Denver RTD sees improved safety and security after year-long effort

The Denver Regional Transportation District (RTD) says it has seen improvements to its safety and security after a year-long focus on bolstering law enforcement and upgrading facilities. The agency’s efforts also included adding bus and train enhancements to improve the personal safety and security of its customers and employees.  

The agency’s strategy called for increased Denver RTD Transit Police (RTD-PD) officers patrolling the system. Denver RTD says this effort has now resulted in both a month-over-month and year-over-year decrease in security-related calls. In February 2024, Denver RTD reports it logged 4,460 calls and that number was cut in half to 2,134 calls in February 2025. Similar month-over-month decreases have been observed going back to July 2024, shortly after Denver RTD implemented 24/7 patrols and gained momentum in recruiting additional police officers. 

“Calls have been decreasing because [Denver] RTD is deploying more officers in high-visibility areas and they're regularly riding buses and trains,” said Denver RTD Acting Chief of Police and Emergency Management Steve Martingano. “We’re enforcing the Customer Code of Conduct, conducting fare sweeps and maintaining a regular presence. These efforts are making a noticeable difference for our customers and frontline employees.”  

In 2024, a majority of security incidents recorded by the agency were the result of officer observations. As Denver RTD notes with an expanded police force, the agency can dispatch more officers across the service area and Denver RTD-PD will be able to proactively intervene instead of relying on customers to make reports. Last year, the number of officer observations nearly doubled, a metric that the agency says is clear evidence that growing its police force is working.  

The increase in the department’s sworn officers, standing at approximately 100 currently, “is a force multiplier” and enables greater patrolling coverage across the agency’s 2,345 square mile service area, Denver RTD Manager of 911 Operations Michelle Lawrence said. The agency is budgeted to have 150 officers on its force by the end of 2025. Lawrence oversees the team of public safety dispatchers that field all communications to the Denver RTD-PD.  

“Our job is to help the public and make sure there's a safe and welcoming transit environment for everyone,” Lawrence said. “[Denver] RTD’s public safety dispatchers are passionate about being here 24/7, 365 days a year answering phones and text messages from customers, helping our officers respond to incidents and sending emergency resources when and where they’re needed.”  

In 2024, Denver RTD logged approximately 43,000 security-related calls for service, or an average of 118 calls each day. The metric includes customer reports of graffiti, drug activity, noise complaints, unattended bags and other personal safety concerns. In January 2025, Denver RTD received 2,774 security-related calls for service to the agency’s dispatch center. 

“[Denver] RTD is interwoven into the fabric of the communities it serves,” said Denver RTD General Manager and CEO Debra A. Johnson. “Whatever challenges or problems are happening near a stop or station will most certainly impact the agency’s buses and trains. Whether a customer is waiting for a connection or traveling to their destination, RTD is doubling down on its efforts to ensure their journey is seamless, comfortable and convenient.” 

Facility improvements and vehicle enhancements 

The agency says it uses a strategic approach – Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) – to reduce crime, enhance public safety and create a welcoming transit environment at its more than 75 rail stations and 9,700 bus stops. To bolster personal safety and support security, multiple environmental strategies have been implemented, including live look-in cameras on vehicles, bus operator barriers, an elevator enhancement program and upgraded lighting in facilities.  

Outreach and support of personnel 

Denver RTD also works to connect individuals to community services, resources, information and other support not offered by the transit system. Denver RTD deploys a team of mental health clinicians and outreach coordinators to assist unhoused individuals and support those who may need information about community resources. In the near term, Denver RTD has a goal to increase the number of coordinators and clinicians deployed, make resource materials more readily available and provide additional training for frontline staff to identify signs of a mental health crisis. 

Transit Watch: See. Say. Solve. 

Denver RTD encourages customers to use the Transit Watch app and report suspicious or unwanted behavior on its vehicles and at stops and stations. If a customer sees something suspicious, they are encouraged to discreetly or anonymously report the activity and their report will then allow Denver RTD to solve the incident, thus closing the loop. 

The direct line of communication between customers and Denver RTD-PD dispatchers enables the agency to strategically deploy officers and allocate resources to better support customers and employees. Denver RTD says it investigates every call, text and Transit Watch incident report that it receives. The information customers provide allows the agency to have a holistic understanding of when and where problematic behavior may be occurring. 

Denver RTD first made the Transit Watch app available on May 6, 2014, and 1,367 customers downloaded the app that year. The security app now has approximately 45,000 users and it is available in English and Spanish on both Android and Apple devices. In 2024, Denver RTD received 4,604 incident reports via the security app, or approximately a dozen reports every day. Although Transit Watch downloads continue to increase, incident reports submitted through the app have steadily declined since July 2024, reaching a low of 202 total reports last month.