CINCINNATI – Cincinnati Police Chief Eliot Isaac’s last day in office is set for Feb. 18.

Isaac issued a joint statement with Mayor Aftab Pureval and interim City Manager John Curp on Tuesday announcing his retirement plans. The statement also outlined the city’s plans for finding a replacement.

On paper, Isaac’s final day will be Tuesday, March 1. However, his final working day will be Friday, Feb. 18, less than two weeks from Tuesday. Curp will name an interim police chief before Isaac’s final working day, according to the announcement.

“Serving the people of Cincinnati, alongside such a dedicated team of officers, has been the privilege of a lifetime,” said Isaac, who joined the Cincinnati Police Department in 1988. 

“I’m grateful beyond words for the opportunity I have had,” he said. “The mayor and the city administration have been incredible partners during this transition process, and I’m fully confident that the search process for a new police chief will yield the right person for the job.”

Pureval described Isaac as a "compassionate and dedicated leader" who worked every day to keep residents safe and secure.

“Chief Isaac has been a compassionate and dedicated leader, working every day to keep our residents safe and secure," Pureval said in a tweet Tuesday. "We are incredibly grateful for his years of service and his continued assistance in our national search for the best possible new police chief.”

The move comes as little surprise. Isaac announced in June that he planned to retire early in 2022. Even before formally taking office, Pureval made it publicly known that the city would conduct a national search for the city’s next chief.

In the statement, Pureval said the search process for a new police chief “began immediately” when he took office. That included conducting a search for a consulting firm to help the city of Cincinnati with the process.

The city’s statement said the administration has narrowed its choice for a consultant down to two firms. The consultant will work with the interim city manager on the search, which “involve extensive community engagement to determine the qualifications for candidates,” per the city’s statement.

Isaac has agreed to continue to assist in the process and “consult with Curp as the search progresses,” per the announcement.

Pureval said he’s confident that a “professional, effective process that prioritizes community engagement will result in the best possible leader for our police department.”

It’s unclear how long the search will take. The city is also in the process of searching for a permanent city manager.

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

Isaac had a rapid ascension to chief. In July 2015, he was promoted to executive assistant police chief. He became the city’s 15th police chief in December of that same year.

In his 33-year career, Isaac has held a variety of positions within the department, covering a variety of areas including administration, patrol command, internal investigations, problem solving and community engagement.

Prior to becoming assistant chief, Isaac served as the criminal investigation commander  where he oversaw investigations into matters such as homicides, personal crimes and financial crimes.

From 2007 to 2012 he served as the District Four commander. He also served as the Internal Investigations Section commander and as CPD’s night chief.