Latest news with #SteveMartingano
CBS News
13-05-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Steve Martingano sworn in as RTD's new police chief, brings nearly 3 decades of experience to force
A new RTD police chief has now been sworn in. Steve Martingano brings over three decades of policing experience to the department, which he will use to lead it. RTD General Manager and CEO Debra Johnson says Martingano is perfect for the position. He takes policing seriously and fits the role perfectly in their national search, she said. Martingano worked with Arvada police and Denver police before making his way to RTD. In 2015, he was hired by the RTD Transit Police Division as a transit police commander, and in 2017, he earned a promotion to the position of deputy chief of police. CBS Under his leadership, he has implemented a variety of community-based programs. Martingano started the first mental health co-responder unit in public transportation, which has been recognized nationally as a model to assist those in need, and he added a homeless outreach unit. Recently, in partnership with local colleges, he started a police cadet program to hire college students who want to enter a career in law enforcement to receive credits toward their degree. Martingano implemented sector policing for the RTD Police Department to distribute resources within the over 2,300 square miles that comprise RTD's jurisdiction. He also expanded the police department from five officers in 2015 to over 80 police officers in 2024, and anticipates growth to over 130 officers by the end of 2025. This expansion has produced the creation of units related to emergency management, crime data analysis, hiring and retention, investigations, professional standards, evidence, and property divisions. Martingano has also helped bring down calls for service by at least 50%, crime-related incidents at Denver Union Station by 60%, and drug usage by around 75%, in 2025, according to RTD. In Martingano's speech at his swearing-in ceremony on Tuesday, he said he wants to start his new role by having his officers build better trust in the community. He says this is pivotal for creating a safe transportation hub when riders use the bus and rail systems. His plan is to keep helping anyone experiencing homelessness and mental health issues. Martingano says everyone should be able to use this service, and it's their job to always keep it safe. "It is your space, your commute, and your peace of mind, so it is our job to protect it," he said.
CBS News
01-05-2025
- General
- CBS News
New RTD Police Chief shares 2025 plans to keep services safe
The Regional Transportation District, also known as RTD, says they are seeing decreases in its calls for service. New RTD Acting Chief Steve Martingano met with CBS Colorado to share their efforts to make RTD a safe option for travel. Martingano joined RTD in 2015 as a commander and was promoted to deputy chief in 2017. During his time at the agency, he has worked to modernize RTD's police deployment and response model by introducing sector policing. Steve Martingano RTD He also pioneered the first mental health co-responder unit in transit policing, a program that was later expanded to include outreach coordinators focused on the unhoused population. These efforts led him to co-found the National Transportation Vulnerable Populations Working Group. Martingano is also a subject-matter expert for the American Public Transportation Association, also known as APTA, peer review panels focused on policing and security. Under his leadership, RTD has implemented a four-step action plan focused on visibility, customer education, fare enforcement and technology. In March 2025, RTD announced a 50% year-over-year reduction in security-related calls for service across its service area as well as an increase in fare enforcement on the rail system. The agency also announced last week a 60% reduction in calls at Denver Union Station, following a three-year focus on the intermodal transit facility. RTD said the drop in crime related calls comes from new technology that was implemented in 2024. This includes live cameras on transit services and officers on platforms and trains patrolling. Officers can watch the live feeds through their laptops in their vehicles. CBS To reinforce community safety, Martingano has been at the forefront of expanding RTD's police department from five officers three years ago to nearly 100 sworn officers today. Currently, the department has 87 officers and is budgeted to hire 150 officers. Martingano said his biggest focus is having his officers keep developing relationships with riders and the community. If there is an incident, the officers can learn about it quicker through that trust. He hopes enforcement is the last option in any circumstances. "Hopefully, enforcement is the last option," Martingano said. "Sometimes, it is the first. Obviously, this depends on the situation, but we are hoping that law-enforcement actions are the last ones. We are able to build that trust in that relationship and have people understand how they should be acting on our RTD." RTD also has an app to report suspicious activity. It is their RTD Transit Watch app. This is text-based and will go directly to dispatch. They are a 24-hour a day, seven days a week service. To ensure more safety in 2025, the agency will be utilizing AI as a pilot program to help with report writing. This system will help jot down notes from their body cam to provide quicker results. Then, officers can focus on their patrols and not just administrative work. Martingano will be sworn in as RTD's new Chief on May 13th.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Yahoo
