DENVER — More changes are coming to an already embattled Regional Transportation District (RTD) after one of its two acting co-police chiefs submitted his resignation less than six months after accepting the position.
Acting Co-Chief of Police Dr. Glynell Horn, Jr. submitted his resignation on Feb. 21, and his last day will be March 6. The district did not comment further about the circumstances surrounding his resignation.
The change comes as RTD searches for its permanent police chief. Applications for the position will close on Friday.
According to the job listing, the chief position will pay an annual salary between $200,000 and $249,673.
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RTD acting co-chief of police resigns from position, agency confirms
Horn, who addressed RTD's board of directors two weeks ago, was appointed acting co-chief of police alongside Steven Martingano in October 2024. He previously served as RTD's deputy chief of patrol and security after spending more than 15 years in law enforcement in his native Houston area.
The two were appointed nearly two weeks after RTD mysteriously parted ways with Joel Fitzgerald, who had been on leave since July, over an undisclosed “personnel matter.” RTD CEO and General Manager Debra Johnson refused to answer Denver7’s question about filling the vacancy in the days following the announcement.
A termination letter obtained by Denver7 said a third-party investigator had determined Fitzgerald violated multiple policies. In November 2024, Fitzgerald filed a federal lawsuit against RTD, alleging racial discrimination and retaliation.
An RTD police union raised concerns about Horn's promotion in October.
“There were just some of our members who had participated in part of that investigation, and Horn seemed to be associated with Joel Fitzgerald,” said Corey Averill, the police union president. "And just because of that close association, our members just felt they'd feel more comfortable if he wasn't acting chief, just because he was connected with the former chief. So it was nothing against him, nothing against how he conducted business, nothing like that. It was just strictly to try to protect our officers that participated in that investigation."
In a letter to the RTD board, the union also alleged that Horn had violated state law by not wearing a body camera.
“We were just re-referencing what had already been known and discussed,” said Averill.
A video obtained by CPR showed Horn not wearing his police body camera while responding to a domestic dispute in June 2024. In January, Denver7 asked Johnson about the report and why she promoted Horn, given those concerns. Johnson said Horn was “highly qualified” to serve as a co-chief.
“Speaking to the point about the body-worn cameras, that issue has been addressed relative to Dr. Horn, and all laws are being adhered to as we go forward,” Johnson told Denver7 at the time.
- Hear more from RTD CEO and General Manager Debra Johnson in the video player below
Averill said the changes within the police chief position are not that unusual.
“With any department that's growing, there's gonna be growing pains,” said Averill. “And if you look at the average life cycle of a chief, I think the average chief is chief for three to five years maybe.”
Averill believes RTD has a good structure in place with its police command staff
“Even with all the chief stuff that's been going on, I feel like it hasn't really affected our department much because we have such a good foundation of leaders guiding our department,” said Averill. “I think despite everything that's going on at the upper echelon levels, we're still growing.”
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