Denver RTD Establishes Detective Bureau

The Denver Regional Transportation District (RTD)’s Transit Police Department (RTD-PD) Detective Bureau is fully operational and able to start investigating and prosecuting crimes.

The department laid the groundwork for its internal detective bureau in January to pursue investigations that occur on RTD property across jurisdictions. Since then, the RTD-PD worked to establish bureau protocols across eight counties and 40 municipalities within RTD’s service area to formally prosecute personal crimes, involving any threat or use of force, and includes felony-level narcotics violations across the agency’s system or property.

RTD’s Victim’s Advocate Program Specialist Julie McKinster has joined the detective bureau. The role ensures the Transit Police Detective Bureau complies with the Colorado Victim’s Rights Act. McKinster will help riders and drivers navigate the criminal justice process relating to crimes including second- and third-degree assault, limited first-degree assault, menacing, kidnapping, robbery and aggravated robbery, and unlawful sexual contact, among others.

RTD-PD Commander of Professional Services Brian Cousineau said, “The court system is daunting at times and stressful as a victim. The victim’s advocate program specialist can have a direct line of communication with them and walk them through the process to help ease a difficult situation.”

Other investigations RTD’s detective bureau is equipped to undertake include, and are not limited to, thefts; trespassing; fraud and forgery; public peace and order crimes; offenses involving communications, firearms, and weapons violations; and controlled substance offenses.

As part of the detective bureau’s launch, all RTD Transit Police officers successfully completed training provided by the bureau. The training focused on proper documentation and procedures for in-custody arrests across all counties where offenders may be booked.

To prepare for the bureau’s official launch, the RTD-PD command staff has been coordinating with local sheriffs’ departments within the agency’s district to use their jail operations, including following each county’s booking procedures. This includes using holding cells at detention centers for suspects while RTD-PD officers fulfill necessary documentation for casework.

The agency’s detective bureau will coordinate directly with local police agencies to use crime scene investigation capabilities. The Colorado Bureau of Investigations (CBI) will serve as a resource for the RTD-PD detective bureau to perform evidence analysis.

The detective bureau is just one of many strategies the Transit Police Department has implemented to support a welcoming transit environment for RTD customers and employees.