Overview
- City Manager Sheryl Long placed Theetge on paid administrative leave pending an internal review of her leadership and installed Assistant Chief Adam Hennie as interim chief.
- Mayor Aftab Pureval publicly supported the move, rejected claims of political motivation, and said the process will take months.
- Theetge hired the Finney Law Firm; attorney Stephen Imm called the action political scapegoating, said she will not resign, and noted all legal options are under consideration.
- Officials have not named a formal cause for removal beyond a leadership review, which follows high-visibility downtown incidents including a Fountain Square shooting and a widely shared summer brawl.
- Residents voiced mixed views on the decision and its impact on safety, a council member criticized the handling and lack of communication, and the city manager declined to answer questions citing an ongoing investigation.