Police Chief Eliot Isaac to retire March 1 – The Cincinnati Enquirer

Cincinnati Police Chief Eliot Isaac will have his final day on the force on March 1, city officials announced Tuesday.

According to the city manager’s office, Isaac’s final working day will happen prior to his retirement. That day will be Feb. 18. 

“We are incredibly grateful for Chief Isaac’s decades of service to the residents of Cincinnati,” Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval said in a statement. “As police chief, he has provided compassionate and dedicated leadership, working daily to keep Cincinnati safe and secure.”

Officials said the search for a new chief will begin immediately.

“Serving the people of Cincinnati, alongside such a dedicated team of officers, has been the privilege of a lifetime,” Isaac said in a statement. “I’m grateful beyond words for the opportunity I have had.”

The city is already working to select consultants for its nationwide search and officials said Tuesday that two candidates are being considered.

The selection of a new chief will involve “extensive community engagement” and Chief Isaac has agreed to assist as well.

An interim police chief will be named on Feb. 18, Interim City Manager John Curp said.

Isaac replaced Chief Jeffrey Blackwell, who was fired by then-City Manager Harry Black. Blackwell later received a $255,000 settlement from the city.

While Blackwell and the chief before him, James Craig, were hired from outside Cincinnati, Isaac was an internal promotion. He joined the Cincinnati police force in 1988 and worked in several departments within the force.

In 2004, Isaac was promoted to police captain. He was named assistant chief in 2015, about six months before taking the department’s top spot.

During his tenure, the city saw two years of historically low gun violence. He also obtained a master’s degree from Xavier University since becoming chief.

Unlike many of his predecessors, he has been notoriously quiet in the press, but when he has spoken publicly, he has taken strong stances on reform.

He has publicly acknowledged that the policies of the Cincinnati Police Department inflicted serious harm on Black communities as recently as the 1990s.

Though the department did face criticism for the mass arrests during the 2020 protests and civil unrest, Isaac himself called George Floyd’s death a criminal act and took the time to reiterate that with officers throughout the city. He also knelt with protesters.

In addition to the 2020 protests, Isaac also led the department through massive street protests after the death of Sam DuBose at the hand of a University of Cincinnati police officer. That officer was tried twice and each instance ended in a mistrial amid some of the largest demonstrations the city has ever seen.

Also under his watch, Cincinnati’s 911 and officers came under scrutiny after the death of Kyle Plush, a teenager who became trapped in his vehicle and called police for help. Officers were unable to locate him but did not get out of their cars. 

After the tragedy, Isaac said: “There were some failures, and we have to do better.” The Plush family was later awarded a $6 million settlement.

During his time as chief, Cincinnati saw its first “active shooter” situation in decades at the Fifth Third Tower. The gunman killed three people and injured two others. Cincinnati police responded within minutes, shooting and killing the suspect.

There are rules governing when a police officer must retire from the force. Isaac announced last year that those rules placed his retirement within the first quarter of 2022. At the time, Isaac told The Enquirer: “I want to stay forever,” but the law limited how long he could lead the department.