Cincinnati Police Chief Teresa Theetge is on paid administrative leave while the city conducts an internal investigation into "the effectiveness of her leadership."
City Manager Sheryl Long announced her decision in a statement Monday evening, five days after sources confirmed to WVXU and our news partner The Business Courier that Long asked the police chief to resign.
Long has named Assistant Chief Adam Hennie as interim police chief.
"The City continues to face serious public safety challenges that underscore the need for stability at the command level," Long said a statement. "Our focus remains on maintaining stability within the department and ensuring the highest standards of service to our residents. I have full confidence in Interim Chief Hennie and the department’s command staff to continue their dedicated work at this time."
The statement promises a commitment to "a smooth transition and maintaining community trust during this period."
Theetge retained an employment attorney shortly after reports she had been asked to resign. Stephen Imm of the Finney Law Firm also is representing former Fire Chief Michael Washington, who is suing the city over alleged wrongful termination.
Imm has scheduled a press conference for Tuesday morning at 10 a.m. regarding "Chief Theetge's employment with the City of Cincinnati."
Reaction from elected officials
Authority to hire and fire the police chief resides with the city manager, not the mayor or City Council. But, the city manager reports to elected officials, who act as her "boss." They have the discretion to fire the city manager if they disagree with her decisions.
Mayor Aftab Pureval released a brief statement Monday evening: "I fully support City Manager Long’s decision. I’m confident that the Interim Chief, our entire police force, and our administration will continue to put the safety of our residents above everything else."
WVXU has reached out to all nine council members for comment on Chief Theetge's administrative leave.
Council member Anna Albi provided a statement: "I am grateful for Chief Theetge’s more than three decades of service in the Cincinnati Police Department. She has been and remains a true civil servant. I look forward to working closely with Interim Police Chief Hennie during this critical time. My office has already been collaborating with Interim Chief Hennie on a series of initiatives to reduce the number of guns being stolen out of cars, and I have full confidence in his leadership. City Council remains committed to providing CPD with all the resources needed to keep our city safe."
Council member Jeff Cramerding told WVXU in an interview he has full faith in CPD and Interim Chief Hennie. Asked whether City Council will be included in the internal investigation, or whether City Council should be more involved in this process, Cramerding said no on both counts.
"I think Council has clearly stated that public safety is the priority, and that we wanted changes. The manager has made a change in response to that," Cramerding told WVXU. "I would assume [the investigation] will be an administrative matter and handled by the solicitor's office. I see no productive role for Council to play in the investigation."
Cramerding said he has no personal concerns with Chief Theetge's performance.
"I'm not in a position to evaluate the police chief," he said. "The [city] manager workes with her on a daily basis. It's her job to evaluate the chief and all of her department heads. I think [Tuesday] and over the coming days, the manager is going to explain what she saw and why she made this decision."
Council member Meeka Owens provided a statement: "Chief Theetge has dedicated her life to the service of the City of Cincinnati, and we will be forever grateful. This moment presents an opportunity to begin a new chapter for our city, but real progress will only come through transparency, accountability, and action. I believe that the selection of Assistant Chief Hennie is an incredible choice by the City Manager as I have been able to grow a professional relationship with him in the wake of the issues in the Central Business Section this summer, and he personally attended meetings that I organized with Downtown small businesses. I believe that his expertise of the unique challenges we have in the urban core will be incredibly useful to the effectiveness of the Cincinnati Police Department going forward."
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