A federal lawsuit is casting a new shadow over Cincinnati’s top police official as questions mount about both her department’s internal practices and her handling of a high-profile public disturbance.
According to the Daily Mail, four white male officers are suing Police Chief Theresa Theetge and the City of Cincinnati, claiming long-term racial and gender discrimination in promotions, while the department faces additional public scrutiny following a violent brawl that went viral.
The complaint, filed in May 2025, was brought by Capt. Robert Wilson and Lts. Patrick Caton, Gerald Hodges, and Andrew Mitchell—all white male officers with longstanding tenures on the force. The officers allege that their race and gender were factors in their being routinely passed over for choice promotions and job assignments within the Cincinnati Police Department.
According to the filing, departmental leadership disregarded years of experience and commander recommendations in favor of selecting minority and female officers, whom the plaintiffs argue were of equal or lesser qualification. The lawsuit states that a pattern of inequity has taken root in the decision-making process under Chief Theetge's leadership. They claim non-white and female peers received promotions and assignments that the plaintiffs were denied, allegedly because of a racial quota system operating within the force. The lawsuit asserts that similarly qualified individuals were favored over them based on race or sex, and that this created an unequal and unlawful workplace culture.
Veteran Officers Allege Bias in Promotions
The lawsuit also contends that staffing recommendations made by department commanders were ignored if the recommended candidates didn’t meet unofficial demographic priorities. The plaintiffs argue these circumstances amount to systemic discrimination in violation of their civil rights.
The officers are seeking both compensatory and punitive damages as part of their legal action. Additional demands include a formal court declaration regarding the alleged policy violations, an injunction against continued discriminatory practices, and reimbursement for all legal-related expenditures. Officials from the City of Cincinnati and the police department declined to offer public comment, citing ongoing litigation. Chief Theetge has not commented directly on the lawsuit thus far.
Chief Faces Fallout From Viral Brawl
Just weeks after the lawsuit was filed, attention turned to Chief Theetge again due to a violent altercation in Cincinnati that was captured on cell phone video and widely circulated on social media platforms. The incident involved a Russian woman named Holly and an unidentified man being assaulted by a group in a downtown area.
The brawl led to the arrests of Jermaine Matthews, 39; Montianez Merriweather, 34; and Dekyra Vernon, 24. Matthews and Merriweather were initially booked on charges of aggravated riot and assault, while Matthews later faced additional counts, including two felonious assaults and a misdemeanor assault. According to investigators, Merriweather played a leading role in the aggression, which they called a planned attack. Authorities confirmed that active search warrants remain open for two additional individuals suspected of participating in the violence.
Family and Public Weigh in on Racial Aspects
Merriweather’s family members have disputed the negative publicity, indicating that racial dynamics have influenced the nature and scope of the legal and media response. A relative suggested that if the victim had not been white, the incident might not have drawn the same level of attention. Clarissa, who identified herself as Merriweather’s mother, publicly defended her son’s character, saying he does well in school, is raising multiple children, and is not a racist. She also downplayed the nature of the altercation in comments that contrasted sharply with prosecutors’ framing of the attack.
The incident prompted criticism from Chief Theetge, who chastised onlookers for failing to call 911 during the assault. She expressed frustration that police learned of the event only after the video started trending on social media.
Police Leadership Under Heightened Scrutiny
“Nobody called the police,” Theetge said during a public statement following the incident. “They waited until they saw it on social media. That is unacceptable.” She also emphasized that the fight disrupted traffic and occurred in full view of passing vehicles whose occupants declined to intervene.
The timing of these two controversies—one involving internal department allegations and the other a public safety incident—has brought renewed attention to Chief Theetge’s leadership. Questions are now being raised about both her management of internal personnel policies and her responsiveness to crises unfolding in the community.
With active investigations continuing into the brawl and the lawsuit likely to progress through the federal court system in the coming months, the Cincinnati Police Department may find itself at the center of parallel legal and public relations battles.
As of now, no court dates have been set in the lawsuit filed by the four officers, and authorities have yet to release the identities of the two additional brawl suspects still being pursued by law enforcement.
