Martinez was the first Latino manager of safety for the city Denver, as well as the first Latino director of the licensing department. Martinez worked as a public defender and later served as manager of safety for the city and county of Denver, overseeing the Denver Police Department, as well as the fire and sheriff departments. He was also the director of the Department of Excise and Licenses, now known as the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection. He is survived by his wife, Pat Cortez, his children, Leticia Martinez, Manuel E. Martinez, Jovan Muniz, and Devin Muniz — as well as seven grandchildren, one great-grandchild, his brother, Christopher Martinez, and his sisters, Christine Resendez and Marietta Ziobron. His family held two memorial services on Thursday and requested donations to the Denver Art Museum in lieu of flowers.