CINCINNATI – Officer Olivia Zick with the Cincinnati Police Department was found dead at East Fork State Park in the city of Batavia, Ohio on Saturday.
Cincinnati Police Chief Teresa Theetge announced the officer’s death in social media posts on Sunday. Officer Zick, 30, began her law enforcement career with the agency 2019. She served in Districts Five and One.
“Officer Olivia Zick was a kind and compassionate Police Officer that cared deeply about helping others in the communities she served,” said Chief Theetge on Facebook.
“Officer Zick’s family and friends are in our thoughts and prayers during this difficult time,” the department wrote on Twitter.
Chief Theetge regrets to announce the death of Police Officer Olivia Zick. Officer Zick was a kind and compassionate Police Officer that cared deeply about helping others in the communities she served. Officer Zick's family and friends are in our thoughts and prayers. pic.twitter.com/sgOf8YZWj7
— Cincinnati Police Department (@CincyPD) February 12, 2023
At least two media outlets, The Republic Monitor and SNBC 13 reported that Zick potentially took her own life.
“According to reports, Olivia’s death is predicted to be a suicide,” the Monitor wrote without referring to the origin of the reports.
“According to reports speculated on the internet, Cincinnati Police Officer has died in what appeared to be an apparent suicide,” SNBC 13 reported.
The Republic Monitor also noted, “It is reported that she was suffering from some depression. The family and friends of Olivia are going through a very critical time right now.”
Zick was described as “a person everyone admired because she was a very selfless and caring person.” The Republic Monitor also reported that Zick had been a kidney donor.
Zick, who grew up in rural Pennsylvania, was a new police officer amid the civil unrest following George Floyd’s death in 2020. She said even though she’s white, she didn’t trust police until a Cincinnati officer changed her mind and eventually influenced her to become an officer, WLWT 5 reported at the time.
“It was one person, one interaction that took my perception in a different way, and if I can do that for one other person to change their perception about law enforcement, then I’ve did what I set out to do,” Zick said as a new officer.
