A Cincinnati police captain who regained her job after fighting her firing is now suing the city and former Chief Teresa Theetge. She is alleging that she faced a pattern of discrimination and harassment.
Capt. Danita Pettis filed the lawsuit June 5 in federal court in Cincinnati. She claims that she was retaliated against for complaining about race and sex discrimination within the department.
Pettis was fired in December 2024 over accusations that she is dishonest, entered false payroll information and was insubordinate. She was the highest-ranking Black female officer in the department with 27 years of experience. At times, she was mentioned as a possible future police chief.
A three-person arbitration panel later ordered the city to fully reinstate Pettis as a captain with full back pay and benefits. She’s currently listed as the captain in charge of District 4, which patrols 11 neighborhoods, including those near the University of Cincinnati.
The lawsuit states that Theetge placed Pettis under investigation for the captain’s internal complaints and charges filed with the Ohio Civil Rights Commission and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission related to accusations of discrimination within the department.
In July 2024, Pettis was transferred from her position as captain of District 2 to a supervisory role in the department’s records section, a less prestigious position that came with reduced pay due to a lack of overtime opportunities, the suit states.
Pettis has previously argued that she was targeted in a campaign to smear her reputation. A document called the “Phoenix Project” was circulated to Cincinnati police officers, alleging Pettis was promoted due to affirmative action and not on her own merit.
The lawsuit also states that Pettis was referred to in an interdepartmental correspondence as someone who holds a deep-seated prejudice against men.
She was later fired by the city on Theetge’s recommendation. In its decision to reinstate her employment, the arbitration panel agreed that Pettis’ firing was unjustified.
“These actions were part of a continuing pattern of severe and pervasive harassment in the workplace which began prior to April 2024 and continued through her termination in December 2024,” the lawsuit states.
City Manager Sheryl Long fired Theetge on April 23, six months after the former chief was placed on paid leave amid public concerns over how crime in the city was being addressed. She since filed an appeal and is asking for an “impartial decisionmaker” to weigh in on her case.
When asked for a response, a city spokesperson said the city does not comment on pending litigation. The Finney Law Firm, which is representing Theetge, did not respond to an email and phone call.
Pettis is seeking monetary damages, lost wages and fringe benefits as part of her lawsuit. She’s also asked the court for a jury trial.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: CPD captain who regained job alleges pattern of discrimination
Reporting by Quinlan Bentley and Cameron Knight, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Quinlan Bentley and Cameron Knight, Cincinnati Enquirer | USA TODAY Network
