Kenneth Frost used to spend his days worrying about manufacturing turbines and compressor parts.
But today he is a detective who has become Metro’s in-house bomb threat expert after nabbing a man the transit agency believes called in as many as 21 threats.
Frost had always wanted to be in law enforcement. He decided to leave his job as a production manager after a divorce, then underwent months of training — plus aching knees from keeping up with younger recruits. At age 48, he received his badge, becoming the oldest police officer ever hired by the transit agency.
Now, seven years later, the Metro Transit Police detective has helped bust a ring that made fake farecards and has caught carjackers who kicked an elderly woman. His latest case earned him a standing ovation at a recent Metro board of directors meeting.
Frost was brought in to investigate it after Metro noticed the number of bomb threats had risen. He started looking for trends by pulling tapes and records of 911 calls. About three weeks into the investigation, he said, it was clear that one person seemed to be behind a string of the threats.
Frost was brought in to investigate it after Metro noticed the number of bomb threats had risen. He started looking for trends by pulling tapes and records of 911 calls. About three weeks into the investigation, he said, it was clear that one person seemed to be behind a string of the threats.
“It was not a matter of if you’re going to get him, but when,” Frost said.
Still each new threat presented a scare for the transit agency. Officers mobilized on high alert in response, whether it was the middle of the rush-hour commute or the middle of the night.
“We had people out there, plain-clothed, dressed, canine,” he said. “Every call we got, it was like ‘Send as many troops as you can to capture this person.’ ”
Then on Aug. 18, Raymond A. Gray Jr., 38, was arrested. A federal grand jury charged him with five counts of willfully making a threat or maliciously conveying false information using fire and explosives. His case is pending.
For Frost, it reinforces the career switch that helps him keep Metro safe. “I love helping people,” he said. “I want to catch the bad guy and I want victims to know they’ve got someone on their side.”
