Four former members of the Cincinnati Police Department have filed a lawsuit against Police Chief Teresa Theetge and the City of Cincinnati, alleging systemic workplace discrimination against white male officers. The suit, filed May 19, claims the department has used race- and sex-based criteria to influence promotions and assignments — often to the detriment of qualified white men.
The plaintiffs — Captain Robert Wilson and Lieutenants Patrick Caton, Gerald Hodges, and Andrew Mitchell — assert they suffered career setbacks, damage to their professional reputations, and emotional distress due to what they describe as an intentional shift in departmental policy that favors women and racial minorities.
“The city and Chief Theetge have actively and systemically undertaken efforts to promote, advance, and make promotion and assignment decisions that are preferable to women and minorities, and to the exclusion of White men,” the lawsuit reads, as first reported by The Cincinnati Enquirer.
According to the suit, the officers were passed over for career-advancing assignments and benefits despite their qualifications. They allege that under Chief Theetge’s leadership, a race-based quota system has been informally implemented to elevate women and racial minorities to higher ranks — particularly lieutenant.
Legal Pushback and Broader Implications
The lawsuit, which seeks compensatory damages including lost wages, benefits, and emotional harm, also demands a jury trial and a court order halting any discriminatory practices within the department.
Zack Gottesman, the attorney representing the officers, says the complaint is part of a broader pattern of legal challenges confronting the city.
“These cases collectively demonstrate a pattern of systemic discrimination by the City of Cincinnati against white individuals, particularly white male officers,” Gottesman told local news outlet WXIX. “The continued reliance on race- and sex-based policies, despite judicial rulings, creates an environment of unfair treatment and violates constitutional protections.”
This is not the first time Cincinnati has faced such accusations. Earlier in 2025, the city paid $95,000 to settle a lawsuit filed by a white officer who alleged discriminatory comments were made about white people by her colleagues and superiors. In 2021, a federal judge ruled that the police department could not use race- or sex-based quotas in hiring or promotions.
Chief Theetge in the National Spotlight
Chief Teresa Theetge, a prominent figure in the city’s law enforcement leadership, has recently come under national scrutiny following a widely publicized violent incident in downtown Cincinnati. Viral video footage showed multiple black people attacking a white man and a white bystander being knocked unconscious — sparking outrage on social media.
In response, Theetge held a press conference Monday, where she accused media outlets and online commentators of spreading misleading narratives.
“Social media… does not depict the entire incident. That is one version of what occurred,” she said. “At times, social media and mainstream media… distort the content of what actually happened and it makes our job more difficult.”
According to Theetge, five individuals have been charged in connection with the incident, with more arrests expected.
What’s Next
As the legal case unfolds, the lawsuit against Chief Theetge raises serious questions about departmental DEI policies and its limits. With a jury trial being sought and the backdrop of prior legal settlements, Cincinnati could find itself in the center of a broader national debate about race, gender, and fairness in public service institutions.
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It is sadly the truth that this type of action not only happened in police forces, but nearly every other career in this country.
Seijah always hit the nail on the head, my go to for the story, not a story
In all the coverage I have seen, the Cincinnati police chief failed to provide any additional context or explain how the coverage that exists “makes our job more difficult”. That being the case, she appears to be doing the very thing that she is accusing others of doing. If context is missing, share the missing context, don’t hide it. However, given the context in this article, it seems more likely that there isn’t missing context. Instead, both are an indication of her being a racist.