DENVER (KDVR) — RTD’s police chief is resigning.
Robert Grado announced his resignation in an email to colleagues on February 25. FOX31 obtained the email on Friday.
“The time has come for me to step down as the leader of the organization as of March 11, 2022,” Grado told colleagues in the email. “I am so humbled and honored to have had the opportunity to serve as RTD’s Police Chief for the past five years. This has been the highlight of my career and is something that I will remember with a grateful heart and fondness for all that I have worked with.”
The announcement comes as RTD security has come under greater scrutiny after transit employees raised concerns about the negative effects of unchecked drug use on public trains and buses and at Union Station.
Grado said he’s been with RTD for nearly 12 years of his 35-year law enforcement career. He was promoted to the role of RTD police chief in July 2017, according to his biography on the RTD website.
“My plan moving forward is to take a couple months off to rediscover myself and consider new professional opportunities,” Grado said in the email.
According to RTD:
“In 2010, he was hired with the RTD Transit Police Division as a Commander in charge of the Emergency Services Bureau and was promoted to Chief of Police in July 2017. Chief Grado is responsible for the coordination and oversight of a complex security model, which is comprised of a team of more than 600 law enforcement and security professionals.”
An RTD spokesperson refused to provide the email to FOX31 when contacted on Friday night and said they could not comment on personnel letters.
RTD police chief resignation email
Here is the text of the email:
“RTD Transit Police Team and all who contributed and supported our success,
It has been an absolute honor to serve RTD for nearly 12 years, and I am so proud of the Transit Police Division. Together, we were able to build a well-oiled and respected organization. It has been a life-changing experience for me to be a key member of this organization, not only on the policing and security side but as a trusted life-safety and physical security technology consultant to Capital Programs during Fastracks expansions.
Your dedication and commitment have led to so many successes, including life-saving programs for our organization, some of which are outlined below. These are even more impressive considering the stresses put on all of us through the COVID-19 Pandemic, furloughs, financial constraints, and public unrest. Through all of this, the transit police and safety teams stuck together, showed up every day, and stayed strong with nearly zero staffing turnover. I have never experienced such incredible work ethic and resolve by so many public servants.
That being said, now comes the hard part. The time has come for me to step down as the leader of the organization as of March 11, 2022. I am so humbled and honored to have had the opportunity to serve as RTD’s Police Chief for the past five years. This has been the highlight of my career and is something that I will remember with a grateful heart and fondness for all that I have worked with.
Lastly, I am proud to leave the public sector while still at the pinnacle of an unblemished 35-year law enforcement career. Thank you for the kindness, support, loyalty, and dedication you have shown me throughout my RTD career.
Below are just some of the highlights and improvements we have accomplished as a team:
- Complete overhaul and renovation of integrated security technology programs to become one of the nation’s most recognized and awarded security models
- Development of expansive Transit Watch programs, including the Transit Watch Mobile Application.
- Formalized video investigations programs led by a team of professionals which has resulted in millions of dollars in agency liability claim savings and high-quality criminal investigations
- The development and expansion of training programs to build an in-house APCO Certification curriculum aimed at producing highly trained 911 Public Safety Dispatchers
- Complete overhaul of professional standards and SOPs for all Transit Police personnel
- Creation of a comprehensive recruiting, testing and background investigation program to ensure only the best of the best are hired into the agency
- Enhanced and expanded training for RTD Transit Police officers, resulting in an environment of mutual respect, both internally and with the region’s law enforcement partners
- Set of the “stage” for RTD Police Agency Accreditation as a full-service, professional police department with a specialized focus on serving the public transit community
- A comprehensive review and development of a reimagined transit policing and community service security model that was developed holistically with input from peers, consultants, RTD staff and local stakeholders
My plan moving forward is to take a couple months off to rediscover myself and consider new professional opportunities. I want you all to know that each of you has impacted me, and I will take many lessons learned to whatever is next.”