Minneapolis Police Chief Resigns Amid Investigation

Brian O’Hara, the Minneapolis Police Chief tasked with overseeing reforms post-George Floyd’s death, has decided to resign instead of facing disciplinary actions related to obstructing an inquiry into his behavior, as announced by Mayor Jacob Frey on Tuesday.

O’Hara, who has been involved in various local policing events, was under scrutiny concerning potential personal relationships with city staff. While the allegations were never substantiated, Frey indicated that investigators found evidence of O’Hara’s obstruction.

According to a reprimand obtained by the Associated Press, O’Hara was accused of deleting a contact from his city-issued phone, presumably to eliminate evidence, and allegedly communicated with another city employee about the investigation despite being instructed to stay silent.

The mayor mentioned he was prepared to take disciplinary measures, which could have led to termination, but O’Hara opted to resign instead.

“This was a tough choice, but necessary to uphold public trust, and we believe this is the best path forward for our city,” Frey remarked.

“Trust is not just an add-on; it’s essential to the role,” he emphasized.

Alongside the investigation that prompted the disciplinary measures, there are still 17 pending complaints against O’Hara, with intentions to continue looking into those, according to Jennifer Roe from the mayor’s office. Specifics of these complaints couldn’t be disclosed.

No immediate response came from O’Hara regarding a LinkedIn message seeking his comments.

O’Hara took on the chief role in 2022 as the department faced a national spotlight on issues of racism and police violence. Floyd’s killing by a white officer in Minneapolis ignited widespread protests and demands to defund the police.

In the wake of Floyd’s death, the city reached an agreement with the federal government to revamp police training and use-of-force guidelines, though this agreement was later rescinded by the Justice Department under President Trump.

O’Hara was responsibile for managing the police response to a shooting at Annunciation Catholic School last August, which claimed lives.

He also expressed concerns about immigration enforcement tactics in December when a federal agent was criticized for aggressive actions during an arrest.

Amid varied scrutiny over the police department, including allegations of complicity and obstruction towards federal agents during Trump’s immigration initiatives, Mayor Frey has appointed Assistant Police Chief Katie Blackwell to lead the department until a new chief is found.