Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara has resigned from his position following a misconduct investigation that concluded he interfered with an internal review. The investigation, which centered on allegations of inappropriate relationships with city employees, found that O'Hara's actions compromised the integrity of the inquiry, leading to a significant leadership change in the city's police department.
"Everyone makes mistakes, including me, but what I can’t allow is a breach of trust." — Mayor Jacob Frey, Minneapolis Mayor.
Mayor Jacob Frey announced O'Hara's resignation, stating that the findings revealed a serious breach of trust at the department's highest level. "Everyone makes mistakes, including me, but what I can’t allow is a breach of trust," Frey commented, underscoring the critical importance of public confidence in the role of police chief. He added that trust is central to the position and not a secondary consideration.
The internal review stemmed from an anonymous complaint initially brought to city officials. This complaint alleged that O’Hara had engaged in sexual relationships with city employees. While the initial investigation did not substantiate these underlying allegations, a subsequent internal review focused on O'Hara's conduct during the investigative process itself.
According to the findings of this later review, O’Hara improperly interfered with the inquiry. Specifically, investigators determined that he deleted a contact from a city-issued phone that they believed was relevant to the investigation. Furthermore, O'Hara was found to have communicated about the investigation with individuals he had been explicitly directed not to contact. Officials concluded that these actions undermined the integrity of the review process, irrespective of whether the original allegations were proven. KSTP reported that investigators also found O’Hara had been instructed not to discuss the matter with city employees but proceeded to do so, contributing to the procedural misconduct findings.
CBS News reported that Mayor Frey informed O’Hara of potential disciplinary actions, including termination, before O'Hara submitted his resignation. O'Hara reportedly chose to step down rather than proceed through the formal disciplinary process.
The fallout from O'Hara's resignation quickly generated political criticism within City Hall. City Council President Elliott Payne described the mayor's decision to move forward with O’Hara’s renomination while investigations were still ongoing as a "massive error in judgment." Payne argued that this situation reflected deeper failures in oversight and accountability within the city's governance. Other council members echoed similar concerns, highlighting ongoing tensions between the mayor’s office and the City Council regarding the oversight of public safety agencies and the demand for greater leadership transparency within the Minneapolis Police Department. Mayor Frey later acknowledged that the outcome of the investigation changed his assessment and stated that he would not have supported the nomination if the findings had been known earlier.
O’Hara, who previously served as a public safety official in Newark, was appointed as Minneapolis Police Chief in 2022. His tenure began during a period of intense reform pressure and organizational strain within the department, which continues to grapple with long-term challenges. These challenges include persistent staffing shortages, heightened public scrutiny, and ongoing efforts to implement reforms in the years following the 2020 murder of George Floyd. During his time as chief, O'Hara focused on rebuilding staffing levels and stabilizing departmental operations amidst continuous public criticism of policing practices in the city.
The resignation adds to the ongoing instability within the Minneapolis Police Department. City officials have not yet announced a timeline for selecting a permanent replacement for the chief's position. In the interim, Assistant Chief Katie Blackwell will serve as the acting chief during the transition period.
