EDGEWATER, Colo. — Inside the iconic Edgewater Inn, a local staple that’s been serving the community since 1953, the city’s new top cop sat down for a wide-ranging, one-on-one conversation about leadership, controversy, and what it means to police a town that’s just one square mile.
A Community Landmark
Before discussing policy and policing, Edgewater Chief of Police Randy McNitt explained why the setting mattered.
"First of all, thank you for sitting down with us and for suggesting the Edgewater Inn," said Denver7's Russell Haythorn.
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“Absolutely," McNitt said. "And I’m glad we could be here at the Edgewater Inn. The number one comment that I got when people would find out that I was going to be the chief of police in Edgewater was, ‘We love the pizza at Edgewater Inn.’”
For McNitt, it reflects the pride that defines this tight-knit community.
“The residents here have that pride and that small-town belief,” he said. “The City of Edgewater is just about one mile square. About 5,000 residents. And yet, we’re in the middle of a major metropolitan area. And so, you have the policing challenges that any of our neighboring jurisdictions have.”
From a Lakewood patrol officer to leading Edgewater, McNitt comes to the role with decades of experience.
“I started with the Lakewood Police Department in 1997,” McNitt said. “Word came out that the former chief here was leaving and moving to California, and it just kind of piqued my curiosity.”
Now, he leads a small department with a big responsibility.
“We have 21 sworn officers, plus five professional staff," McNitt said. "We’re hiring right now, so people can come to our website and check us out. We want to attract and retain the best men and women to do this job."
The Balance: Community Engagement and Crisis Response
McNitt says the modern officer in Edgewater must be versatile, equally comfortable at a neighborhood event and on a dangerous call.
“When we talk about who we want to be an Edgewater police officer, know that the community wants to engage with you,” McNitt said. “You have to be able to do that. But at the same time, you might have to leave that conversation and go to a man with a gun call, a stolen vehicle. They can’t just do one or the other. They have to be able to do both of those things.”
That balance was tested during a recent officer-involved shooting.
“With that incident, there was an exchange of gunfire," McNitt said. "Obviously, I’m thankful that our officers were not hurt."
Clarifying the Department’s Role
At a recent community event, McNitt said questions extended beyond city limits.
“I was at a community event and someone came up to me and asked, ‘What’s going on in Minneapolis?’ With that conversation, making it clear that civil immigration enforcement is not our job,” McNitt said. “Our job is to do other things and we will focus on those.”
The Tesla Charging Station Shooting and Public Scrutiny
One of the most high-profile cases in recent Edgewater history was the fatal shooting at a Tesla charging station in May 2023.
The shooting drew criticism because of the time it took police to make an arrest. The person arrested was ultimately found not guilty.
McNitt made clear he was not leading the department at the time.
“No," McNitt said. "I was not the chief during that time. I understand that people want arrests made quickly, and I can only empathize with the family of the man who was killed.”
However, McNitt says it was the department's job to conduct a thorough investigation.
"As a chief of police, our job is to make sure that we do a thorough investigation. When you’re making a decision that could lead to an arrest and a possible conviction that would put someone in prison, that can’t be rushed,” he said. “Those are challenging cases to prosecute. There have been other examples in Denver and other jurisdictions where those cases resulted in acquittals as well.”
Edgewater's Future: Professional, Trusted and Walkable
For McNitt, the vision for Edgewater is both practical and aspirational.
“Edgewater is a wonderful place to live,” he said. "That does not mean there is no crime. But it is a wonderful community, a walkable community. If you’re able to walk down the block and take advantage of Sloan’s Lake right across the street in Denver, what a wonderful place to be.”
As for the direction of the city, McNitt is pleased with where he sees it going from here.
“I want this city to be viewed as a desirable place to live or visit,” he said.
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