Minneapolis police chief resigns after interfering with an investigation, mayor says
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara, who was hired to oversee reforms following the killing of George Floyd, has chosen to resign rather than face disciplinary action for interfering with an investigation into his conduct, Mayor Jacob Frey announced Tuesday.
O’Hara, who recently led local police Federal immigration crackdown in cityHe was under investigation on charges of having close relationships with municipal employees.
Although these allegations were never proven, Frey said investigators found that O’Hara interfered with the investigation. He is accused of deleting a contact card from his city-issued cell phone to preserve evidence and telling another city employee about the investigation after he was instructed to remain silent, according to a written reprimand obtained by The Associated Press.
The mayor said O’Hara would be subject to disciplinary action, which could include termination. Frey said he chose to resign instead.
“Obviously it was an extremely painful decision, but I came to the conclusion that it was necessary to maintain the public trust and that this was the right way to move forward as a city,” Frey said.
“Trust is not secondary to the job, it is the job,” he added.
Jennifer Lor, a spokeswoman for the mayor’s office, said the city still has 17 open complaints against O’Hara — other than the investigation that resulted in disciplinary action — and will continue to investigate. Lor was unable to comment on the nature of these complaints.
O’Hara did not immediately respond to a LinkedIn message seeking comment.
O’Hara becomes chief in 2022 as the department is at the center of a nationwide reckoning over racism and brutality in policing. Two years ago, the death of Floyd, a Black man, by a white police officer in Minneapolis sparked global Black Lives Matter protests and calls to defund the police.
Last year, Minneapolis signed an agreement with the federal government to overhaul police training and use of force policies following Floyd’s killing. The U.S. Department of Justice under President Donald Trump canceled the agreement months later.
O’Hara oversaw law enforcement response to deadly incident Shooting attack at Annunciation Catholic School last August.
HE Criticized immigration enforcement tactics In December, after a federal agent knelt on a woman’s back during an arrest and tried to drag her into a car. Minneapolis police have faced scrutiny from all sides during Trump’s crackdown on immigrants, from people who believe officers have aided or hindered federal agents and protests.
Deputy Police Chief Katie Blackwell has stepped in to lead the department during the search for a new chief, Frey said.
