Cincinnati Police Chief Teresa Theetge placed on administrative leave, city announces

In Cincinnati, city officials announced that Police Chief Teresa Theetge has been placed on paid administrative leave, while an internal investigation is launched into the “effectiveness of her leadership.” The decision was made by City Manager Sheryl Long, who stated that given the serious public‑safety challenges the city is facing, the department must have stability at the command level. She named Assistant Chief Adam Hennie as interim chief. 

Theetge’s attorneys condemned the move as both “hasty and unlawful.” Attorney Stephen Imm of the Finney Law Firm noted that Theetge was informed of the leave on the same day she marked her 35th anniversary with the police department. He argued that the city offered no grounds or cause for the action, and that under the city charter her position can’t be terminated without cause after six months of employment. 

Her legal team contends that Chief Theetge is being made a political scapegoat. They maintain she did not request to resign, does not intend to resign, and will not accept a lesser role — instead she seeks to return to her position as chief. 

Rumors of her status began circling following a shooting at Fountain Square and were confirmed when the city retrieved her from a conference and asked her to return immediately. Theetge had served as interim chief beginning in early 2022, and officially became the city’s first female police chief in December 2022.

During her tenure, she confronted rising crime in Cincinnati—including downtown burglaries, vehicle break‑ins, and staffing shortages within the police department itself. The department is approximately 100 officers short of its full complement of 1,059 officers. The city in September approved an additional US$5.4 million this year for public safety staffing and training. 

Fraternal Order of Police President Ken Kober argued that replacing the chief does not address the root issues of violence, and pointed to structural reforms such as changing how the chief is selected or managed. 

Mayor Aftab Pureval, meanwhile, released a statement expressing gratitude for Theetge’s years of service and support for Interim Chief Hennie, who the mayor and city manager met with to discuss technology use, visibility, and rapid response to critical incidents. 

As of now, the specifics of the internal investigation have not been made public, and the city has not identified a particular misconduct allegation against Theetge. Her attorney suggests that the investigation may be an effort to justify a decision that he views as already made.

Source: WCPO