Cincinnati’s policing controversy has blown up in recent weeks and the blame falls at the feet of leadership who refuse to call evil by its name. Police Chief Teresa Theetge’s comments after a brutal downtown mob attack have made her the face of a department that sounds more interested in messaging than justice. The city manager has even quietly asked for her resignation as the outrage grows and confidence in leadership evaporates.
Video of the July brawl is horrifying: a woman trying to help was pummeled into unconsciousness while other victims were stomped and kicked, and multiple suspects have since been charged in relation to that savage attack. The visuals lit up social media precisely because they showed real carnage on our streets, and citizens rightly demanded answers instead of platitudes. This is not a debate about optics — it is about when our leaders will stop making excuses and start enforcing the law.
Instead of forcefully condemning the attackers and promising swift arrests and prosecutions, Theetge publicly scolded the public and the press for sharing the footage, insisting the posts “do not depict the entire incident” and blaming social media for inflaming the story. That’s tone-deaf leadership at its worst: when your city is under assault, you don’t lecture citizens for showing you the problem — you fix it. Cincinnatians deserve a chief who stands with victims, not a chief who deflects.
Now city officials are scrambling and the request for Theetge’s resignation shows the political cost of leadership that prioritizes spin over safety. It’s not hard to understand why the city manager moved: residents are frightened, businesses are hemorrhaging customers, and downtown vibrancy is dying under a reckless permissiveness. If you run a police department, you answer for public safety failures — and sometimes that means stepping aside so competent leadership can restore trust.
Compounding the crisis are allegations from within the department and lawsuits accusing the chief of playing favorites in promotions, claims that have made rank-and-file officers question whether the leadership’s priorities are skewed by politics. When patrol officers feel undermined and morale collapses, crime follows; you cannot lecture citizens about context while your own department is tearing itself apart. The city needs a leader who builds the force up, not one who divides it with alleged quota politics.
Make no mistake: prosecuting the culprits and protecting victims must be the first priority. Five people have been charged in connection with the downtown beating, but arrests alone are only the beginning — tough prosecution, longer sentences for repeat offenders, and restoration of police resources are what will deter the next mob. Voters and city leaders should demand a prosecutorial and policing strategy that restores safety rather than one built around excuses and finger-pointing.
Her attorney calls her a political scapegoat, and perhaps there are politics at play — but optics don’t save victims, and political theater won’t stop repeat offenders. If Theetge is innocent of wrongdoing, she should be allowed due process; if she’s failed in leadership, she must be replaced so Cincinnati can get back to enforcing the law. The people of this city need clear accountability and a return to straightforward, unfussy law-and-order leadership.
This episode should be a wake-up call for every patriotic Cincinnatian: demand leaders who defend the innocent, back the badge, and stop letting ideology and image control public safety. Vote for officials who will empower police to do their jobs, prosecute criminals to the full extent of the law, and keep our streets safe for families and small businesses. Enough excuses — it’s time for leaders who will act like they love this city enough to protect it.
