RTD names acting co-chiefs of transit police department in Colorado

Just a little more than a week after CBS News Colorado learned that RTD's chief of police had been terminated, the agency has named two acting co-chiefs of the transit police department. Dr. Glynell Horn, Jr. and Steven Martingano will be the acting co-chiefs of the transit police and emergency management department. 

RTD's General Manager and CEO Debra A. Johnson made the announcement on Friday morning. 

While the two men are operating in the co-chiefs role, Johnson said that a national search process will get underway until a permanent replacement is named to replace former RTD Police Chief Joel Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald had separated from the agency on Sept. 20 but the agency refused to say if Fitzgerald had resigned or was fired, and declined to share any information about what led to the separation. 

Colorado's Peace Officer Standards and Training database, which shows the employment and disciplinary status of Colorado law enforcement officers, showed on Sept. 26 that Fitzgerald had been "Terminated For Cause."

"Acting Co-Chiefs Horn and Martingano have my full confidence and will ensure RTD continues to prioritize the personal safety and security of its employees and customers," Johnson said in a statement. "The two have more than 45 years of law enforcement experience between them, and they will continue the agency's ongoing efforts to create a welcoming transit environment." 

According to RTD, Horn joined RTD-PD in 2023 as the Deputy Chief of Patrol and Security and had nearly two decades of law enforcement experience in the Houston metro area of Texas. The agency said that Martingano was hired by RTD in 2015 after working for the New York City Police Department and other Denver metro area law enforcement agencies, as well as being named the RTD-PD Deputy Chief in 2017.

Fitzgerald joined RTD as its police chief in 2022. But he had been on leave since July as an outside investigator looked into alleged "policy violations."