustrated with her situation because she knows other routes don't face the same problems. She said when she took the train from Arvada to Union Station, she saw tickets were checked and security was onboard.
"It was a vastly different experience from my daily commute," Fischer said.
Data from RTD shows that from January 2023, most reports made were for found property.
A year-to-year comparison of May 2023 to May 2024 showed there was a less than 1% increase in reports made. Because the data does not include the time of day when reports were made, there's no data to prove the 24/7 patrols are successful or need reevaluating.
RTD has also implemented an elevator pilot program where elevators would stay open. Horn said fewer people have been hanging around in elevators, which was previously a place for illegal activities.
"At one point you will get complaints and actually will stop by, and the elevators were occupied by individuals that were not customers, not riding the elevators or anything," Horn said.
Despite these efforts, some riders said it's not enough. Fischer said there's still work to be done to make all RTD experiences equal. If she feels safe on one line, she should feel safe on all lines.
"It’s upsetting that all of ,Denver that all residents, are paying the same tax, but we aren’t receiving the same experience," she said. "They aren’t showing the same care for each rider that they should."
Fischer said she has expressed her concerns to RTD in the hopes of more strategy and consideration for safety.
"It’s a public transportation," Fischer said. "People should feel comfortable."