For over 30 years, Glen Trainor has served Grand County. He joined the sheriff’s office in 1993 and has led the Fraser Winter Park Police Department since its founding in 2005. He is now hanging up his badge and holster, giving thanks to the community he helped protect.

Chief Trainor officially retired on June 4, surrounded by family, friends, fellow first responders and law enforcement.

The journey to Grand County

A Colorado native, Trainor grew up in Buena Vista. His law enforcement career began at a young age. He has served for nearly 50 years. Prior to moving to Grand County, he worked as a member of the military police, then for the Thornton Police Department for eight years.

After becoming parents, he and his wife Robin decided to find a quieter place to live than Thorton. Trainor accepted a position as an investigator for the 14th Judicial District Attorney’s Office in Grand County. The office also serves Moffat and Routt counties. The Trainor family drove up into the mountains in 1991, choosing the High Country as their new home.

“I believe in Grand County as a whole, and the town of Winter Park, are just the most wonderful people I’ve ever been around,” Trainor told Sky-Hi News. “I feel extremely honored and blessed to have made Grand County our home for the last 35 years.”

A career spanning almost half a century

Trainor’s law enforcement career has spanned 47 years. During his Grand County tenure, he worked for the district attorney’s office for over a year. Then he joined the Grand County Sheriff’s Office as an undersheriff in 1993, in the supervision of Sheriff Jim Bartels. Trainor worked there until 2005.

In June 2004, a Grand County resident attacked the town of Granby with an armored bulldozer. As undersheriff, Trainor leapt into action by clambering on top of the dozer in an attempt to stop its destruction. His bravery made him famous as photos and videos of him trying to get inside the moving dozer circulated nationally. After the attack, Trainor credited his neighbors for rising up and supporting each other. 

“You don’t find that everywhere, and I have always felt very grateful for the support of the community,” Trainor said in an interview about the aftermath. 

Granby residents banded together to rebuild Main Street, including a brand new library and town hall.

“All the buildings that were damaged look so much better,” Trainor said. “I think it really did motivate people to take more pride in their community. It started a revitalization in the town.” 

Building a new police department

After the dust from the attack settled, Trainor built something himself. He helped create the Fraser Winter Park Police Department, starting in 2004. 

“Winter Park and Fraser … had previously contracted with the Grand County Sheriff’s Office for law enforcement services,” he said. “Of course I served as the undersheriff, and knew the towns pretty well.”

Thanks to his inside knowledge and experience, the two towns selected Trainor for the department’s inaugural police chief position. As he gathered a roster of public servants over time, the department grew from sharing a tiny 600-square-foot space with the sheriff’s to having its own office. Currently, there are 11 officers, two code enforcers and two clerks. 

With Trainor at the helm, the police department has also held Lexipol Connect Gold status over six years in a row, for its adoption of accountability and reduced liability policies. 

“The law enforcement officers in Grand County are among the finest human beings I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with in my career,” Trainor told Sky-Hi News. “I feel incredibly grateful to have worked with these men and women.” 

Community resilience after East Troublesome 

In 2020, Trainor responded to another major disaster. The East Troublesome Fire burned through Grand County, destroying homes and businesses. Trainor’s son Aaron, who works for the sheriff’s office, also confronted the flames to help neighborhoods in Grand Lake. 

“I’ve seen some really traumatic things happen during my career in Grand County, from homicides to the East Troublesome Fire,” the elder Trainor reflected. “But the way this community comes together during tough times is absolutely incredible, and I’m just thankful that I got to be a part of it.” 

The community experienced heavy loss during the months-long fire, including the deaths of two residents. Everyone came together, supporting each other during the wildfire and in the aftermath. This included elections clerks working to gather ballots during the fire, to wranglers moving their neighbors’ horses and livestock from danger’s path. 

“That’s just what makes Grand County so great,” Trainor said of that time. “It was in the middle of an election year, but you just didn’t hear any of that. Everybody just joined hands and went to work.”

A well-deserved retirement 

During his retirement celebration on June 4, first responders and police officers from around the county gave Trainor a send off down the streets of East Grand. A large group then gathered at the Headwaters Center to toast to his new chapter. 

Trainor donned a fishing shirt, shorts and sneakers — a sign he’s ready to enjoy outdoors adventures after retiring his police uniform.

In a Facebook post on the celebration, the sheriff’s office wrote that the chief’s “legacy is defined by a deep commitment to community policing, ensuring his officers always show up not just as protectors, but as true neighbors.”

Trainor plans to leave the Fraser Winter Park Police Department in capable hands. The department has chosen Commander Donnie Ransom as the interim police chief, as it continues its search. Ransom has served with the department for nearly 15 years.

“I think whoever steps into that role, whether it’s Donnie Ransom or somebody else, you can rest assured that our community’s law enforcement officers are incredibly professional individuals who strive daily to make a difference in the lives of others,” Trainor said. 

Trainor and his wife plan to live in Grand County after his retirement, and remain involved in the community. 

“This is still our home, and we intend to stay here,” he said, adding that he and Robin are also excited to do some traveling as well.

“Chief Trainor, your dedication and commitment to the Grand County community is unparalleled,” the sheriff’s office wrote. “We are incredibly grateful for your decades of partnership, leadership and shared service. We wish you nothing but happiness, relaxation, and well-earned adventure in your next chapter.”