Observations about the “Chief Theetge Report” April 1, 2026
Chief Theetge investigation report
It is too bad that this “investigation” involving Chief Theetge is such a serious matter and that the city has allowed what looks like a management problem to be handled (or mishandled) in such a public way.
I am not going to criticize the attorneys who carried out the investigation except to say that they do not appear to have spent much time around the police and the “police culture.” Despite that, there is no benchmarking in the report to indicate that the culture they found in the CPD is any different than other police departments. Nor is there any other context about city politics provided by the report.
Who knew that cops complain about their bosses? Or that policing is characterized by a command and control culture? Nowadays, the issue is not whether police departments have a culture of command and control but rather, “is the command and control excessive?” The report does not seem to make that case.
The report uses the word “believes” and its various iterations, between at least 40 and 50 times in a 9 page memo. Throughout the memo, the investigators report that, “the witness believes,” “many witnesses believe”, “some witnesses believe,” a majority of witnesses believe,” etc.
Usually investigative reports use terms such as “we found,” or “our findings show,” etc. The report draws conclusions, but the conclusions are based strictly on perceptions.
As a result, the city has been provided what is referred to as a “perception-based” investigation, not evidence-based. In other words, the report is a (very expensive) cultural assessment for which the city already knew the results.
Unfortunately, for the mayor and city manager, unpopular ≠ ineffective. There is zero data in the report concerning Chief Theetge’s alleged ineffectiveness. With respect to the brawl on 4th street, the report comes across as finger pointing.
One reported “belief,” shared by “many” concerned a claim of nepotism because a nephew of Chief Theetge, who was already on the force and had recently obtained his law license, was promoted, or assigned, by Chief Theetge as the CPD’s legal liaison. But the investigators made no finding as to whether the situation constituted nepotism or not. Nepotism, in many cases, is not clear cut when the evidence is applied against the rule. The report makes no finding either way.
There must be a full report beyond the 9-page memo, including whatever evidence the law firm gathered. At a minimum there should be transcripts of the interviews conducted by the law firm. But the public will likely not get access to those records until the matter has been finally adjudicated.
For those who are predicting that this matter will result in a law suit against the city, that the city will lose, I think they are right.