RTD's new police chief responds after Union Station shooting: ‘There's still work to do'
DENVER (KDVR) — A shooting near Denver's Union Station is once again putting public transit safety in the spotlight. One person was hospitalized, and Regional Transportation District police said their officers were the first to respond. Witnesses say it was chaos inside RTD's Chestnut Pavilion following shooting 'Our officers were the first ones on scene,' said acting Chief Steve Martingano, who is officially taking over leadership of RTD's police department next month. He's been involved in the agency's safety overhaul over the past three years. The shooting comes at a time when RTD has been touting major progress: cutting security-related calls at Union Station by 60% and expanding its police force from under 20 officers to nearly 100. Despite the incident, many frequent riders say they've noticed a positive shift. 'A year or 2 years ago, it was awful, it was just awful,' said one woman riding the train Tuesday. 'I just think they are keeping an eye, and it's a lot more pleasant to ride on the train than it used to be,' she added. 'Around here, I do feel safer now because I see more officers… whereas before there wasn't any… it was sketch,' another rider told FOX31. RTD reports 60% drop in security calls at Union Station after safety initiative Martingano credits the visibility and communication from riders with helping guide their strategy. 'The thing we try and do again is utilize either through our Transit Watch app, people reaching out through customer care, employees—meeting with them, trying to understand where the problems are, what they are facing and what are those quality of life issues,' Martingano said. Still, he acknowledges incidents like the shooting show there's more work to do. 'Obviously this is an incident that we would hope would never happen,' he said. 'We continue to show decreases, crime continues to drop, and we are going to continue to work to make sure things like that don't happen.' Martingano also pointed to technology, including more than 3,000 surveillance cameras and live 'look-ins,' as tools RTD officers use to respond faster. Looking ahead, he said the focus is on staying proactive and rebuilding ridership. 'The growth that I would like to see is just again the proactiveness of where our issues are, and having our officers out there,' he said. 'At the end of the day, we want our ridership to be up, we want Denver to be back the way it was pre-COVID.' RTD selects new police chief RTD said riders can expect to see a continued larger officer presence as they grow. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Yahoo
RTD selects new police chief
DENVER (KDVR) — The Regional Transportation District has selected a new police chief. Steve Martingano, the current deputy chief of police who has been acting chief of police since now-former Chief of Police Joel Fitzgerald was placed on leave in July, will be the new RTD chief of police after being sworn in next month. Fitzgerald was placed on leave and eventually fired a few months later for allegedly violating several RTD policies. 'Having Steve's continued dedication and commitment at RTD is a big win for the agency's employees and customers,' General Manager and CEO Debra A. Johnson said in a Monday press release announcing the decision. 'He is permanently assuming the role at a time when the agency is doubling down on its efforts to create a Welcoming Transit Environment and gaining a lot of ground.' The RTD system has recently launched numerous initiatives to curb crime and safety issues, including 'Reclaim Union Station,' doubling the police force and adding a new criminal detective bureau to investigate crimes. The RTD said last month those initiatives seemed to be working; there was a 52% drop in security-related calls in February compared to last year. RTD reports 60% drop in security calls at Union Station after safety initiative Martingano brings three decades of law enforcement experience, including 10 years just at the RTD, to the role, and some of his efforts at RTD include implementing the first mental health co-responder unit in transit policing. 'I am deeply honored to have been selected for this important role at the Regional Transportation District,' Martingano said. 'I promise to lead with integrity and transparency while fostering accountability and building trust. I am committed to serving all members of the community in support of RTD's efforts to grow its police department and be recognized as the premier law enforcement agency in the metro area.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
