Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara resigned Tuesday after investigators concluded he interfered with an internal investigation into his conduct, according to Mayor Jacob Frey.
Frey said O’Hara stepped down after being informed he faced disciplinary action “up to and including discharge” following findings that he deleted information from his city-issued phone and discussed the investigation despite instructions not to do so.
The investigation originally began after an anonymous complaint alleged O’Hara had engaged in intimate relationships with city employees. According to Frey, an outside investigation found those allegations were not substantiated. However, a separate follow-up investigation determined O’Hara improperly interfered with the process.
Investigators found O’Hara intentionally deleted a contact card from his city-issued cellphone in what officials described as an effort to conceal evidence of his connection to another individual. Investigators also said he disclosed details of the investigation to another city employee after being told to keep the matter confidential.
“Trust is not secondary to the job. It is the job,” Frey said during a Tuesday press conference announcing the resignation.
Frey called the decision to accept O’Hara’s resignation “extremely painful,” but said maintaining public trust in the Minneapolis Police Department was essential.
“Everyone makes mistakes, including me,” Frey said. “But what I can’t allow is a breach of trust.”
O’Hara, who became Minneapolis police chief in 2022 following nationwide scrutiny of the department after George Floyd’s death, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
During his tenure, O’Hara oversaw several high-profile incidents, including the response to the Annunciation Catholic School shooting and the city’s handling of federal immigration enforcement operations. He also publicly criticized some immigration enforcement tactics used by federal agents during recent crackdowns.
According to the mayor’s office, the city still has 17 separate open complaints involving O’Hara that remain under investigation.
Assistant Police Chief Katie Blackwell has been named interim chief while the city searches for a permanent replacement.
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