Leon Duran
Leon Duran
Transit Police Officer – Recruit
RETIRED U.S. NAVY
Do something that brings you joy: Veteran Leon Duran’s path to joining RTD
“I’m a high achiever; I always strive for more. I knew that I was meant for RTD. The path wasn’t direct, but I made it here.”
From Texas and Bahrain to Greece and the horn of Africa, before finally to RTD, Transit Police officer Leon Duran’s path certainly has been unconventional. Born and raised in Colorado, Duran’s friend joined the Navy after graduating high school, and Duran went along for the ride. Enlisting in 2006, Duran has served as a military police officer for the last 18 years.
“Serving has showed me how big the world is,” Duran reflects. “There are so many different cultures, so many different places and ways of living. Coming back here and remembering how much opportunity there is here, I don’t want to waste my time and not do all that I can.”
Duran was sent to Texas to train in the military police program along with 39 others. Upon completion, each of them received their stations, with three being sent to the Middle East. Duran was one of those three. “I went to Bahrain, an island nation. This was 2007-08, the height of the Iraq War. I was there for 13 months, stationed as a guard at an entry control point, where we tracked the vehicles and pedestrians that came on and off the base.”
Duran was then stationed in Greece for three years, conducting harbor patrol on ships arriving in the port, before transferring to the Navy Reserves in 2011.
“A lot of people struggle with the transition back to civilian life. In the military, there’s that strict routine. In the civilian world, you have to figure it out on your own. I was still in the military as a reservist, so it wasn’t a drastic change, and I still kept up a routine by going to school and working active duty on the weekends.” Upon returning to Colorado, Duran went to college and earned his associates degree. In 2015 he got his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, and in 2022 received a master’s in business administration, all three from Metropolitan State University of Denver (MSU).
Duran’s memories of RTD growing up in Colorado led him to have interest in being an RTD security officer. “I’ve known about RTD my whole life, I took the C and D, the only routes they had back in the day. In 2015, when I was graduating, I became a security officer with RTD on contract. I knew I would enjoy it. I was in the military as a cop; I could fit in seamlessly here.”
In 2020, Duran was deployed to Washington D.C. conducting audits at the Navy Service Warfare Center. After two years, he was sent to Djibouti for nine months. “I did internal security and monitoring. I did biometrics on people trying to come onto the base, taking fingerprints, going through their phones. It was pretty tense, everyone had to be on high alert.”
After his stint in Africa, Duran returned and saw RTD was hiring for police officers. “I loved working on contract for them, so I figured I’d give it another shot and apply.”
He was accepted, starting in 2023, going to the academy and graduating in May 2024. “I love the fact that we’re a newer department, it gives us a lot of room for growth. We can set our own standards.”
When he’s not on patrol or fulfilling his military requirements, Duran remains incredibly active in the community. “I sit on the board of directors at MSU Denver where I support student engagement and am a mentor. Outside of that, I own a couple different companies. I own a landscaping business, U.S. Veterans Landscape & Design, and then I partnered with two of my best friends to start a pillow company, creating bamboo pillows. We try to hire veterans, firefighters, anyone in law enforcement.”
Duran admits that being a police officer is challenging, but that it is important to stay motivated and focus on the end goal. “It’s the coolest job ever. It’s hard, but it’s doable. I was told no a thousand times, but I persevered, continued putting in the effort to reach my goals. If I could do it and end up where I am, trust me, anyone can do it.”
“If you’re out and looking for a new path, there are so many options. Get a job, go to school, start your own business. Do something that gives you fulfillment in life. Do something that brings you joy. RTD is absolutely the place where you can do that.”
“If you’re out and looking for a new path, there are so many options. Get a job, go to school, start your own business. Do something that gives you fulfillment in life. Do something that brings you joy. RTD is absolutely the place where you can do that.”