Cincinnati will pay an outside law firm $40,000 to investigate the performance of Police Chief Teresa Theetge, according to a copy of the contract obtained by Enquirer media partner Fox 19.
The law firm Frost Brown Todd is expected to investigate several aspects of Theetge's time as police chief under the agreement, including whether she:
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Has been an effective leader and manager of the department, including staff and resources.
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Has been a leader within the city government context, including advancing the broader goals of the city government.
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Committed an offense or policy violation while serving as police chief.
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Has ignored best practices in running CPD at the expense of public safety and crime prevention.
The city paid the company $40,000 when the contract was signed on Oct. 27, limiting costs unless another agreement was signed.
Former Cincinnati Police Chief Teresa Theetge looks on as her attorney Steve Imm speaks to the press on her behalf on Oct. 21, 2025, in Cincinnati.
The agreement expires before midnight on December 31, 2025, indicating the government is keen to resolve the situation by the end of the year. Mayor Aftab Pureval told the media last week that the investigation into Theetge's actions could take months.
Theetge was placed on paid administrative leave on October 20. Her attorney Stephen Imm said the city asked her to resign, but she refused. Imm said the city is using Theetge as a political scapegoat.
While Theetge is on leave, the city is paying her annual salary of $203,000, about $3,900 per week.
Cincinnati Councilman Seth Walsh presented the contract to Fox 19 and said he and fellow council members Jeff Cramerding, Mark Jeffreys and Meeka Owens signed a motion requesting the documents.
“We were given barely any more information than you about the hiring of Frost Brown Todd,” Walsh told Fox 19. “We are using a source of money that we don't know the source of, that doesn't require council approval.”
Cincinnati City Manager Sheryl Long signed the contract to hire Frost Brown Todd to investigate Police Chief Teresa Theetge.
The city has come under fire this summer as crime increased in the city core. A series of high-profile crimes have captured national attention, including the murder of Patrick Heringer in his Rhine home and a widely shared video of a fight in Downtown.
Pureval and Long called Theetge back early from a national conference to discuss public safety after an October shooting in Fountain Square left two minor gunshot wounds.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati pays firm $40,000 to investigate police chief Teresa Theetge
