CINCINNATI — Cincinnati Police Chief Teresa Theetge has been removed from her position following months of scrutiny over her leadership, rising violent crime, and internal disputes related to staffing decisions, according to city officials and local reports.
City Manager Sheryl Long dismissed Theetge this week, citing “insubordination, inefficiency, and unsatisfactory performance” after an independent review of her tenure.
Leadership Under Fire Amid Crime Concerns
Theetge had been under pressure since 2025, when a series of high-profile violent incidents and downtown unrest raised concerns about public safety and police response.
She was placed on administrative leave last fall as the city launched an investigation into whether her leadership was effective during that period.
Officials ultimately concluded a leadership change was necessary, saying the department needed a reset moving forward.
Staffing Dispute With City Leadership
One key issue cited in reporting was a breakdown between Theetge and city leadership over staffing levels.
According to findings referenced in local coverage, the city manager had repeatedly pushed for more officers to be deployed on the streets during periods of rising crime — requests Theetge resisted or did not fully implement.
The dispute became a central factor in the decision to remove her, highlighting tensions over how to address public safety challenges.
Additional Controversy and Legal Pressure
Theetge’s tenure was also complicated by outside controversies, including a lawsuit alleging discrimination against white male officers — claims that added to the political and legal pressure surrounding her leadership.
As Fox News reports:
A termination announcement says Teresa Theetge was “begged” to put more officers on the streets during a crime-riddled summer last year. She was removed from her role as the city’s top law enforcement officer on Thursday after only about three years on the job. She was a police officer in Cincinnati for 35 years.
Cincinnati found itself under national scrutiny last August after a viral beatdown in the city’s downtown left a woman with neurological damage.
In the early-morning hours of July 26, a confrontation outside the LoVe nightclub, located on the corner of Fourth and Elm Street in the city’s downtown business district, led to a horrific beatdown that was captured on video.
In May of last year, four white male officers filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against Theetge, who was the city’s first female police chief, saying that they were passed over for promotions and passed over for preferred assignments because of their race and/or sex.
Theetge’s attorney has pushed back on the firing, calling the decision unjustified and signaling potential legal action.
What Happens Next
Interim Chief Adam Hennie will continue leading the department while the city searches for a permanent replacement.
City officials say the focus now is on stabilizing operations and improving police visibility and response in high-crime areas.
Bottom Line
The firing underscores a broader challenge facing many cities: balancing leadership, staffing, and public safety amid rising concerns about crime.
In Cincinnati, that tension ultimately led to a high-profile leadership shakeup — with questions about strategy and accountability destined to linger.
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I Smell DEI.
I live there. Major homeland of DEI and general ineptitude. One party town. Guess which one.
This makes me wonder what her political leanings are.
Is she an anti-police cop?
The best way ( to their way of thinking ) to destroy a ‘thing’ is from the inside.
Maybe yes … maybe no. I don’t know.
But somebody there does!