DENVER — The Regional Transit District’s (RTD) Chief of Police has been placed on leave, the agency confirmed to Denver7 on Thursday but questions remain as to the reason why.
Joel Fitzgerald, Sr., RTD Chief of Police and Emergency Management joined RTD in August of 2022 and most recently served as Chief of Police in Waterloo, Iowa.
When pressed by Denver7 News early on Thursday as to what was behind Fitzgerald’s leave, a spokesperson didn’t provide any more details.
RTD is not revealing much about the decision other than the issue is a personnel matter.
Denver7 Investigates learned RTD placed Fitzgerald on leave on July 1. At a press conference on Thursday introducing new cameras on buses, Denver7 Chief Investigative Reporter Tony Kovaleski pressed RTD for answers as to why the agency placed Fitzgerald on leave.
On Thursday afternoon Chief Fitzgerald took a phone call from reporter Kovaleski revealing that he couldn’t say anything but said there would be a day that he could talk – adding he is looking forward to returning to his job.
Kovaleski also attempted to connect with more than a half dozen elected RTD Board members attempting to gain answers as to why the decision wasn’t made public.
RTD board member Bobby Dishell responded to Denver7 Investigates saying: "At the end of the day, this is a personnel matter and the Chief is innocent until proven otherwise."
Before he led the Waterloo police department, Fitzgerald served as the police chief of Fort Worth, Texas before he was fired in what the city said was due to poor judgment, according to NBC DFW. Fitzgerald said he was fired while investigating alleged corruption at Fort Worth City Hall.
As RTD passengers worry about security concerns onboard buses and trails, the agency has this year announced several changes including the implementation of 24/7 police coverage.
Before April, there was a gap in transit coverage from 2 a.m. to 5 a.m. and again between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m., according to RTD. Starting in May, RTD added transit officer coverage for all hours.
“The introduction of an overnight team has been a priority for RTD-PD, and it was always contingent upon our hiring success,” said RTD Transit Chief of Police and Emergency Management Dr. Joel Fitzgerald, Sr. in an April statement. “We needed enough staff to begin to provide the high-performance service our stakeholders expect. As we continue to grow, you’ll see us even more.”
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RTD also implemented an elevator pilot program in March which sought to reprogram several elevators at three stations to limit “unwanted illegal activities from taking place inside of RTD’s elevators,” the agency said.
The change meant elevator doors at the Colorado, Nine Mile and Southmoor Stations would remain open until a floor was selected.
RTD, citing the success of that program, said it would expand it to three other stations in its network.
Just this week, RTD announced new technology that allows dispatchers to both see and hear people and situations unfolding live inside its buses. RTD said the technology, which it began installing in 2023 for “emergency situations” will allow the agency to get a clearer picture of safety conditions and potential hazards.
In the four cities where he led departments, Fitzgerald was the first African-American person to serve as chief.
In his capacity as RTD Chief of Police, he oversees more than 600 police and security officers.
At the time of his hiring, Fitzgerald addressed the need of RTD to increase security.
"They're looking to really look at building out a police department and building a facility and doing the things that are necessary to become not only a transit security presence, but an active police agency," Fitzgerald said in an interview after his introduction. "There's an overwhelming need for us to step up the safety and security of RTD, not only our physical infrastructure, but the buses, trains and light rail systems,"
When asked in 2022 about his goals for RTD, he said he “set expectations high for interactions with people” and looked forward to building “legitimacy and trust in the community.”
"The one thing that I expect out of every police officer is to demonstrate integrity, even when no one's looking," Fitzgerald said of his goals for his officers. "And as the chief of police, you can count on me doing the right thing when no one's looking."
Fitzgerald has more than three decades of law enforcement experience. His son, a Temple University police officer in Philadelphia, was shot and killed in the line of duty in February 2023.
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