Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara resigned Tuesday following an investigation that concluded he probably interfered with an internal probe into alleged sexual misconduct, prompting Mayor Jacob Frey to declare a breakdown in the trust required to lead the department.
O'Hara stepped down after meeting with Frey, who had nominated him just weeks earlier for a second term. The investigation found no evidence supporting claims that O'Hara engaged in improper sexual relationships with city employees, but determined he likely deleted a contact from his phone while facing a prior internal investigation, constituting obstruction.
Frey issued O'Hara a "serious misconduct" reprimand and warned of potential discipline up to dismissal. At a Tuesday evening press conference, the mayor announced the resignation and explained his sudden shift in position.
"Trust is not secondary to the job, it is the job," Frey said. "When trust is broken it becomes extremely difficult to continue leading effectively." He added that he could not accept what amounted to a breach of trust, despite crediting O'Hara with rebuilding public confidence in the police department overall.
The reversal marked a dramatic about-face for Frey. On May 7, he had announced O'Hara's nomination for another term, calling him "the right leader for this moment and for this city" and highlighting the department's transformation. The mayor noted that staffing had grown from 550 officers to more than 640, applications had surged by 200%, and crime had declined across Minneapolis.
Assistant Chief Katie Blackwell will serve as acting leader while the city searches for a permanent replacement. Blackwell is expected to be considered among the candidates for the position.
O'Hara's appointment in November 2022 came as the Minneapolis Police Department faced intense scrutiny following the 2020 murder of George Floyd by four officers. All four were convicted and sentenced, including former Officer Derek Chauvin, who received a 22.5-year sentence for the killing plus an additional concurrent 21-year federal term for civil rights violations.
In 2023, a Justice Department investigation concluded the department had engaged in a pattern of excessive force and systematic discrimination against Black Americans. O'Hara was brought in to stabilize and reform an agency that had faced calls from some lawmakers to be dismantled, a proposal rejected by Minneapolis voters in 2021.
During his tenure, O'Hara reversed a wave of resignations and became a visible advocate for police reform. He recently drew national attention by criticizing federal immigration enforcement operations in Minneapolis, condemning shootings by federal officers that killed two unarmed U.S. citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, in January. O'Hara noted on CBS's Face the Nation that the Minneapolis police had recovered 900 guns and arrested hundreds of violent offenders in the prior year without firing on anyone.
The department also operated during other crises, including the June 2025 murders of Minnesota state lawmaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, and a mass shooting at Annunciation Catholic school two months later.
Todd Barnette, commissioner of the Minneapolis Office of Community Safety, acknowledged O'Hara's work in a statement Wednesday. "Chief O'Hara helped advance police reform efforts, replenish sworn staffing and guide the department through some of the city's most challenging moments," Barnette said. "We will continue moving forward by building trust through transparency, accountability, and collaboration with community members."
Author James Rodriguez: "O'Hara's exit exposes how quickly political backing evaporates when leadership stumbles, even as his reforms showed real progress on a department that desperately needed them."
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