CINCINNATI — An internal investigation looking into a complaint filed against Cincinnati Police Captain Danita Pettis "exonerates Captain Pettis of misconduct and alleged violations," according to a press release from the Fraternal Order of Police.
Pettis was been reassigned to CPD's records section while human resources investigated a third-party audio recording of a telephone conversation. During the conversation, Pettis, who is also the president of the Sentinal Police Association, allegedly made "derogatory comments and threatens workplace hostility" toward another officer.
In the end, the press release says the report fully exonerated Pettis.
"The evidence does not support that Captain Pettis threatened workplace hostility or carried out any type of action that would be seen as workplace hostility or retaliation," the press release claims the report says.
The complaint filed against Pettis was made as she was being considered, among other candidates, for the open position of assistant chief with the Cincinnati Police Department. When the investigation into the complaint was launched, the city paused the selection process for the position until the final report was issued.
According to the press release, Pettis will now continue in the selection process for assistant chief.
During a Tuesday afternoon press conference, a spokesperson took the podium instead of Pettis. The FOP said this was because when Pettis requested permission from CPD to speak with media about the results of the internal investigation, the department denied her request.
The spokesperson said Pettis was targeted because of her chances at a promotion to the assistant chief position.
The conversation that led to the internal investigation was a recorded phone call between Pettis and a CPD Sergeant while Pettis was off duty, the internal investigation concluded. That conversation happened around August 2022 but was not submitted to CPD until June 5 — something Pettis' spokesperson pointed to when she said Pettis was targeted because of her pursuit of the assistant chief position.
The conversation circulated around another CPD officer and rumors connected to that officer that had sprung up over the years. The recording submitted to CPD was also an edited version of the conversation, cut together to omit the voice of the Sergeant with whom Pettis had been speaking, the investigation said.
In the end, the investigation concluded Pettis was not in violation of any workplace policies at CPD, since the conversation happened during off hours. However, the investigation says the derogatory terms used during the conversation would have been a violation if the conversation happened during duty hours.
The report recommended Pettis receive refresher training in the regulations she'd been accused of violating within the next 90 days.
It also recommended CPD and its Human Resources department meet with the officer who was the topic of the conversation, "to ensure that she feels safe and comfortable in the workplace."
"While HR was unable to substantiate that Captain Pettis retaliated or threatened [the CPD officer], this does not negate her concerns," reads the report. "It is important to HR, CPD and the City Administration that all employees feel safe at work and that any remaining concerns are addressed."
Pettis' spokesperson said the captain was on vacation when the conversation in question happened and that Pettis had believed she was having a private conversation with a friend to vent about workplace issues.
"Venting with a friend while off duty is not a crime or a violation of city regulations of professional workplace conduct," said Pettis' spokesperson. "Haven't most of us had off-duty personal conversations with trusted family or friends, with or without profanity, that we wouldn't want the world to hear?"
Pettis has been a member of the Cincinnati Police Department for 24 years, serving a variety of roles. She is also only the second Black woman in 164 years to be promoted to the role of captain within CPD.
Watch Live:
