By Mollie Lair
City Manager’s Office
City Manager Sheryl Long officially announced her selection of Teresa Theetge as the next Cincinnati Police Chief on Thursday.
“I am very proud to officially announce my selection of Teresa Theetge as the next Cincinnati Police Chief. This is a historic moment for our City and police department. She is the first female Police Chief and was chosen through a transparent recruitment process where I took input and advocacy from all interested stakeholders.
“I have full faith that she is the best person for the job. Over the course of more than 30 years, Chief Theetge has been an effective, dedicated public servant. Her hard work has been clear to her superiors, resulting in her earning promotions from patrol officer in 1991 to interim chief earlier this year,” said Long.
“During my time at the City, I have worked closely with Chief Theetge, especially over the last few months. I have seen first-hand her deliberate decision-making, her effectiveness in engaging with our citizens, the depth of her knowledge on cutting-edge policing techniques and her prioritization of equity and fairness. Throughout the selection process, Chief Theetge demonstrated these qualities and more, providing detailed, thoughtful ideas for the department’s future while also demonstrating a willingness to listen and to learn.
“I am excited to give Chief Theetge my full support, and I trust that she will deliver solutions on very real issues that lie ahead. Through her leadership, innovation and collaboration with our community, I know she will shepherd this department to a better future.”
In February of 2022, when Chief Eliot K. Isaac retired from the Cincinnati Police Department after more than six years as Chief and 33 years with CPD, Lieutenant Colonel Teresa A. Theetge was appointed interim police chief by Interim City Manager John Curp as the first female top be appointed to that position full-time.
In 2016, she was promoted to assistant chief and in 2020 assumed the role of the executive officer. Throughout her career, Theetge has had a multitude of assignments at varying ranks. She has experience in patrol and investigative assignments as well as inspections’ audits and internal investigations.
Her experience as a member of the command staff include night chief, district one patrol, central vice control, internal investigations and criminal investigations.
During her time with the Cincinnati Police Department, Theetge attended Xavier University where she completed her bachelor’s degree in liberal arts, with a concentration in organizational leadership, and her master’s degree in human resource development.
She is a graduate of the following law enforcement programs: Southern Police Institute (SPI), Police Executive Leadership College (PELC), Certified Law Enforcement Executive (CLEE), Senior Management Institute in Policing (SMIP) and the FBI’s National Executive Institute (NEI).
She also is a graduate of the Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce’s Women Excel Leadership (WE Lead) program and Leadership Cincinnati. She and her husband, Bob, have four adult children and eight grandchildren.
City Manager Long said, “Lastly, I want to thank everyone that participated in the selection process, including the other candidates who demonstrated their commitment to justice and public service. Hearing the questions and feedback from the community and from our officers reinforced what a special place Cincinnati is, and I want everyone to know these conversations will continue.”