CINCINNATI — Ousted Cincinnati Police Chief Teresa Theetge is appealing her dismissal and filing a lawsuit against the city, Mayor Aftab Pureval and City Manager Sheryl Long, her attorney announced Friday afternoon.
Long announced on Thursday that while she recognized Theetge's 35 years of service in the Cincinnati Police Department, "it's become clear that a change in leadership is necessary for the department moving forward."
The chief had been on administrative leave since October 2025 as a third-party firm conducted an investigation into her leadership at CPD. The firm, Frost Brown Todd, said in a report summary of its investigation that Theetge's "old school approach" directly led to "a siloing of departments where departments competed for talent, resources and information."
"The majority of all witnesses interviewed indicated that Chief Theetge could not return to the CPD and be effective, and that assessment is supported by the investigation," the report says.
WATCH: Everything Theetge's attorney said during the press conference
Theetge's attorney, Stephen Imm, claimed the "phony" investigation was only done because Pureval, concerned about high-profile crime and an upcoming election, told Long, "it's either going to be you or her — if you don't fire her, then I'm going to fire you."
Imm said he was with Theetge when she learned of her firing. He said the news came from Long via an email, though she likely heard about it from media reports first.
Imm stressed Theetge had never received a negative performance review and had no discipline on record. Imm highlighted her historic role as the first female chief in the department’s history and said she had “an unblemished record,” yet was “kicked to the curb and labeled a failure.”
"When it came to Chief Theetge, the mayor and the city manager have never been interested in doing what is right. They have only been doing what is best for their own image and for their own political stature," Imm said. "But the bad news for them is that Terri ultimately has the right to be judged by someone impartial, not the kangaroo courts that she's been forced to deal with up to this point."
We reached out to the mayor's office for a response to Imm's claims.
"The Mayor has consistently been clear on that fact that it is not true, and that he did not direct the City Manager’s decisions in this personnel issue," a spokesperson said.
Watch: What's next after Teresa Theetge's dismissal
Imm said they will be appealing the decision and asking for an impartial arbiter to decide Theetge's fate, as well as filing a lawsuit against Pureval, Long and the city for violation of her constitutional rights — calling Thursday's announcement "only the beginning."
Pureval told reporters Thursday it was his understanding that Theetge had told the city several times she was open to resigning, but once that process began, she changed her mind. Specifically, Pureval said she demanded $7.5 million before she was placed on leave. Theetge's attorney said her goal was to return to work, something she still plans to do if an arbiter sides with her.
Addressing Pureval’s assertion that Theetge demanded $7.5 million before being placed on leave, Imm accused the mayor of violating a confidentiality agreement reached during mediation. He said the agreement expressly forbade disclosure of proposals or discussions from that settlement conference and called the violation “a breach of contract… a criminal act” done for political purposes.
The city manager's office shut down that claim, telling us the mayor was referencing a demand that was made in October before she was placed on leave.
"The City has not disclosed any information related to the mediation and did not violate the confidentiality agreement," a spokesperson said.
Imm said he and his client were considering a third legal action to hold city leaders accountable for breaking that agreement.
"If they are going to insist as they manifestly are ... on kicking her to curb and ruining her reputation and labeling her service to this city as chief as failure ... then yes, they are going to have to pay for those disgraceful acts, and yes, they are going to have to compensate Terri for the terrible harm they have done to this outstanding woman, this outstanding public servant," Imm said.
Imm was asked why Theetge would want to return to work after such a long leave and fight with city officials. He said she wants her reputation restored, saying she "loved her job."
"She will be ordered back to work," Imm said. "If this matter isn't otherwise resolved, when it gets in front of an impartial decisionmaker who is willing to listen to the evidence, she will be ordered back to work. This will be found as an illegal termination."
Theetge, though standing next to Imm, did not speak during the press conference.
