Who is Teresa Theetge? 5 facts to know about Cincinnati Police Chief placed on paid administrative leave
Cincinnati Police Chief Teresa Theetge has been placed on paid administrative leave by City Manager Sheryl Long.
Cincinnati Police Chief Teresa Theetge has been placed on paid administrative leave by City Manager Sheryl Long, FOX19 NOW reported. Long said in a statement that the leave is “pending an internal investigation on the effectiveness of her leadership in the Cincinnati Police Department.”
Long also revealed the Assistant Chief Hennie will serve as interim police chief. “The City continues to face serious public safety challenges that underscore the need for stability at the command level. Therefore, I’ve named Assistant Chief Adam Hennie as Interim Police Chief,” Long said.
Long went on to say that the focus of this administration is to provide stability within the department, as well as ensuring public safety. She added that she has “full confidence in Interim Chief Hennie and the department’s command staff to continue their dedicated work at this time.”
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Mayor Aftab Pureval backed Long’s decision, saying, “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.”
Five facts to know about Teresa Theetge
Theetge was sworn in as the Queen City's 16th police chief in January 2023. She served as interim police chief for nearly a year before permanently assuming the post.
Here are 5 facts to know about Theetge:
- Theetge was the first woman to lead the Cincinnati Police Department, according to her bio on the city's website. She was also the first woman to be appointed to the interim police chief position full-time.
- Theetge has been with the CPD for over 30 years, during which she also served as assistant chief, executive officer and night chief. She has experience on the District One Patrol, Central Vice Control, Internal Investigations and Criminal Investigations teams, per Cincinnati.com.
- Theetge comes from a law enforcement family, with her father having been a Cincinnati police captain, and two of her uncles having been lieutenants. Four of Theetge’s siblings are law enforcement officers too.
- Theetge, originally from the West Side, is a graduate of Western Hills High School. She now lives in Green Township. She has a bachelor's degree in liberal arts with a concentration in organizational leadership, as well as a master's degree in human resource development from Xavier University.
- Theetge married her husband, Bob, before joining the force. The couple has been together for more than 40 years, and has raised four children. They also have eight grandchildren. "Honestly, I think that is – in my eyes – a greater accomplishment than reaching the rank of assistant chief," Theetge previously told The Enquirer.
Teresa Theetge’s lawyer to hold press conference
Theetge’s lawyer is set to hold a press conference at 10 am on Tuesday, October 21. The news about Theetge being placed on leave came after speculation about her future as Cincinnati’s police chief over the past week.
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A shooting on October 13 in Fountain Square was soon followed by a conference with Mayor Pureval and Theetge. On October 15, a day after the presser, a source told FOX19 NOW that Theetge had been asked to resign. While she did not step down, she was put on administrative leave.
Theetge was in Denver to attend a police chief convention when she was asked to return to Cincinnati, a source said, per the outlet. Long confirmed the same, saying Theetge was asked to come back “to immediately address departmental matters.” Mayor Pureval said on the day Theetge was asked to return to Cincinnati that the city was exploring “all options” around her police chief position.
