The former police chief of the Regional Transportation District (RTD) was fired for a series of ethical violations, according to a termination letter obtained Tuesday by 9NEWS.

Joel Fitzgerald, who had been on leave since early July, was “terminated for cause” on Sept. 26, according to Colorado’s Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) database.

However, RTD refused to say whether he was fired when asked, only that he was “no longer the chief of police.” They did not give information about the circumstances surrounding his departure, including whether he resigned or was fired.

The letter signed by RTD General Manager and CEO Debra Johnson says a neutral, third-party investigator found Fitzgerald failed to comply with RTD policies and that he was “a leader who sees yourself, and possibly the Police Department, as above policy.”

“The investigator further determined that you disregarded the concerns of subordinates and business partners and engaged in a practice of disregarding the larger agency as well as the agency’s policies, procedures and practices.” the letter reads.

Violations listed in the letter include:

• Driving 100+ mph in an RTD Police vehicle on 23 occasions.
• Approving a business trip paid for by a vendor after it was rejected for ethical reasons.
• Improperly trying to purchase firearms with an RTD expense card.
• Intervening in internal affairs investigations.
• Creating a policy discouraging staff from seeking guidance from RTD’s legal counsel.
• Authorizing a police department employee to use his RTD patrol vehicle for personal use.
• Instructing that RTD Police continue to hire despite concerns the department was over budget.

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