Seeking safety, enforcement on public transportation

We arrived at Denver International Airport this past Sunday at 8 p. m. from a trip to the UK. On the train at DIA, we were greeted by Mayor Michael Hancock’s voice saying, “Welcome to the Mile High City.” We retrieved our luggage and got on the RTD A line to Union Station.

The train had an armed security guard who checked our tickets. It seemed very safe. When we arrived at Union Station everything changed. It was not all the new buildings; instead, it was the Denver drug city. As we walked over to catch the RTD W line to Lakewood, I saw numerous people openly selling and using drugs.

Where were the police?

Once we got on the W line, it got worse as there was no security guard, people were clearly on the train without any tickets, and again rampant open selling and using of drugs. I was very uneasy and watchful! We arrived safely back in Lakewood.

I reached out to Mayor Hancock with this information and have challenged him to ride the light rail without his security detail to experience this “welcoming” firsthand. I absolutely did not feel “Welcomed to Denver.” I have asked him to either “clean it up or shut it down.”

This issue also deters usage and reduces potential revenue for RTD. I would be embarrassed if I were Mayor Hancock by welcoming visitors to the Mile High City and our beautiful state of Colorado.

Mike Schwein, Lakewood

I’ve had it with RTD. During each of the last three light rail trips I’ve taken, I witnessed an individual openly using a crack pipe, and this was within a single day!

The bus terminal at Union Station is much the same. The lawlessness of light rail and Union Station has caused me to choose alternatives to RTD ( Regional Transportation of Druggies). It’s already a crime scene, but I can’t help think drugrelated crime is close behind.

I encourage others to boycott RTD until local politicians and the police can rein in this problem. They can start by limiting passengers to the bus depot to ticketed passengers only.

Bryan Anderson, Lakewood

Eric Lutzens, The Denver Post Commuters board an RTD bus in the underground concourse at Union Station in downtown Denver in this July 2021 file photo.