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New internal detective bureau allows RTD officers to now investigate crimes on district properties

RTD establishes internal detective bureau
RTD establishes internal detective bureau 00:20

RTD Police Department in Denver launched its new internal detective bureau on Tuesday, the Regional Transportation District shared in a press release. This is the first time in the agency's history it will be able to directly investigate crimes that take place on RTD properties.  

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RTD transit police patrol Union Station in Denver.

According to the press release, Detective Lt. Fabian Rodriguez and Detective Brian Beary were promoted to the internal detective bureau on Jan. 26 from their previous roles as transit police officers. Combined, both detectives have 45 years of law enforcement experience. Then on Jan. 21, Detective Craig Tangeman was hired and joined the new internal bureau, bringing more than 26 years of law enforcement experience to RTD.   

In the press release Rodriguez said he intends, "to have a self-sustaining detective division with a priority to establish relationships with law enforcement in surrounding agencies and district attorneys' offices. We are establishing a system where we all work together for a safe and welcoming transit environment." 

"A top priority is to build relationships with other law enforcement agencies to allow RTD-PD to file its own cases as soon as possible," Beary shared in the RTD release.   

RTD-PD Commander Brian Cousineau will lead the detective bureau. He has served at the department for almost two years, serving as an officer for 28 years in his career.   

The new bureau can now directly perform investigations on thefts and other criminal activity that might happen on RTD property. 

"One of the biggest lifts that we have is to get with all eight counties to file cases to each of their expectations," Cousineau said in the release. "This will also include establishing secure systems for e-filing and setting up protocols for writing probable cause affidavits."  

RTD-PD is budgeted to add two more detectives to the department later in 2025. Cousineau anticipates the RTD-PD detective bureau will be fully operational by the end of the second quarter of 2025.

"Anything that affects the ability of our customers to ride the system safely," Cousineau said in the press release. "We want people to utilize our services and feel safe doing so."  

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