If there’s one thing the City of Cincinnati has done as of late, it’s putting Cincinnati Police Chief Teresa Theetge on administrative leave. You don’t have to be a legal expert to understand that she has done nothing for the city’s crime problem — and if I didn’t know any better, I might even say things have gotten worse under her watch. However, I do know better, so that is neither here nor there.
“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,” City Manager Sheryl Long said in a statement. “Our focus remains on maintaining stability within the department and ensuring the highest standards of service to our residents.
When she became chief, Theetge spoke at length about addressing ongoing gun violence, as well as officer wellness and recruiting. Those three items continued to be top issues in Cincinnati during her tenure.
While police data showed that shootings are down within city limits, data from the summer also showed that crime reports in downtown Cincinnati were on the rise. That includes home burglaries, hundreds of vehicle break-ins and a violent August fight that garnered national attention.