RTD's ousted police chief alleges racial discrimination in new lawsuit

The latest: Fitzgerald's 18-page lawsuit claims RTD fired him in September based on false allegations and a "racially biased investigation" completed in retaliation for a complaint he filed with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission a month before.

Catch up quick: Fitzgerald, who is Black, was hired in 2022. In May, he received a citizen complaint detailing an overheard conversation between two white RTD police officers discussing ways to remove him and other Black officers.

• This sparked an internal investigation, which Fitzgerald says led to a retaliatory complaint by white officers and his subsequent placement on leave in July.
• An independent RTD investigation substantiated allegations in the officers' complaint, including repeatedly speeding in his agency vehicle and improper use of a company credit card for firearm purchases.
• RTD fired Fitzgerald in September, citing the violations found in the independent investigation.

What they're saying: Fitzgerald's suit asserts that the findings "have no merit" and that no white officers have faced termination for comparable violations.

• His lawsuit also claims white officers "with racial animus" resisted the changes and diversity he brought to the department.

The other side: RTD spokesperson Tara Broghammer declined Axios Denver's request for a comment.

What's next: Fitzgerald is pursuing a jury trial, according to the lawsuit.